Pain Management – Scottsdale Pain Clinic

Acupuncture, Cupping & Gua Sha

Acupuncture can be traced back at least 2,500 years.

Acupuncture is a form of treatment that involves inserting very thin needles through a person's skin at specific points on the body, to various depths. Research suggests that it can help relieve pain, and it is used for a wide range of other complaints.

However, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), there is limited evidence for its effectiveness in areas other than pain. Some people claim it works by balancing vital energy, while others believe it has a neurological effect.

Today acupuncture is one of the most popular practices of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in the West.

Cupping Therapy

Cupping therapy is an ancient form of alternative medicine in which a therapist puts special cups on your skin for a few minutes to create suction. People get it for many purposes, including to help with pain, inflammation, blood flow, relaxation and well-being, and as a type of deep-tissue massage.

Cupping therapy might be trendy now, but it’s not new. It dates back to ancient Egyptian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern cultures. One of the oldest medical textbooks in the world, the Ebers Papyrus, describes how the ancient Egyptians used cupping therapy in 1,550 B.C.

Cupping benefits: reduce pain, produce relaxation, improve skin, improve digestion, decreases headache, detoxification of toxins, improve immune system)

Gua Sha Treatment

What is gua sha?

Gua sha may be used to treat muscle pain and can break down scar tissue. Gua sha is the practice of using a tool to apply pressure and scrape the skin to relieve pain and tension.

Gua sha may help to break down scar tissue and connective tissue, improving movement in the joints. The treatment does not have any serious side effects but is not suitable for those with certain medical conditions.

It uses a round-edge stone from China with strokes over lubricated skin with herbal oil. It helps to move the blood and stagnation (causes of inflammation). It reduces stress, pain, stiffness, inflammation, and the patient feels the benefits right the way.

WHAT TO EXPECT?

What to expect during the treatment

The treatment works to strengthen the damaged tissue over the next 2-3 weeks, allowing you to continue your daily activities with little downtime and minimal discomfort. Regenerative injections, the latest in pain management solutions, involves 3-6 rounds of injections to the area of chronic pain or a damaged joint. Prolotherapy injections consist of a solution of dextrose, lidocaine, and saline to stimulate a localized inflammatory healing response into the area of ligament injury.

What to expect after the procedure

It is normal to experience some pain and swelling in the injection area after RIT or stem cells have been introduced. This discomfort can last between 48 hours and two weeks, and recurrence of pain can even happen after 2 weeks. The pain and swelling are normal and are usually nothing to be alarmed about, although you can call us if you have concerns. However, it is essential that you do NOT take any anti-inflammatory medications for at least a week after this therapy.

Pre/Post treatment recommendations

No aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory products for 7-10 days prior to the procedure.
No fish oil/omega oils for ten days prior to procedure.
No swimming or hot tub/bath 48-72 hours post treatment.
No exercising or strenuous activity for the first 24 hours post-treatment.
Use neoprene or lightweight brace/wrap over the injected joint for the next 24-48 hours and during exercise.

Dr. Luca Lioce

Naturopathic Medical Doctor

Dr. Lioce offers cutting edge Aesthetic Procedures such as Facial PRP and Micro needling for anti-aging, and to treat conditions which include acne, sun damage, wrinkles, scars, stretch marks, and hair loss. He treats each patient as a whole individual person, identifying the cause of their problem and treating accordingly.