| Today we have another mini interview with Carleton about how acupuncture can help if you get hurt! For example- a sprained ankle, a tweak in your back from yard work or heavy lifting, a sports injury or a motor vehicle accident. |
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| So, Carleton- What do you recommend for someone who has a recent injury? Of course, start with first aid: things like taking the pressure off the joint, raising the joint and applying ice to alleviate swelling and inflammation are all great places to start. I’d say that if it is a minor injury, just try to get an appointment with me as soon as possible, and feel free to call for a last minute appointment, we can often get you in on the same day even if the schedule looks full. If the injury is more major, check in with your primary care doctor first and then come to acupuncture during the healing phase. |
| How does acupuncture help with acute injury? Well, acupuncture is great at speeding up the healing process and decreasing the pain you’re in right away. Needling the acupuncture points helps direct the body to send those cells that help with healing right to the location they are needed, which decreases swelling and inflammation and helps the recovery go faster.
What does the treatment plan look like for acute injury?
That depends on the severity, for something like a pulled muscle or “tweak” from overdoing it on the weekend, we can often get you all fixed up in one to two visits. For a more serious ankle sprain, acupuncture treatments can shorten the recovery time by 25% according to a study done in China, though it may still take a few weeks to get you back to feeling completely normal. |
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If you or someone you know has an acute injury, try Alpine Acupuncture right here in Issaquah, we treat kids, teens, adults and elders!
