Acupuncture - The Safer Alternative for Treating Cervical Spondylosis
Spondylosis is the medical term for arthritis of the spine. This is a degenerative condition that is associated with the aging process and affects different areas of one’s spine. Cervical spondylosis affects the neck, while thoracic spondylosis is known to affect the area of the mid-back while lumbar spondylosis affects the lower back.
It is caused by the usual biochemical changes in the cells of the spine that are a normal part of the aging process. The progression of the condition varies from individual to individual and depends on a number of factors such as aging, genes and lifestyle.
Acupuncture is a popular form of traditional Chinese medicine that has found many adherents the world over.
Its popularity in the United States is growing and it can be used as a safe, alternative treatment for pain management and many other conditions.
Acupuncture can be used in order to relieve neck pain that occurs in cervical spondylosis. It involves the insertion of thin needles into specific points on the body. Before insertion, the needles are sterilized. The needles may be twirled, warmed or stimulated electrically to increase the effectiveness of the treatment. The best part about this treatment is that there are no side effects.
Practitioners of traditional Chinese medicines have for long considered cervical spondylosis to be a disorder of the meridians that traverse the neck and arms. These meridians are channels through which the body’s energy or qi flows.
Acupuncture can help alleviate the symptoms of cervical spondylosis by removing blockages in the meridians and improving the flow of qi through the channels. The acupuncturist’s goal is to influence the flow of qi by regulating its flow, supplementing it where it is deficient and dispersing it where excessive amounts have accumulated. This restores balance to the flow of qi and restores health.
During the course of treatment, it is normal for the acupuncture needles to be placed at points on the body apart from the neck. This, according to traditional acupuncture theory, is because needles placed at one point can affect distant parts of the body along the same meridian. Typically, needles may also be placed at points on the head, ears, hands and feet.
A typical session for cervical spondylosis lasts for about 45 minutes. Initially, it is recommended to have one session per week and this may be increased on the recommendation of the acupuncturist. The needles are very fine and under expert hands will cause no pain. Acupuncture can also be combined with other therapies such as movement therapy without any side effects.
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