Treating Hip Pain With Acupuncture

If nothing you've tried torelieve hip painhas worked, and you're not ready to undergohip surgery, there might be one more treatment option for you to investigate: acupuncture.

Acupuncture is an alternative treatment that has been successful in treating chronic pain, including joint pain. (Acupuncture seems to be particularly effective at relievingknee pain, the subject of most of the available pain studies.)

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese therapy that has been used to cure ailments and illnesses for thousands of years. Thin, tiny needles are placed into particular points in the skin, then can be adjusted with the hands or stimulated with gentle electrical currents.

Acupuncture has been used to treat:

• Chronic pain
• Knee pain
• Back pain
• Osteoarthritis
• Disc pain
• Neck pain
• Stress
• Pregnancy pain (pelvic girdle)

一系列的针灸访问通常是需要to receive real relief. Sometimes, insurance companies may cover the cost of acupuncture therapy, but every plan is different, so it's important to check before making an appointment.

As with anytreatment, acupuncture has its benefits and drawbacks.

Acupuncture Pros

• Many people with pain find relief from acupuncture when they couldn't find relief from other sources.
• When a qualified practitioner is performing acupuncture with sterile, nontoxic needles, the risks are very rare.
• The effects of treatment is limited (they may only last for a few months).

Acupuncture Cons

• Acupuncture visits are expensive and the costs can mount up quickly if your insurance company doesn't cover them.
• While acupuncture is generally a very safe procedure when performed correctly by a qualified practitioner, it can be dangerous if certain steps aren’t taken. For example, unsterilized needles can cause infection, and punctured organs could result if the practitioner incorrectly inserts the needles.

Acupuncture: Does It Work for Hip Pain?

Very few researchers have investigated the benefits of acupuncture specifically onhip pain, although one study showed improvements in pain following hip surgery.

"I tried it because I had tried other things. I was at the point [where another therapy] was just part of the process for me," says Ellen Schmidt, 42, who tried acupuncture when pain medications andcortisoneshots didn't offer relief. Schmidt had three or four sessions at a well established clinical center. But, unfortunately, there were no improvements in her hip pain, which was significant and caused her to limp. "I really wanted it to be successful for me," Schmidt says. "I had a very open mind."

Schmidt eventually turned to hip surgery to relieve her hip pain; however, she still doesn't totally discount acupuncture. Perhaps those with hip problems that aren't as advanced as hers, she says, might find relief through acupuncture. She had significant damage to her hip joint, maybe too much to feel any effects of the treatment.

Acupuncture may not provide relief for everyone. And, you have to be concerned about the treatment costs and finding a qualified acupuncturist. But if you can't ease your hip pain through other therapies and surgery isn't yet an option, acupuncture might be worth considering.