Those in need of rehabilitation after an accident will want to understand all of their options. The first part of any sort of treatment is a full body assessment which will then result in a treatment plan. It’s important to work with various methods to treat an injury. Your body is a complex organism and so complex treatment plans are needed. One aspect of rehab can be acupuncture. You’ve probably seen images of people being poked with needles, but maybe aren’t too familiar with the practice. Here are some interesting ways that acupuncture can help with rehab.
Heal yourself
Your body is capable of immense power, and this extends to healing itself. If you’ve ever cut yourself you’ll know that with a bit of time, your body will naturally heal this wound. This belief is central to the practice of acupuncture. Acupuncture hails from Traditional Chinese Medicine, TCM, but has been adapted by many western doctors. It works to reduce natural hormones, such as endorphins and serotonin, which help the body to not only feel relief from pain, but to better relax itself. Once the body can focus on healing, that is what it will do.
Minor injuries
If you’ve played a sport, most likely you’ve suffered a sprain or a strain. The go-to response is to rest your body, maybe ice the injured spot, keep any affected limbs elevated, and compress the area. While this will all work in time, another treatment prong can involve acupuncture. When you undergo an acupuncture treatment, you can reduce the swelling and inflammation of the area. Furthermore, white blood cells are actually attracted to the injured area, and these cells help to speed of the rate of healing.
If you are using acupuncture to help with minor injuries, expect to book a few sessions within a matter of weeks. You will most likely not need too many sessions, but your specialist will help decide a treatment plan.
Major injuries
While acupuncture can most definitely treat minor injuries, what about major issues? Thankfully, this traditional form of medicine can be effective. While major incidents, such as car crash can do a lot of damage on your body, the good news is that your body can heal itself. Acupuncture should not be the only course of treatment, but it can be effective when used in conjunction with other services.
Again, because acupuncture can increase hormone levels of dopamine and serotonin, your body will begin to feel better faster. This will allow for physical therapy to take place, and for your body to heal itself faster.
If you have been involved in a serious accident and are prescribed acupuncture, you can expect a longer period of sessions. The road to recovery can be a long one, so it’s important to keep working hard and thinking positively.
