Few things are as bad or as disabling as pain symptoms. As such, it is critical to deal with pain symptoms quickly and effectively. Unfortunately, not all pain symptoms are treatable the same way. While some pain can be treated with rest and pain relieving medications, other pain symptoms are much more stubborn and require other treatments.
Two significantly beneficial treatments for pain are acupuncture and laser therapy. Both treatments are offered by experienced orthopedic doctors and work very well to relieve pain symptoms in various parts of the body. If you have pain that is not effectively treated with other treatments, talk to your doctor about acupuncture and laser therapy and whether one of these treatments can help.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is part of traditional Chinese medicine. It believed that the treatment balances the flow of your energy, specifically referred to as qi, in your body. However, many western practitioners believe that acupuncture stimulates your connective tissues, muscles, and nerves and that the needles enhance your body’s natural painkilling powers.
For acupuncture, you’ll need to lie down on an exam table, and your practitioner will apply thin needles into different areas of your body to access specifically targeted points. The needles will stay inserted for a few minutes before being gently removed. Sometimes, doctors apply heat or a gentle electrical current into the needles, but this isn’t always necessary.
Acupuncture may benefit as treatment for a variety of types of pain and discomfort, such as back or neck pain and pain from osteoarthritis. The treatment can reduce other musculoskeletal pain, as well. It may even help with migraines and headaches. There are also many other uses of acupuncture far beyond pain relief.
Laser Therapy
Laser therapy works by delivering light energy into specific areas of the body where it heats up tissue and reduces pain and inflammation. Laser therapy is performed using a machine and handheld device that is pressed against the treatment area. As the handheld device moves across your skin, laser energy penetrates it and goes deep into the tissue. The light energy targets and reduces inflammation. As a result, pain symptoms subside.
Laser therapy is effective for a variety of pain issues, such as neck and back pain, shoulder and knee pain, pain related to sports injuries, sciatica, and much more. Laser therapy targets pain on a cellular level and may aid in reducing pain and swelling from acute injuries like strains and sprains as well as chronic conditions like disc issues. Although practitioners can’t use laser therapy for headaches and migraines, your doctor may use it to ease pain practically anywhere else in the body.
Benefits
Both treatments don’t require the use of medications, so you won’t have to rely on pills that could potentially cause issues within the body. Both treatments are also nonsurgical, meaning you don’t have to worry about stitches, hospital stays, or scars. You won’t have to contend with a lengthy recovery time that limits your ability to function or go to work as usual. Neither treatment will take you away from your life for a long period. Generally, a laser therapy treatment lasts five to 10 minutes. If you opt for an acupuncture treatment, it takes a bit longer, but generally less than an hour. Neither treatment is known to cause many side effects. These treatments tend to be safe for most people, and with either, a practitioner will evaluate you first to ensure the procedure is safe for you.
Why Choose Our Pain Management Doctors in Several Cities in Delaware
At the Delaware Back Pain & Sports Rehabilitation Centers, we offer the latest and greatest in pain management, including laser therapy and acupuncture. We have a team of experts who understand that pain can affect your quality of life.
Contact Delaware Back Pain & Sports Rehabilitation Centers, serving various regions of Delaware, for a consultation to find an ideal treatment plan to lessen your pain. Call us at one of our locations or use our online contact form.
