Acupuncture & TCM For Rheumatoid Athritis: A Case Study

Acupuncture for Pain Relief in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

I prescribed 5 Acupuncture sessions with herbal medication. She felt so much better and her joints and over all energy improved significantly.

Patient Words:

I am 21 years old and have struggled with rheumatoid arthritis for several years. Within five visits with Dr. Mazel-Gee my joints were feeling better and my overall energy improved. What’s more important, though, is the confidence she has given me that I can manage my illness through natural means. Her kindness and generosity make me feel supported and cared for.

Efficacy of Acupuncture for Pain Relief in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Acupuncture for pain relief in patients with rheumatoid arthritis is being practiced for over 2500 years in traditional Chinese medicine. Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic illness that affects the entire body. The immune system which is generally responsible for fighting infections, start to attack the healthy tissues. People who are suffering from RA feel severe pain in different body parts and especially in the joints.1

How does Acupuncture work in Rheumatoid Arthritis? 

Acupuncture for pain relief in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis is not a permanent cure but provides temporary relief. In the treatment procedure, 12 different pathways in the body are concentrated and are focused to help restore the energy balance in the body. Most of the Acupoints are present near the nerves. Needles are placed on those Acupoints. The patients can experience soreness and tingling sensation.2 

The placement of the needles activates the feeling of the nerves which send signals to the brain and the spinal cord. The secretion of endorphins helps the body to get relieved from pain.  

Research  studies have shown that acupuncture can deal with chronic pain in the human body which is lasting for more than three months. Back pain can also be relieved with acupuncture and it is beneficial in treating lower back pain as well. It must not be the sole treatment measure for arthritis but can be taken as an additional treatment for RA.3

References:

1. Dorothy Foltz Gray, Can acupuncture help relieve RA, Arthritis Foundation

2. Alternative treatments’ by patients with rheumatoid arthritis, Struthers GR, Rheumatol Int 1983

3. a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials, Acupuncture for back pain, by White AR and Ernst E