Acupuncture for pain management and chronic conditions
Alan Abromovitz, MD, MD(H), M.Ac.

Acupuncture is one piece of possibly the oldest system of medicine on earth. Along with diet, herbal medicine, external applications, massage, manipulation, and physical exercises, acupuncture has evolved over the past 7 thousand years and stood the test of time. Before science began taking apart the world to figure out how it works on the inside, the ancient cultures observed Nature and the healing behaviors of the animals and plants, the weather cycles of the seasons, the rhythm of the tides and breathing, and the Life Force flowing into the gases, liquids, and solids which form all physical matter including our bodies. Traditional Chinese Medicine is the result of this wisdom and experience. It brings a perspective of cooperation, balance, harmony, and respect to the human condition as the manifestation of a sacred blend of matter and Spirit endowed with the ability to heal and balance itself.

Currently there are more than a dozen systems of acupuncture being practiced in the world. The story is told that during an ancient war in China a warrior with an asthma attack was immediately cured when struck in the heel by an arrow. This result sparked great interest and over hundreds of centuries the healers and mystics discovered the acupuncture points and the pathways of flow of energy within the body. When the flow of energy is impaired physical, mental, and emotional symptoms are the signals that alert us to the imbalance. Impaired flow is caused by external forces, exposure, and trauma, as well as, internal forces, mental stress, and emotional trauma. Chronic symptoms indicate that the body is not able to correct the imbalance created and restore the flow of energy. Acupuncture energy balancing treatments revitalize the quality and quantity of the body energies, and once the energy is balanced the symptoms of imbalance disappear.

In conditions with symptoms of pain, stiffness, soreness, limited function and movement local area treatment along with general energetic balancing helps relieve symptoms while the deeper energetic causative factors are attended to. The needles are inserted in most acupuncture points to a depth of much less than half an inch and many are located just under the skin. It is interesting to observe that the points do not bleed after they are withdrawn except in rare cases where a tiny vein crosses a point or the practitioner has inserted the needle and missed the point location. This leaves a small black and blue mark which heals and disappears. In some locations such as the large hip muscles the points are located 2-3 inches deep but because the skin over this area is not very sensitive these points are the least sensitive on the body. The teaching is that the needle glides between the cells into the vortex of energy which is the acupuncture point. From here the energy is stimulated or sedated, transferred into or from another pathway, and revitalized by the manipulation of the needle while inserted. Most of the time the needles are inserted and removed quickly as the energy redirected for general balancing. When the energy needs to be relaxed and sedated the needles are left inserted for periods of a few minutes to an hour or until the desired effect is observed.

In conditions of muscle, joint, neck, and back pain a combined approach to treatment restoring the skeletal balance and joint mobility with stretching exercises, heat, massage, soft tissue techniques, and balancing treatments to improve joint function along with acupuncture balancing for the energetic causes of symptoms is effective and can be long lasting. Maintenance treatment periodically, regular exercise, and stretching daily promotes continued health and well being.

Alan Abromovitz, MD, MD(H) M.Ac.
1725 E. Osborn Rd.
Phoenix, AZ 85016

602-274-9302
www.drabromovitz.com