The American Pain Foundation reports that more than 80 million Americans suffer from pain related conditions. Why should we not do everything we can to resolve this?
The most prevalent are neck and back pain, pain from arthritis and other joint, bone or muscular disorders, post-surgical problems, carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia, digestive distress (such as IBS, colitis, Crohn’s disease, etc.) – the list goes on.
The typical remedy is to suppress pain using medications which cover up the problem. In some cases the pain is intractable because of the nature of the injury, but many times alleviation of the causative factor is more appropriate.
In other words, if you have discomfort due to heartburn or reflux or pain from more serious digestive disorders, it would be more appropriate to correct the reason WHY you have a digestive challenge rather than cover it up with acid stopping medications or corticosteroids. Many people don’t realize this is possible because they see their conventional doctor, not realizing they are trained to manage their health crisis, not to heal their disease. Seeking the services of a natural health care provider such as an acupuncturist, who is trained to seek resolution of the health condition, generally brings the desired results for those wishing to avoid or lessen medication usage.
Acupuncture has been studied extensively for its use in helping painful and inflammatory conditions. Stimulating centers in the brain and hormones from glands that secrete the anti-inflammatory hormones, the body is able to use its own inherent system we are born with to handle the injury or functional issues. Acupuncture has been around for thousands of years because it works. It’s been tried and true.
The body was given to us with the ability to manage inflammation (in fact, inflammation is an integral part of the repair mechanism) through a complex cascade of chemical events. If it is not doing that we need to ask “why not” – then address the ‘why not’. This holds true for the pain-suppressing chemicals as well.
If your body is not healing properly, ‘why not’? If an organ system is not doing its job, ‘why not’? True health comes when the ‘why nots?’ are addressed, rather than covered up. Why not seek the services of a professional trained and skilled in handling the ‘why nots’ of the body. This is the time to enjoy life without pain dictating the quality of it. You don’t have to suffer!
©2009 Holly A. Carling, O.M.D., L.Ac., Ph.D.
