Tag: acupuncture

Natural pain relief starts with understanding that pain is not always an isolated problem, but a signal influenced by inflammation, movement, stress, sleep, nutrition and the nervous system.. Yet when pain persists, simply trying to silence the signal may not address the underlying reason it continues. Natural pain relief takes a broader approach by asking a different question: What can be done to help the body function, recover and regulate itself more effectively?

As an Acupuncture Physician who has spent decades working with people experiencing pain, I believe the most effective natural approach is rarely a single technique. Pain can involve muscles, joints, connective tissue, inflammation, circulation, sleep, stress and the nervous system. Addressing several of these factors together can often be far more useful than focusing on the painful location alone.

Acupuncture for Natural Pain Relief

Acupuncture has been used for centuries as part of Chinese medicine. Modern research has also investigated acupuncture for numerous pain conditions, including certain types of back pain, neck pain, osteoarthritis and headaches.

Rather than viewing every painful condition identically, Chinese medicine traditionally looks for patterns. Two people with similar symptoms may therefore receive very different acupuncture treatments.

Acupuncture may also be combined with techniques such as acupressure, gentle movement, heat, stretching and appropriate lifestyle changes.

Acupuncture can be one part of a broader approach to discomfort and recovery. Learn more about the principles and traditional framework in my Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Guide.

Learn more about how acupuncture fits within the larger traditional system in my Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Guide.

Movement Is Often Medicine

When something hurts, the instinct is often to stop moving it completely. Rest can certainly be appropriate with an acute injury, but prolonged inactivity can sometimes contribute to stiffness, weakness and reduced confidence in movement.

Gentle, appropriate movement helps maintain mobility and circulation while allowing the nervous system to experience movement without excessive threat.

Walking, Tai Chi, Qigong, mobility exercises and carefully selected strengthening exercises can all have a place depending upon the individual.

The goal isn’t to attack pain.

The goal is to gradually create an environment in which the body can function better.

How Natural Pain Relief Works

Pain does not exist separately from the nervous system.

Poor sleep can increase pain sensitivity. Chronic psychological stress can increase muscle tension and alter how the nervous system processes uncomfortable sensations. Pain can then interfere with sleep and increase stress, creating a cycle that becomes increasingly difficult to escape.

This is why natural pain management should also consider sleep quality, breathing, stress management and recovery.

Sleep is an often overlooked part of sustainable weight management. My Natural Sleep Solutions guide explains how to create better conditions for restorative sleep.

Something as simple as several minutes of slow breathing combined with gentle movement can sometimes be a useful addition to a larger pain management strategy.

Because stress and sleep are so closely connected, my Natural Sleep Solutions guide explores additional ways to support healthier sleep and recovery.

When an overactive stress response is interfering with sleep, my guide to Natural Stress and Anxiety Relief provides additional strategies for calming the nervous system.

Food and Inflammation

Nutrition also deserves attention.

A diet centered around minimally processed foods, adequate protein, vegetables, fruits, healthy fats and sufficient micronutrients provides the raw materials the body needs for normal repair and function.

No single “anti inflammatory” food is going to magically eliminate chronic pain. The overall dietary pattern matters far more.

Herbal Medicine and Pain

Traditional herbal systems contain many plants historically used for discomfort and inflammatory conditions. Examples include turmeric, ginger and boswellia, while Chinese herbal medicine contains considerably more complex formulas selected according to an individual’s pattern.

Natural does not automatically mean harmless. Herbs can interact with medications and may be inappropriate with certain medical conditions. Herbal medicine should therefore be used intelligently rather than simply adding supplements because they are advertised as natural painkillers.

The Natural Pain Relief Strategy

My preferred approach is simple:

Improve movement.

Improve recovery.

Reduce unnecessary physical and psychological stress.

Support healthy nutrition.

Use therapies such as acupuncture and herbal medicine when appropriate.

And most importantly, determine why the body is hurting rather than automatically trying to suppress every symptom.

Persistent or severe pain, unexplained pain, neurological symptoms, significant weakness, fever, trauma or other concerning symptoms warrant appropriate medical evaluation.

Pain is a signal. Listen to it, understand it and then give the body the conditions it needs to move toward better function.

Dr. David Orman
Acupuncture Physician | Master Herbalist | Wellness Mentor

Dry needling is often presented in modern physiotherapy circles as a “breakthrough,” unique science-based intervention for muscle pain and dysfunction. Marketed as distinct from acupuncture, it uses acupuncture needles to target trigger points in muscle tissue, claiming to deactivate tension, restore mobility, and accelerate recovery. The language is purely Western. Rooted in anatomy, neurology, and biomechanics it gives an air of novelty for practitioners and patients who have never studied Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) or other styles of genuine acupuncture. Yet, behind the branding and rewording, the core technique is not new at all. It is essentially a repackaging of an ancient method that has been practiced for centuries in the East and decades in the West.

In Acupuncture, there exists a concept known as Ashi points. These are tender spots on the body that are not mapped as fixed meridian points but are identified by palpation in which the patient often responds with noted reaction when the spot is pressed. For hundreds, if not thousands, of years, Acupuncteure practitioners have needled directly into these points to relieve pain, improve circulation, and restore function. This method has been an integral part of traditional acupuncture practice and is recognized as one of the most effective approaches for treating musculoskeletal pain. What dry needling calls “trigger point therapy” or “neuromuscular reset” is, in function, a direct mirror of Ashi point needling. If it were a written work, it would be considered plagerism.

The marketing separation between dry needling and acupuncture exists largely for regulatory, professional, and commercial reasons. By avoiding the terminology of meridians, Qi, and traditional theory, dry needling positions itself as a modern, evidence-based alternative that physical therapists, chiropractors, and other non-acupuncturists can adopt without undergoing rigorous years of formal acupuncture training. This strategic rebranding creates a perceived innovation, allowing practitioners to bill differently, market to a different demographic, and sidestep the cultural associations some patients may have with acupuncture.

It is less about a genuine new discovery and more about reframing an old, proven method in contemporary language.

At its core, dry needling is not a revolutionary therapy, but rather a selective borrowing from TCM’s Ashi point technique with a Westernized story wrapped around it. The same stainless steel needles are used. The same process of palpating for tenderness, inserting the needle, and eliciting a therapeutic response is followed. Only the training, which is inadequate compared to Acupuncturists, is different.

And the explanation and marketing differs. By recognizing dry needling for what it truly is — a rebranded slice of traditional acupuncture stripped of its philosophical framework — we can see through the gimmick and appreciate the origins of the method. The real innovation lies not in the technique itself, but in the marketing that has successfully convinced many that it is something entirely new.