Contemporary Medical Acupuncture
- Treatments with or without the use of electric stimulation
- Acupressure pellets
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What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a therapeutic intervention used to treat specific health dysfunctions (i.e., musculoskeletal pain and movement disorders, sports injuries, functional problems, problems of dysregulation, headaches, stress-related disorders, chronic pain, etc.).
What is Contemporary Medical Acupuncture (CMA)?
CMA is a precise peripheral nerve stimulation technique, in which fine solid needles (acupuncture needles) are inserted into anatomically defined neurofunctional sites, and stimulated manually or with electricity for the therapeutic purpose of modulating abnormal activity of the nervous system and/or the endocrine, exocrine and immune systems. It is used in pain syndromes, functional problems, and any diseases in which these modulatory mechanisms are available. Medical acupuncture works to modulate the pain and sensory signals throughout the body. During treatments, the body’s natural pain relieving chemicals are released to improve the biochemical balance in the body while promoting healing.
Will Contemporary Medical Acupuncture Help Me?
CMA can help most musculoskeletal problems. If there is a neurophysiological dysfunction present, points can be chosen to restore global function, nerve stimulation, and muscle motor function. Systemic conditions, due to dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system can also be incorporated into your treatment plans if applicable to your case.
To determine if acupuncture can help you, with your treatment goals, book a free 5 minute consult with Dr. Sharma.
Conditions Often Treated with Medical Acupuncture include:
- Headaches
- Acute and chronic pain
- Neck and Back Pain
- Sciatic Pain
- Tendonitis
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Arthritic Conditions
In conditions that are not reversible (cancer, old age, etc), acupuncture is used as an adjunct for the management of symptoms.
Medical acupuncture is typically a painless procedure that is minimally invasive. Needles are used that are sharp enough to enter the skin, muscles, and nerves without cutting the tissues. Most people don’t feel the insertion but some may, other sensations include a sense of heaviness, warmth, a slight ache or twitch.
Are There Any Side Effects?
Some of the common side effects include: dizziness, fainting, nausea, changes in blood pressure, pain on insertion or removal of the needle, bleeding, or aggravation of symptoms.
Less common serious reactions include: Infections, trauma to the tissue, or a delayed diagnosis of an underlying condition.
As with any treatment, unforeseen reactions may occur and a thorough review of your medical history is important before treatment.
