Some doctors are quick to treat chronic pain with prescription medication, but there’s a way to treat pain naturally. At The Chronic Pelvic Pain Center of Northern Virginia in Vienna, Virginia, Melissa A. Delgado, MD, FACOG, heals pain with Battlefield Acupuncture. Personally trained by Dr. Niemtzow, the creator of this technique, Dr. Delgado uses acupuncture to give women lasting pain relief without medication. To learn more about the benefits of acupuncture, call or click to schedule an appointment with Dr. Delgado today.
Acupuncture involves the insertion of very thin needles into specific points of the body to relieve acute pain, chronic pain, and other conditions. Acupuncture has been used in China and other countries for more than 2,500 years.
Practitioners of Chinese medicine believe that acupuncture works by balancing the flow of life force – or qi – that travels along meridians, or pathways, throughout the body. Blocked qi creates illness and pain, according to ancient Eastern beliefs.
Western practitioners believe acupuncture works by stimulating the body’s natural painkillers, called endorphins, and increasing blood flow. Acupuncture can treat various symptoms and conditions, including:
After a thorough physical exam and consultation about your health history and symptoms, Dr. Delgado creates your acupuncture treatment plan.
To gain the most benefits from your acupuncture session, please follow these guidelines from eight hours before to up to forty-eight hours after your session:
During acupuncture treatment, Dr. Delgado inserts small, fine needles into specific points along your meridians, or energy channels, to unblock your energy and allow it to flow freely.
You may feel a slight prick as the needle is inserted, followed by a numbing, tingling sensation. This is good because it means the needle is in the correct place.
After treatment, most people experience immediate relief and relaxation. Some men and women have slight worsening of symptoms before relief is felt later. Worsening of symptoms is temporary, and relief follows shortly after.
Side effects after an acupuncture treatment may include:
Acupuncture results vary depending on the duration and severity of your symptoms. Some patients experience immediate results, while others notice improvements over the course of several days. Some men and women see their symptoms improve after six to seven treatment sessions.
Dr. Delgado recommends treatments twice a week until you’ve maintained some improvement. Treatments then progress to biweekly, then monthly until eventually checkups are required every two to three months.
Call or click today to learn more about acupuncture today.