When used together, these two approaches can provide big benefits
Do you struggle with persistent back, neck, or knee pain? Do you frequently get headaches or migraines? Living with pain can be immensely challenging, especially when it feels like your pain relief treatments aren’t working. Fortunately, you have options, some of which may surprise you!
Physiotherapy is well-documented as an effective means of addressing pain. Through manual therapy techniques, therapeutic exercise, and patient education, physiotherapists seek to address pain at its cause, striving for lasting relief.
What you might not know, however, is that acupuncture is also a proven method of treating pain. This technique involves inserting long, thin needles into certain points of the body. Studies show that it’s helpful for several painful conditions, such as osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, and joint pain.
While physiotherapy and acupuncture are both effective in and of themselves, combining them can boost your outcomes even further. At Equilibrium, our integrated team offers both physiotherapy and acupuncture, ensuring you can receive comprehensive care here in Victoria.
Curious to know how acupuncture and physiotherapy work well together? Keep reading–or contact us to schedule an appointment!
The Basics of Acupuncture
Acupuncture is rooted in traditional Chinese medicine and has an underlying philosophy drawn from Confucianism and Taoism. In its traditional form, acupuncture is believed to work by addressing imbalances in energy in the body, thus restoring the body’s interconnectedness and eliminating symptoms.
In order to address these imbalances, an acupuncturist inserts long, sterile needles into certain points throughout the body, called meridian points. These needles aren’t inserted deeply; mostly only go in just below the skin.
While historically, acupuncture was used to address most medical conditions, today, it’s widely recognized as an effective pain management tool. Several studies have found that it can offer pain relief for many conditions, including the following:
- Back and neck pain
- Osteoarthritis
- Headaches and migraines
- Post-surgical pain
As acupuncture has become more widespread in the West, it’s also become more integrated with physiotherapy, both in its original form and in its Western form, dry needling, which employs acupuncture techniques without the underlying philosophy.
How Acupuncture and Physiotherapy Can Work Together
Acupuncture is usually more effective when used in conjunction with more classic physiotherapy techniques, such as strengthening or stretching exercises. Often, acupuncture serves as a pain relief modality. Once a patient’s pain has been alleviated, they can then turn to physical therapy exercises or other treatments to address the cause of the pain.
For example, let’s consider Sarah, a 55-year-old woman with osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that causes stiffness and pain in the affected joint.
Sarah, like many osteoarthritis patients, found it difficult to stay active. Her physiotherapist suggested a tailored exercise program to help alleviate her symptoms. Unfortunately, her pain prevented her from performing even gentle exercises.
However, her physiotherapist’s integrated approach to care meant she also had access to an acupuncturist. Sarah’s regular acupuncture sessions offered enough pain relief that Sarah was able to begin her exercise program–which in turn offered even more pain relief!
Acupuncture and physiotherapy build upon and complement each other as treatments. Therapeutic exercise is often a physiotherapist’s first choice for managing chronic or persistent pain, but if a patient’s pain is too intense, exercise may feel out of reach. Acupuncture offers a proven pain management program that can pave the way for more intense treatments and the potential to eliminate pain completely.
What to Expect from Your Integrated Appointments at Equilibrium
Your initial appointment will include an in-depth physical evaluation to help our team better understand your condition, symptoms, and needs. One of our physiotherapists will take a detailed health history, talk to you about the exact nature of your pain, and perform several movement assessments, giving us a comprehensive understanding of your situation.
From there, we’ll develop a personalized treatment plan. If we think acupuncture is a good fit for you, one of our acupuncturists will set an acupuncture schedule that fits alongside your physiotherapy sessions. Our team works together to ensure your treatments are coordinated in a way that works for you.
A typical acupuncture session lasts around 60 minutes, although they’re sometimes shorter. The number of sessions you’ll have will depend on several factors, but in most cases, you can expect 6-8 individual sessions. Once our acupuncturist has inserted the needles, they’ll usually remain for at least 10-15 minutes while you lay back and relax.
Physiotherapy appointments typically occur 1-3 times a week and also last around 60 minutes, with the overall duration depending on your condition. Our physiotherapists will guide you through your treatment program, showing you how to perform exercises correctly and monitoring your overall progress. You might also receive exercises to do at home.
Request an Appointment Today!
You don’t have to live with persistent or chronic pain. The Equilibrium physiotherapists and acupuncturists work together to ensure you maximize your treatment, helping you reach your goals and live a full, active life.
Learn more about the ways acupuncture and physiotherapy can work together for you. Schedule an appointment at our Victoria clinic today!
