Pain & Musculoskeletal Conditions

Acupuncture can be helpful for many types of pain and musculoskeletal problems, whether they are recent, recurring, or long-standing.

At Chi Harmony Acupuncture, treatment is individualized rather than based simply on the location of your pain. I look at what you are experiencing, how it developed, what makes it better or worse, and how the rest of your body is responding.

Common concerns I work with

  • Neck and shoulder pain
  • Back pain
  • Hip and knee pain
  • Arthritis and joint pain
  • Muscle tension
  • Tendon and repetitive-use problems
  • Sports and other injuries
  • Sciatica
  • TMJ and jaw tension
  • Chronic or recurring pain

How acupuncture may help

Pain is not always just a problem in the area that hurts. Muscle tension, inflammation, nervous-system responses, movement patterns, stress, sleep, and other factors can all influence how pain is experienced.

Acupuncture may help reduce pain and muscle tension and support the body’s natural healing and recovery processes. It can also help your nervous system shift out of a persistent state of tension or guarding.

For some people, the effect is relatively immediate. For others, it takes a series of treatments to see a more consistent change. Your response depends on the nature of the problem, how long it has been present, and your individual health.

Treating the whole picture

One of the advantages of an individualized acupuncture treatment is that we don’t have to treat every symptom separately.

For example, someone with shoulder pain may also be dealing with poor sleep and significant stress. Someone with recurring low back pain may have developed patterns of muscle tension or movement that continue to aggravate the area. Those factors can become part of the treatment rather than being treated as unrelated problems.

I use traditional Chinese medicine as a framework for understanding these patterns while also taking your current symptoms and overall health into account.

When acupuncture is appropriate

Acupuncture can be used on its own or alongside other forms of healthcare. Depending on your situation, it may also make sense to work with a physician, physical therapist, chiropractor, massage therapist, or other healthcare professional.

If you have severe, sudden, unexplained, or worsening pain, appropriate medical evaluation is important.

What to expect

Your first appointment includes time to discuss what is going on and how it is affecting you. I will ask questions about your current symptoms as well as other aspects of your health that may be relevant to treatment.

The goal isn’t simply to put needles where something hurts. Your treatment is based on the individual pattern I see in front of me.

Contact Stephanie to Schedule an Appointment