Natural Partners: Acupuncture and chiropractic

Both chiropractic care and acupuncture share the view that chronic pain and many injuries can be successfully treated without having to resort to drugs or surgery, treating the patient holistically. Each healing modality has its own benefits, but the two work together in a complementary and synergistic manner.

According to traditional Chinese medical theory, acupuncture works by freeing the flow of energy through pathways called "meridians" in the body. Energy in these meridians periodically becomes blocked, leading to pain, dysfunction and often illness. The acupuncturist uses whisker-thin needles to insert through the skin at important meridian points that correspond to the patient's problem, releasing blocked energy and allowing it to flow again.

Chiropractic adjustments correct subluxations, misalignments in the spine which interfere with the proper transmission of nerve impulses throughout the body. The spinal cord is the main conduit through which all the body's regulatory and pain signals flow and when the vertebrae move out of place due to stress, muscle tension or injury, the body does not function properly and pain is a common result.

In the case of a painful muscle spasm, the precise insertion of a needle can accomplish what much pushing and prodding are unable to do. The physical stimulation of the acupuncture needle into the muscle will cause relaxation of the fibers and the spasm there will release and relax. Freeing the musculature surrounding the spine is a vital component of achieving proper alignment.

Acupuncture helps to reduce pain signals to a tolerable level, relaxes your muscles and increases blood flow to speed healing so that your chiropractor can more easily perform adjustments to your spine.

As acupuncture has been proven to be effective in treating chronic back pain and other musculoskeletal problems, which are also the most common problems treated by chiropractors, the two healing modalities work well together to help make pain a thing of the past.

For more information, email Dr. Wendy at haydenhealth@gmail.com.