Electroacupuncture (EA) is great for boosting the potency of acupuncture especially when there is pain. Research abounds looking at the benefits of EA on pain relief – much of it focusing on the biomedical / biochemical reasons why it works. We know that it interferes with the pain signals and stimulates the body’s own natural pain killers. Clinical papers show it’s good for inflammatory pain as well as nerve pain (this type of pain can be really tricky to treat with conventional medicine) and it can really help to ease stress and anxiety (BMJ study) which can rapidly build up when we are in pain.
From the viewpoint of Traditional Chinese Medicine, pain is a sign that there is stagnation, that is, lack of movement. EA really helps to move this stagnation which is why we feel it is so effective.
It is rare that a day goes by in clinic that I don’t get out my EA machine and my patients love it. They describe a comforting, tingling sensation that doesn’t hurt at all; in fact, I have had many requests for EA. It’s a great treatment to be able to offer.
If you or someone you know is in pain, EA is really worth considering.