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Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medical technique involving
the use of needles to manipulate a person's ‘qi’
(which means the body’s energy force) for the purpose
of reestablishing balance between the opposing force of ‘yin
and yang’ (the opposing forces in the body) in them.
Evidence of the use of acupuncture goes back at least 4,000
years in China, although the oldest surviving texts date only
to round the 2nd century BC.
The basic principle which lies behind the use of acupuncture,
is the belief that illness is caused by a failure of a person's
‘qi’ to move properly along internal "power
lines" called meridians. Needles are inserted at specific
points along these meridians in order to release blockages
and restore balance.
Acupuncture can trigger the release of natural pain-killing
substances within the body called the endorphins, blunting
the perception of pain. It may also alter the body’s
output of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and norepinephrine
plus the inflammation-causing substances such as the prostaglandins.
Acupuncture and Sports injuries
In the management of sports injuries, some concepts of Western
medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) overlap. The
first shared concept is the history. As with a typical medical
history, it is crucial to first assess the severity of the
injury. It is absolutely important for the doctor to have
a clear picture of the mechanism of injury. Understanding
the mechanism of injury will help direct you to a diagnosis.
Most sports injuries fall into the general category of sprain/strain.
Be careful not to let this classification influence your clinical
judgment. Simple sports injuries are often the most difficult
and protracted kinds to treat. Complex injuries are often
easy to identify and usually require special studies such
as plain film radiographs, MRIs, CTs or a referral to a specialist.
According to Western medicine, when an injury occurs to the
body, it manifests itself in three distinct phases, which
are defined as acute, subacute and chronic. A main differentiating
factor that separates these three phases is the element of
time.
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The acute phase spans from the initial onset of injury
to the first 72 hours after injury. During the acute stage,
the body manifests the trauma with a classic physiologic
response. This response is marked by swelling, discoloration,
mild to severe localized pain, decreased range of motion,
inability to bear full body weight and superficial temperature
changes.
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The subacute phase ranges from 72 hours after the initial
onset of injury to 90 days after. The subacute stage is
a crucial period in which the treating physician can ensure
rapid recovery. It is also the hardest phase to differentiate,
because it does not have the classic physiological signs
usually associated with the acute or chronic phases. Most
often the swelling has diminished, the pain has decreased,
and the range of motion has slightly increased. Patient
compliance becomes an issue because they no longer feel
intense pain. Since they don't have excruciating pain,
patients may routinely miss follow-up appointments. Pain
should not be the indicating factor that a patient has
reached maximum medical improvement.
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The chronic stage is characterized by prolonged length
of disability and or pain to the afflicted area longer
than 90 days. It is often marked by a significant decrease
in range of motion, followed by a certain degree of dysfunction.
For patients suffering from a chronic injury, there will
be minimal improvement in the condition after maximal
treatment. There is also a constant threat of susceptibility
to re-injury.
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