Acupuncture
Acupuncture originally stems from the concept of Traditional Chinese Medicine which is thought to go as far back as 1000BC. The theory and techniques have altered along the way and at Dorset Orthopaedic we practice the Western medical acupuncture approach.
What does acupuncture entail?
Acupuncture involves inserting tiny needles in to the desired area of the body to stimulate the release of helpful chemicals and hormones.
The insertion of the needle creates a small micro injury which in turn increases the blood supply to the area and triggers the release of endorphins and other chemicals, whilst also stimulating nerve fibres to block pain signals.
How does acupuncture help?
Acupuncture has a whole host of different effects that can help with pain, stress, muscle spasm, inflammation and phantom limb pain, to name a few. Once the physiotherapist has completed a full assessment, they will know whether acupuncture is indicated and which techniques are best to use.
As with any manual therapy, there are certain patients that acupuncture may not be suitable for. We always discuss acupuncture in detail prior to using it in our treatment plan and if the criteria is not met, then a different approach will be used.