Patient success stories – Pain relief
Patient success stories
How acupuncture works for pain
The mechanisms underlying how acupuncture is so effective for treating pain have been researched extensively for over 60 years.
While there is still much left to learn about acupuncture mechanisms and the human body in general, the neural pathways from acupuncture point stimulation, to the spinal cord to the deactivation of the pain centers in the brain have been mapped.
Acupuncture has been demonstrated to activate a number of the body’s own opioids as well as improving the brain’s sensitivity to opioids. A number of other biochemicals involved in pain reduction have been found to be released or regulated by acupuncture stimulation, including ATP and adenosine, GABA and substance P.
Read success stories from our lovely patients who found relief from period pain through acupuncture.
Within a few weeks of seeing Kim, my symptoms began to settle – it felt amazing! I see it as an investment in myself and my well being”
Simon Wilson
PATIENT
Simon's story
Condition being treatment for-
Tightness and pain around the shoulder blades after 2 surgeries for multiple dislocated shoulders which meant I had slightly limited range in one shoulder on top of pain across the upper back. This was normally after a build up of tension over months ever since the surgeries (7 years ago and 5 years ago). I’ve had physio from the NHS after the surgeries, private physio, sports massages and deep tissue. The closest thing to working was sports massages focussing on the pressure points but this was EXTREMELY painful and would only help for a short period of time before coming back.
For my birthday I was gifted a massage at Life + Lemons for my shoulders and after talking to the lady there, they advised trying acupuncture instead as it should work better than the massages. I was initially very sceptical about it but both my dad and wife have had acupuncture to help with things in the past and said it was the only thing that worked for them so I tried to keep an open mind. I was surprised how different it was to what I believed it would be like. You don’t feel the needles and it’s very relaxing and Kimberley was excellent and would explain what she was doing and why.
After the first session, the tension eased and I became more aware of when I would be unnecessarily clenching the muscles in my back. When I went in for my second treatment, Kimberley asked how I was and how my range was now. I hadn’t thought about the range problem since the first session (before I could only raise my left arm to about 11 o’clock before I couldn’t move it any further). Upon trying, I could now get both arms way above my head (back to normal levels) which definitely caught me by surprise. I’d definitely recommend acupuncture and Kimberley!- If you could sum up your experience of acupuncture treatment in three words, what would they be?
Surprising, successful, painless
Further information
Here is some useful information about how acupuncture works to combat pain…
Osteoarthritis + Knee Pain
After a life-time of fun and activity, our joints are put under pressure and inevitably suffer some wear and tear. This can lead to aching knees that affect your sleep or a lack of mobility when walking up and down stairs. Osteoarthritis is the primary cause of this pain, inflammation and stiffness, making it hard to flex and extend your knee.
In a bid to avoid over prescription of pain medication, a lot of time and money has gone in to research about the benefits of acupuncture in managing osteoarthritic pain.
No two patients are treated alike. Some patients find relief with needles alone. Others need a more involved technique, such as electro-acupuncture. It can also be used safely alongside your pain medication.
If you have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis in the knee, don’t ice it! You might notice that your knee pain gets worse with cold and damp weather. This is because the condition is degenerative and the pain is chronis, it’s not an acute injury whereby the ice would help reduce the swelling.
Even though the pain may feel hot in nature, apply regular warmth to help stimulate lots of blood flow to the area. Hot, epsom salts baths are also fantastic to reduce internal inflammation and help lubricate the joint.
Lower back pain
This is the UK’s leading cause of disability and one of the main reasons for work-related sickness absence.
Acupuncture is now available on the NHS for back pain as it has been found to be particularly useful as an adjunct to conventional care, for patients with more severe symptoms and for those wishing to avoid conventional medication.
Its mechanism involves stimulating specific points on the body to release natural pain-relieving chemicals, improve muscle stiffness, and enhance joint mobility. This makes it a viable option for those seeking holistic pain management without the side effects commonly associated with pain medications. Acupuncture’s role in reducing inflammation and promoting natural healing processes further underscores its value in treating back pain.
Further success stories from the people who matter the most
About Kimberley
Kimberley, Acupuncturist and Clinic Director at Life + Lemons, is a registered TCM (Traditional Chinese Medical) Acupuncturist, passionate about helping women reclaim their feminine edge. After graduating with a First Class Honors in York, she has undertaken specialist training in the area of pain management, natural conception, IVF support, menopause + pelvic pain (endometriosis/dysmenorrhea).
