Surgery: Recover Faster with Acupuncture
If you are planning for a surgery, you probably want to do everything you can to help your recovery go smoothly. Things like post-op pain and nausea management, side effects of pain medication, and keeping anxiety low are likely on your mind. Luckily, there is a great tool to have in your toolbox to help your recovery: Acupuncture.
Why use acupuncture for surgery prep and recovery?
Acupuncture has been practiced safely for over 3000 years, and is well known to help with all types of pain. Acupuncture involves placing fine, sterile needles into specific sites in the body to help promote circulation and healing in the body. It’s worth mentioning that acupuncture needles are not like other types of needles. The needles are hair-thin, and don’t usually cause pain when they go in. Most people find acupuncture to be painless and very relaxing - even if they have been scared of needles in the past.
When acupuncture is used to help surgery recovery, treatment is focused on helping your body manage the pain and nausea, and promote healing. Studies have shown that with acupuncture treatments, surgery patients have less pain and nausea in the days following the procedure, and are able to take less pain medication overall.
Many patients are surprised that their recovery is easier than they thought.
The side effects of opioid pain medications, like constipation, fatigue, nausea, mood changes, and dizziness, can also complicate recovery. Acupuncture has been shown to reduce these side effects, making pain medication use more tolerable during the time you need it.
A special benefit of acupuncture is how relaxing it is.
Since most of us experience some anxiety before a surgery, having more resources to help stabilize moods and keep you feeling calm is extremely helpful. Acupuncture calms the nervous system by reducing stress hormones, leaving you feeling more able to face what’s in front of you with ease. If you have trouble sleeping, acupuncture can help improve your sleep, so you are well rested before and after surgery.
Impressively, several studies have shown acupuncture to be as effective as medication at reducing anxiety around surgery.
Since our mental health is so important to our overall recovery, this is reason alone to consider having acupuncture around your surgery!
Here’s how it works
Are you ready to try acupuncture for your upcoming surgery? Here’s how it works: We recommend coming in for acupuncture treatments 1-3 times prior to your surgery, and 2-4 times afterwards. Acupuncture is available 7 days a week at Synergy, and we accept most insurance plans. If you are planning a surgery with one of our doctors, or even elsewhere, we can help. Contact us today about how acupuncture can help you recover, so you can stay healthy and get back to your life sooner, and with more ease.
We offer a free consult to answer your questions about how acupuncture can help your surgery recovery. Contact us at 503-227-4050 or at info@pdxacustudio.com
In Health,
