The pain generated by arthritis and bursitis often feels the same. In arthritis, the joints all over the body are affected resulting in stiffness, swelling, and pain. With bursitis, the bursa or fluid-filled sac inside the joint is inflamed. The sac is meant to help cushion the joint, but when the area is inflamed, movement becomes painful. Bursitis often arises in the areas of the elbow, knee, hip or shoulder. Both arthritis and bursitis sufferers have experienced pain alleviation through acupuncture. This treatment may also reduce the associated inflammation and swelling of both conditions.

Reliever of Pain

Needles are the main tools of an acupuncturist. They are applied to the injured part of the body to stimulate the healing mechanisms of energy. They can be stuck in other parts of the body as well to activate the flow of energy. According to acupuncturists, this method leads to a significant reduction of the pain due to the needles’ ability to deactivate the area of the brain that governs pain. Certain pressure points are needled to amplify the flow of vital energy along the energy channels , known as meridians.

Herbs

Acupuncturists and practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine often combine the use of herbal preparations with acupuncture for the treatment of bursitis and arthritis. According to the Medical Center of the University of Maryland, evening primrose oil, white willow, and turmeric are some of the more important herbs, used along with acupuncture that can really help reduce swelling and inflammation.

A Very Safe Procedure

According to the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), acupuncture treatment or even a placebo effect can pain brought about by osteoarthritis of the knee, be relieved. Early clinical trials revealed that patients felt a reduction in pain with acupuncture than those who were treated with conventional remedies. It has also been shown, however, that when the wrong points are inserted with needles or if no needles have been inserted, the patients still experienced pain relief. The ACR notes that this medical phenomenon is known as the placebo effect. Acupuncture is widely known as a very safe treatment for arthritis. According to the NCCAM (National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine), in certain reviews, acupuncture has been proven to enhance function; some studies however, are not yet definite about this conclusion.

Acupuncture Helps Restore Function

With the appropriate treatment, bursitis may go away within a few weeks, although possible flare ups can still recur. Instead of being treated with anti-inflammatory injections or medications, patients can opt for safer and more effective acupuncture treatments. Treating bursitis by means of acupuncture leads to a reduction in pain and in the restoration of function to the joint. As with any acupuncture treatment, the objective of acupuncture arthritis or bursitis treatment is to address the underlying energy imbalance in the body that have caused the condition as well as the treatment of their symptoms.

Joint Pain

The NCCAM states that joint pain is the second most popular reason for using acupuncture; the first reason is back pain. Before anyone undergoes treatment, they should discuss their problem with the acupuncturist. After that, patients may need to go through several sessions of acupuncture treatment. They may also need to follow herbal and dietary advice along with the acupuncture treatment.