Pain Management

Living with continual or recurring pain makes every day a challenge. If you’re tired of battling chronic pain, contact Acupuncture by Sue, a holistic practice helping people in and around Queens, New York City. Chinese medicine and acupuncture specialist Sue Du, LAc, MS, empathizes with the difficulties living in pain can cause and uses safe, proven techniques to support pain relief and better health. Call Acupuncture by Sue to learn how Chinese medicine can ease your chronic pain, or schedule a consultation by completing the online booking form.

Why might I need pain management?

You could benefit from pain management if you have a condition causing chronic pain. Around 50 million people across the United States live with chronic pain lasting for months or years; many have incurable pain disorders. Conditions that commonly cause chronic pain include:

• Arthritis
• Spinal stenosis
• Herniated discs
• Scoliosis
• Osteoporosis
• Cancer
• Fibromyalgia
• Postherpetic neuralgia
• Adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder)
• Rotator cuff arthropathy
• Peripheral neuropathy

Lower back, neck, and shoulder disorders are among the most frequent causes of chronic pain. You may also develop chronic pain because of diabetes or a sports injury.

What treatments are used in traditional pain management?

Managing long-term pain can be challenging and often requires a combination of therapies. Pain management programs typically involve multiple interventions to address chronic pain’s causes and effects. A program may include one or more of the following:

• Physical therapy
• Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)
• Occupational therapy
• Therapeutic ultrasound
• Psychological counseling
• Relaxation techniques
• Chiropractic care
• Therapeutic massage
• Hot and cold compresses
• Steroid injections

Medications for pain include low-dose tricyclic antidepressants, anti-seizure drugs, and opioid painkillers. If you want to improve your current pain management regime, don’t want to take drugs, or surgery isn’t an option, acupuncture is a drug-free, effective option.

How does acupuncture help with pain management?

Acupuncture is a form of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Practitioners believe that a qi (energy) blockage or imbalance leads to chronic pain; Sue aims to correct or balance qi flow to reduce pain.

Acupuncture uses tiny, fine needles to stimulate specific points around your body. The location, number of needles, and how long they stay in varies depending on what condition Sue’s treating. All chronic pain conditions could potentially benefit from acupuncture, but its most common uses are in treating lower back, neck, and shoulder pain.

Needle placement is usually painless and requires no anesthetic, sedatives, or special preparations. Patients often find the experience very relaxing. You might experience mild discomfort afterward, but this indicates that the treatment is working, and these effects should wear off quickly.

How many acupuncture treatments will I need to manage chronic pain?

Many patients find their symptoms improve after just one or two acupuncture sessions with Sue. More persistent or severe chronic pain may require a series of treatments; if your condition is incurable, you might benefit from maintenance sessions after the initial series.

Call Acupuncture by Sue for more information about acupuncture’s role in pain management, or book an appointment online today.