Acupuncture has been used for several generations, and is a fundamental part of traditional Chinese medicine.
Studies have shown that acupuncture can help treat a wide array of medical conditions; including, but not limited to, dental pain, headaches, certain drug addictions, cramps, osteoarthritis, lower back pain, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, asthma, and myofascial pain.
Needles as thin as human hairs are used to treat a myriad of health issues, and acupuncture is also a painless procedure. Here, we will discuss how acupuncture can be used to accelerate the healing of sports injuries.
What are the Most Common Sports Injuries?
Strains may include strained quads, groin muscle strains, and pulled hamstrings. We use several different tendons and muscle groups when we exercise or play sports, leading to strains or more serious injuries.
Sprains typically occur when ligaments turn in an unusual manner, leading to a tear or ligament pull. Ligaments are tissues in the body that is responsible for connecting bone to bone.
Knee injuries may include cartilage fractures, dislocation, and tears. ACL tears are also very common among amateur and professional athletes. The wear and tear that the knee goes through during many sporting activities should be taken very seriously.
Fractures are commonly caused by accidents or by playing contact sports. They tend to affect the arms, feet, and legs of athletes. Fractures can be extremely painful and may require that the patient remain immobile to allow the fracture to heal properly.
Tennis elbow is a type of injury that is caused by repetition. When the ligaments in the elbow become strained due to repetitive activity or overuse, tennis elbow develops. Warming up before playing and taking frequent breaks will help reduce the risk of tennis elbow.
Back and neck pain can sometimes be treated with rest. More severe cases may require surgery or physical therapy to treat. Your spinal column and back will undergo varying degrees of stress depending on the activity that you are engaged in.
Inflammation due to stress may impact your back muscles and vertebrae, which may lead to intense pain. A balanced diet, proper warmups, and low-impact activities will help reduce the risk of back and neck pain.
Swollen muscles are a reaction to an injury and are natural. However, the pain caused by swollen muscles can be quite intense and may render you unable to move. Fortunately, acupuncture can help treat swollen muscles and may help improve your range of motion.
Can Acupuncture Help Treat Sports Injuries?
Acupuncture can help you recover from a dysfunction caused by a sports injury. It can also help relieve short-term pain and may accelerate your recovery so that you can return to enjoying your favourite activities.
Acupuncture therapy has an excellent record with a plethora of different sporting injuries. In addition to reducing inflammation, acupuncture also helps with trigger point release and rapid pain relief.
Acupuncture is designed to accelerate the healing of wounds and facilitate the repair of multiple injuries by accessing the meridians in the human body. Meridians are energy pathways that are integral to optimal health and wellbeing.
The acupuncture needles are placed on the meridians of the athlete to facilitate the flow of energy, which will subsequently accelerate the healing process of the body.
The increased circulation of life energy-which is known as Qi-will help reduce swelling and pain. The augmented circulation of Qi will also boost the circulation of lymph and blood. The result is the tissues in the body will receive fresh nutrients that are vital to healing.
Cellular waste and dead cells will also be directed away from the affected area so that the injured site can help properly.
Acupuncture treatment is also non-invasive, painless, and has minimal to no side effects.
Does Acupuncture Speed up Healing?
By stimulating blood flow, the recovery time of the athlete will be accelerated. Pain will also be relieved so that the patient can focus on recovery and also avoid the need for powerful and potentially addictive opioids.
The slight irritation produced by the acupuncture needles trigger an increase in blood flow to the affected site and the muscles are allowed to relax thanks to the reduction in swelling.
The patient’s pain response is thereby reduced, allowing for a marked increase in blood flow and removing harmful toxins from the injured site.
Many athletes that undergo acupuncture therapy notice that they require fewer rest days in-between workouts. Most will also recover faster from their injuries, allowing them to return to the sport they love while performing optimally.
Benefits of Acupuncture Summarized
Acupuncture can help give you more energy and reduce your stress levels, reducing your risk of depression, heart disease, and high blood pressure. It is also commonly used in order to treat pain that can be debilitating and even excruciating.
It is a bladeless procedure, ensuring that the patient will not be cut or harmed in any way. Acupuncture is a non-invasive and homeopathic modality that takes a holistic approach to health.
There are no drugs or surgical procedures involved with acupuncture. It may even help increase patience, helping patients with their impulse control to curb certain bad habits, such as smoking.
An enhanced immune response may also be facilitated via acupuncture therapy, and acupuncture may also help people who suffer from insomnia sleep through the night. Acupuncture can also help promote the production of reproductive hormones.
As a result, couples trying to reproduce may have a better chance of conception after having received acupuncture treatments. Moreover, acupuncture may also help people obtain relief if they suffer from chronic allergies.
It can also help control blood pressure, and people with irritable bowel syndrome and other digestive issues may also notice improvements in their condition after having received acupuncture therapy.
