Arthritis is a disease that is made up of more than 100 different conditions. It can affect people at any age, of any race, and of any sex. The most common conditions of arthritis are Rheumatoid and Osteoarthritis and they are both quite different. They each have their own unique selection of risk factors and they distress the body in completely different ways. The only thing they have in common is swelling, and constant joint pain.
Rheumatoid arthritis can affect many different parts of the body and joints. It can also affect the heart, lungs, and blood of an individual. With Rheumatoid arthritis one may feel pain and inflammation in the joints, and experience redness of the skin, swelling, and stiffness. There is a chance that the swollen inflamed joint can lose movement at the time.
Osteoarthritis is common amongst most people and it includes pain in the joints of the hips, knees, wrists, fingers, spine, ankles, and shoulders. Sometimes physical and work injuries can be the beginning of Osteoarthritis, or if you have a work role that involves a lot of lifting of heavy materials, bending down, and reaching.
Arthritis has been treated with acupuncture for years. Oriental medicine, along with acupuncture, has become a blessing for those suffering with arthritis. Arthritis can flare up with cold winds, dampness, and sometimes even heat. It is different for each individual. Chinese medicine is known to treat a client’s arthritis as an individual case and have certain acupuncture points designed especially for them. Along with acupuncture, the client will undergo lifestyle changes, experiment with Chinese herbs, and dietary advice.
The Acupuncture Treatment for Arthritis
First the practitioner will ask the individual questions about their arthritis and lifestyle. They will examine them and find out what acupuncture points will be the best treatment method. They will place tiny needles in the areas they need to focus on for the client’s recovery. The needles are very tiny and the client only feels a little discomfort when they are inserted into target point areas. To treat arthritis the practitioner will place needles in a variety of acupuncture point locations and not just on the direct arthritic areas. They could be inserted into your arms, shoulders, hips, legs, feet and other points.
Normally a treatment will last from 10 to 30 minutes and the client will usually do this treatment two times a week if they can. The client will find some arthritis relief after their first appointment, and the future appointments will take care of the more serious conditions. The client is recommended to do a few weeks of this treatment, up to two times a week for beneficial results. Sometimes there might be a slight discomfort after the needles have been removed, so it is good to take a warm bath and relax when you get home from treatment. The acupuncturist will keep designing points to focus on, for each session, to eventually relieve all the symptoms. Along with a change of lifestyle, and with diet recommendations, this could be a healthy alternative to medications.
