ACUPUNCTURE THERAPY

At Kinex Health, our trained clinicians incorporate evidence based Acupuncture Therapy to manage your chronic pain and accelerating soft tissue repair.
Acupuncture is a treatment derived from ancient Chinese medicine. Fine needles are inserted at certain sites in the body for therapeutic or preventative purposes. This technique can help to reduce pain and inflammation, and ultimately speed up your body’s healing process. It is used to treat various types of pain relief like arthritic, muscular and joint pains.
Benefits of Acupuncture Therapy:
Effective Pain Relief
Acupuncture is highly effective for managing both acute and chronic pain conditions.
Reduced Muscle Tension and Spasms
Acupuncture can be targeted directly into tight bands of muscle tissue (trigger points) to promote relaxation. Releasing muscular tension helps to restore normal length and function to the muscle, which in turn improves joint range of motion and reduces pressure on nerves.
Reduced Inflammation and Swelling
Acupuncture has been shown to have a localised anti-inflammatory effect by increasing vasodilation and promoting local circulation.
Accelerated Healing and Tissue Repair
By optimising local physiological conditions, acupuncture supports faster recovery from injury.
Improved Overall Well-being
Acupuncture is not just localised; it also has systemic effects on the body's regulatory systems and helps with reducing stress, anxiety and promotes better sleep.
Conditions Treated:
The list below highlights common conditions managed by Acupuncture Therapy but is not Exhaustive. It can be used as standalone or as an adjunctive therapy. Please book consultation with our clinicians to explore your treatment options.
Neck Pain: Chronic Neck pain, Stiffness, Whiplash
Elbow Pain: Lateral Epicondylitis (Tennis Elbow), Medial Epicondylitis (Golfer's Elbow)
Shoulder Pain: Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy, Shoulder Impingement syndrome, Frozen Shoulder
Low Back Pain: Acute and Chronic Lumbar pain, Muscle spasms, Sciatica symptoms
Knee Pain: Osteoarthritis of the Knee, Patellofemoral pain syndrome (runner's knee)
Foot and Ankle: Plantar Fasciitis, Achilles Tendinopathy, Ankle Sprain
General Joint Pain: Pain and stiffness associated with various forms of arthritis like Rheumatoid Arthritis
Headaches: Reducing the frequency and intensity of Migraines and Tension type Headaches
Neuropathy: Pain related to nerve irritation, such as sciatica or carpal tunnel symptoms
Tissue Issues: Trigger points, Muscle Spasms
Fibromyalgia: Managing widespread chronic musculoskeletal pain and tenderness
Others: Stress, Anxiety, Sleep Disturbances and Post operative pain management
Physiology:
Neurological Effects (Pain Modulation)
The insertion of fine needles stimulates nerve endings in the skin and muscle fascia, leading to a strong analgesic (pain-relieving) response.
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Gate Control Theory: The fast, non-painful sensory signals created by the needle insertion travel to the spinal cord, competing with and often blocking the transmission of slower, chronic pain signals—effectively "closing the pain gate."
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Central Nervous System (CNS) Activation: The signals ascend to the brain and stimulate the periaqueductal gray (PAG) matter. This area triggers the release of the body's natural opioid chemicals, including endorphins, enkephalins, and dynorphins. These powerful neurochemicals circulate throughout the body, providing systemic pain relief and reducing the perception of discomfort.
Local Effects (Circulation and Tissue Repair)
At the specific site of needle insertion, powerful local tissue responses are elicited, especially when treating trigger points (Dry Needling).
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Local Vasodilation: The insertion causes a localized "axon reflex," leading to the release of compounds like Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (CGRP). This causes blood vessels to widen (vasodilation), significantly increasing blood flow to the immediate area.
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Inflammation Control: The increased circulation flushes out metabolic waste, pain-generating substances (e.g., histamine, bradykinin), and inflammatory byproducts, which reduces local swelling and inflammation.
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Fascial Response: Needling into myofascial trigger points can mechanically disrupt the knotted tissue, often eliciting a "local twitch response" followed by immediate and sustained muscle fiber relaxation, restoring normal muscle length.
Endocrine and Autonomic Nervous System Regulation
Acupuncture has a profound effect on balancing the body's entire regulatory system, which influences stress, mood, and sleep.
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Autonomic Balance: It helps shift the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) dominance away from the "fight-or-flight" (Sympathetic) state toward the calmer "rest-and-digest" (Parasympathetic) state. This overall calming effect reduces muscle tension related to stress.
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Hormonal Influence: Acupuncture can modulate the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis, helping to regulate stress hormones like cortisol. This contributes to better overall stress management, improved mood, and enhanced sleep quality often reported by patients.

