All musculo-skeletal pain and restricted movement

Acupuncture is very good at treating disorders of the musculo-skeletal system and approximately 50% of our work as acupuncturists falls into this category.

Many people visit their G.P. for muscle-related problems. Usually painkillers and anti-inflammatories are prescribed, and sometimes the muscular pain will clear up spontaneously with the help of these medications. On other occasions the medication will give temporary relief, but the pain returns as the effects of the medication wears off. In particularly bad cases the medication may not have any effect in reducing pain.

No one knows for sure exactly how acupuncture works in the treatment of muscular pain. Many theoretical models have been proposed and I am sure that all of them hold part of the story. One of the problems in discussing the theoretical basis of acupuncture is that there are many different acupuncture techniques and they are all capable of achieving the desired affect.

Fairly recently, two senior consultant anaesthetists from the States (Travell &Simons), coined the phase 'trigger points' to particular points in taut muscle bands which, when needled could cause an immediate release in the muscle… and instant pain relief. These points are found by feeling for taut muscle bands in the problematic muscle and then needling the most tender point. These trigger points can often be felt as nodules in the muscle fibres, as the diagram illustrates.

The work of Travell and Simons was pioneering, although when these points were mapped out, they often corresponded to Traditional Acupuncture points. This work showed a clear read more