There was a time when acupuncture was considered controversial. This was mostly due to mistrust of foreign medical practices and some poorly conceived medical studies. Thankfully, things are changing, and studies on this ancient practice are showing the true power of acupuncture and its ability to relieve chronic pain. Still, there is a difference between traditional acupuncture and medial acupuncture.

Medical Acupuncture vs. Regular Acupuncture

Regular acupuncture, or traditional acupuncture, is solely based on ancient Chinese medicine. Medical acupuncture is based on known scientific facts. Some may think that both are based on facts, but regular acupuncture contains a few things that modern acupuncturists will not include. For example, concepts of Yin-Yang, Qi, and the Six Evils are used when dealing with a patient in regular acupuncture practice.

Yin-Yang is the idea that there is a balance between good and evil or between two opposing forces. Qi is the all-encompassing belief that there is everlasting energy and that everything is a manifestation of this energy. A regular acupuncturist will attempt to balance Qi as part of the procedure. Yin-Yang could be out of whack, according to traditional acupuncturists, and it could be due to one of the Six Evils. These are just the types of invaders that a person could have that are making that person sick.

Traditional acupuncturists believe that the ailment could be connected to other issues, and they will try to bring harmony and balance to the whole body. This concept makes sense to some who practice traditional acupuncture because they believe in Yin-Yang. This teaches that one thing must affect another. In essence, the body cannot be cured until other affected areas are taken care of.

Linking Organs to Reflex Points

Medical acupuncture is a different ballgame. A trained and specialized medical acupuncturist will deal with things like chronic neuropathic pain through proven methods. For one, a medical acupuncturist will base the puncture points on known input and output terminals within the body. This system was developed after scientists discovered that data is transferred between organs and certain reflex points. A trained medical acupuncturist just needs to locate the reflex point associated with the ailment to provide chronic pain relief.

This might not be too convincing for some. The idea that points on the body can affect certain organs may seem far-fetched. Organs are connected to these locations through the neuro-endocrine system. The acupuncturist will attempt to stimulate a particular location to help bring relief to the areas that are being affected by a particular sickness.

It should be noted that acupuncture, be it traditional or medical acupuncture, is a minimally invasive treatment for issues like chronic neuropathic pain. This means that you can go in for a treatment, and you will not have to worry about taking off work to recuperate or something like that. It is ultimately up to you, but hopefully this has shed some light on the differences between these two types of acupuncture.

Narcotic painkillers are often used as a treatment for chronic pain, especially chronic back pain. While they are very effective in the short run, they often prove to be addictive. Part of the problem with painkillers is that they are best for treating acute pain, not chronic pain. Acute pain is defined as pain that does not last longer than six months. Chronic pain, on the other hand, can last for the rest of a patient’s life.

Fortunately for sufferers, there are drug-free treatments for chronic pain. One of the most exciting of these is InterX therapy. InterX therapy is a neurostimulation pain management technology approved by the FDA.

Non-Invasive

Unlike some other forms of neurostimulation pain management therapy, InterX therapy does not involve surgery. InterX devices are handheld and battery-powered, and they are applied externally. With only a few exceptions (individuals with cardiac pacemakers, for example) the therapy is safe for patients of all ages.

A Revolutionary Treatment Modality

InterX therapy appears to have multiple mechanisms of action. It is believed to cause the release of endogenous opioids, and it may affect other neuropeptides as well.

There are different types of endogenous opioids in the body, but they all modify pain signals. In a nutshell, endogenous opioids are your body’s natural painkillers. They are similar in structure to prescribed opioid drugs but have none of the negative side effects of their pharmaceutical counterparts.

Unlike other stimulation treatments, InterX therapy does not merely mask pain. Sustained relief from pain is often seen after therapy. This may be partially because of inflammation reduction. While the precise scientific details are not yet clear, inflammation reduction is believed to play an important role in effective drug-free pain treatment.

InterX Therapy in Practice

InterX Therapy is often done in three stages. First, the patient’s body is scanned to find areas of low impedance (related to electrical resistance). These areas are believed to be the best points for stimulation.

After scanning, stimulation is applied to the selected areas. The stimulation is dynamic, not static. The type of stimulation the tissue receives changes as the electrophysiology of the tissue changes.

Near the end of a session, the patient is sometimes moved through different positions or stretches while stimulation is applied. The stretches are thought to enhance the positive adaptation of the nervous system.

Results

Some patients experience a significant reduction in pain after just one treatment. However, in many cases, six or more treatments are necessary for real relief.

One of the big advantages of InterX therapy is that there are no significant adverse effects. Patients who require additional treatments to obtain relief do not need to worry about the risk of addiction or other unwanted side effects.

Narcotic painkillers are not the best approach for treating chronic pain over the long term. Chronic pain patients who don’t have a pacemaker should ask their physician about InterX therapy as a pain management modality.

For InterX therapy and other pain management treatments in Boise, contact Pain Care Clinic of Idaho. Call 208-629-2492 for an appointment.