Acupuncture is an ancient practice, but it’s still mysterious to many people. Does it actually work, and if so, how? Does it hurt? Is it dangerous? This helpful guide can answer some of those questions, and explain how acupuncture can help those with neck pain.
Neck pain is one of the most common ailments in people young and old. Your posture can contribute to pain, but so can muscle strains, nerve compression, and injuries like car accidents. Neck pain can present in different ways, too, sometimes causing stiffness or headaches.
While–disclaimer–acupuncture has not been proven to work in standard scientific studies, many people do find it reduces their pain. The practice claims to reduce pain by expelling blocked ‘chi’ from acupoints, through the insertion of needles.
The best way to treat neck pain, though, is still prevention. That can mean taking frequent breaks while working at a computer or reading, practicing good posture by ensuring your hips and ears are directly in line with your shoulders, avoiding tucking your phone between your chin and shoulder, and the classic health tip: quitting smoking. Overall, it’s easier to prevent neck pain than to treat it, but if it develops, it may be worth consulting a doctor about acupuncture.