Alleviating Battlefield Pain with Acupuncture

For many years, the treatment for pain from injuries sustained in the battlefield have remained practically the same. However, medication can’t always be administered in the heat of battle. In order to achieve a more practical and effective way for treating pain, treatments outside of Western medication began to be researched. Although acupuncture may not be considered or thought of immediately when thinking of ways to alleviate pain sustained from battlefield injuries, it is quickly becoming one of the alternative methods used for battlefield treatment. Gainesville acupuncture offers many fast acting and long-term benefits, all the while avoiding the harmful side effects that medications can cause. At Gainesville Holistic Healthcare, we provide acupuncture treatment in Gainesville, FL.

What is Battlefield Acupuncture?

Battlefield acupuncture has been around for over 15 years and while it used to be practiced by only a select few of military doctors across the services, it is now rapidly expanding through a vigorous training program. Battlefield acupuncture is a form of auricular acupuncture performed on the ears. This form of acupuncture was created to be used on the battlefield to alleviate pain sustained from injuries when Western pain medications were not advisable. It’s implementation was also meant to address the concerns about over medication of service members. Since acupuncture is a natural treatment that uses the body’s own healing properties, it removes the risks caused by taking high dosages of medication. Battlefield acupuncture can be quickly administered and doesn’t even require removing so much as a helmet. Battlefield acupuncture is not meant to replace standard medical care for war-related injuries, however. Instead, it is meant to assist in pain relief and reduce the use of narcotics typically administered for acute and chronic pain such as morphine.

How Does Battlefield Acupuncture Work?

Battlefield acupuncture works through the use of small needles inserted into the skin of the ear. This technique is able to block pain in the patient in as soon as five minutes and last for several days or longer. Needles for battlefield acupuncture are made of stainless steel, titanium or gold, with gold being the most common. They are single use needles about the size of a ballpoint pen tip that are inserted with a plunger. The needles can stay in the ear for about three to five days, alleviating pain, and fall out afterwards. Battlefield acupuncture’s risks are minimal and the insertion of the needles is low-pain, feeling more like a pinch rather than having the ear pierced. The treatment works by stimulating specific points in the ear that send a message to the healing center of the brain. This stimulation allows for improved circulation and chemical production in the areas experiencing pain to naturally correct imbalances in the patient’s pathology, effectively alleviating pain and promoting the healing process.

Acupuncture Specialist in Gainesville, FL

Lately, the world has been experiencing a trend of moving away from conventional medications to other alternative treatments. Acupuncture has become one of the most prevalent alternative methods of treatment as it is natural, virtually pain-free, and is able to treat and alleviate a wide range of ailments. Unlike many Western medications that simply mask symptoms, acupuncture actually targets the root of the problem, restoring balance to the body and effectively treating the root issue and its symptoms. If you are experiencing an affliction and conventional medicine has been insufficient or unsuccessful, acupuncture treatment might be able to help. Contact us today at Gainesville Holistic Healthcare to schedule an appointment with Traci Pettigrew for acupuncture Gainesville, FL, residents can trust.