DON’T WINCE

Prickly Acupuncture Treatment Eases Pain

WRITER: MICHAEL VISCONTI A.P., N.D.

Acupuncture has enjoyed a good deal of popularity in recent years following new research and exposure on shows such as “Dr. Oz.”

But acupuncture has long been accepted here in the West, most notably for pain relief. In fact, acupuncture is just part of a complex system of medicine that’s been used to treat the healthy and diseased in the Far East for at least 2,000 years.

Western scientists and practitioners of Eastern medicine have different theories on how acupuncture works, but the effects of the treatment are common and well known. The effects include pain relief, decreased swelling and muscle spasms, improved circulation, improved immune status, increased relaxation, better sleep, lower blood pressure, improved hormonal response, improved PMS/menopausal symptoms and nerve sensations.

According to acupuncture proponents in the West, the treatments work by increasing blood flow and endorphins in the body, thereby increasing the body’s own pain-relieving ability. There is some truth in that; both of those things actually happen when needles are inserted.

But there is much more going on.

For instance, while working on someone’s low back and shoulder, I don’t always put the needles in the area of the pain. If endorphins were the only reason pain is relieved, the person’s low back and shoulder both should be better. When treating multiple issues, I insert needles to target one area at a time. When pain improves in that area, I insert needles elsewhere on the body to address other painful areas.

The way acupuncture works from an Eastern standpoint is that whenever there is pain or dysfunction, it is due to a blockage or an imbalance in blood flow, nerve conduction, fluid metabolism and energy flow along certain pathways in the body called meridians. The needles are inserted into points on these meridians

Studies have shown acupunture calms the nervous system to help with stress, and many feel more clear-headed.

Acupuncture was introduced to the West around the early 19th century and their locations determine what effect the needle will have. The needles balance the imbalances and unblock the blockages, thereby restoring function and improving or eliminating the pain.

As an interventional and invasive cardiologist of Cardiovascular Associates of Lake County, Dr. Alejandro Caballero enjoys working alongside a team of physicians who share his same objective: to exceed the expectations of patients and their families. It is Dr. Caballero’s greatest reward to be able to improve patients’ quality of life and save lives.

Dr. Caballero, who completed his fellowship at the Cardiovascular Institute of the South in Lake Charles, Louisiana, was one of the first physicians in Lake County to perform peripheral interventions, aortic aneurism repairs, carotid stenting and pacemaker placements. He has been performing balloon angioplasties and stent placements for 17 years. Dr. Caballero treats both coronary artery disease and peripheral artery disease.

As one of the oldest and most experienced private cardiology practices in Central Florida, at Cardiovascular Associates of Lake County, we are dedicated to bringing innovative and compassionate cardiovascular care to our patients. Cardiovascular Associates of Lake County … your partners for life.