acupuncture for

Orthopedics & Pain Management

Set up a pain management & orthopedic acupuncture appointment with Frank Caruso.

Acupuncture has proven itself to be an extremely safe and effective therapy for pain management and treating chronic and acute pain. Osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, unremitting injuries, or undiagnosable pain syndromes – these conditions are typically treated with prednisone, opiates and antidepressants, often creating more problems than they are solving. You may not have to use those drugs any more…

Orthopedics

Chronic pain is not merely the result of arthritic bones, a misaligned spine, herniated discs, or “inflammation”. Of course sometimes these components are part of the problem along with tight or weak muscles, overstrained tendons, sprained ligaments, and adhesions in connective tissue. What these painful conditions seem to have in common are excess or diminished nerve conduction and or inhibited blood supply. When administered with a high degree of skill, acupuncture can address all of these conditions simultaneously. Why? Because it helps the body initiate its own repair mechanisms. Patients who do respond describe having to rely less on, or even eliminate, pain medications and the need to get more cortisone shots, muscle relaxers and anti inflammatories.

Chronic pain patients are often taking a half-a-dozen or more different medications, including narcotics (tramadol, oxycodone, zohydro), anticonvulsants (Gabapentin), antipsychotics (aripiprazole), and a wide variety of antidepressants. Furthermore, medications such as statins may promote joint and tendon pain. While temporary at best, some of these drugs will be a mainstay in one’s daily regimen while never getting to the real problem.

Woman with headache

Migraine Headaches

Second to arthritis, migraines and headaches is probably the most common reason patients seek medical care. Depending on the underlying cause and condition, acupuncture and Chinese medicine is the optimal choice over drugs and botox.

If you are suffering from chronic or acute migraines, headaches, which may or may not be combined with neck pain, and you have already tried standard medical care, try using acupuncture. It is a highly effective, side effect free, and low cost therapy.

Pain Management for Athletes

More and more, we see athletes include acupuncture to promote healing and enhance training levels.
 
Whether you are a professional athlete, a serious runner or golfer, or an over ambitious weekend-warrior, Frank has worked with cases much like your own. He has provided acupuncture therapy for hundreds of athletes including professionals from the Browns, the Cavaliers, and the Gaurdians.
 
Professional Trainers, local physicians and orthopedic specialists often recommend Frank’s services when:
  • Recovery from an injury is slow or absent
  • Post-surgical pain is persistent
  • Conventional treatments i.e PT, cortisone shots, chiropractic, meds, fail
  • Prednisone and cortisone shots are not appropriate. (They seldom are.)
  • Over training has left you fatigued and prone to injury
  • You want to enhance training levels
X-ray of joints treated for pain management

Neuropathy

It seems all neuropathy patients I’ve encountered have been told there is no cure. As a result, it seems the only solution is to manage symptoms with life-long medications. People turn to acupuncture because they’ve either read about it or a friend recounts the benefits. Sadly, neurologists rarely recommend acupuncture for patients with neuropathy. This is a huge disservice to people who can benefit greatly from a low cost, side-effect free therapy.

Diabetes is likely the most common cause of neuropathy. The second is probably idiopathic, which means, “We don’t know.” In addition, lumbar disk herniation, auto immune disease, kidney disease, shingles pain, chemotherapy, and environmental toxins may also cause this insidious disorder. Symptoms include tingling, numbness, burning pain, or a sensation like cotton balls inside one’s shoes. Oftentimes the condition starts at the toes or tops of the feet and may progress further up the leg. Eventually, the condition continues working its way to the calf muscles. Neuropathy can also be felt in the hands and fingers due to carpal tunnel syndrome, thoracic outlet syndrome, or any of the previously mentioned conditions.

Regardless of the diagnosis one receives from a doctor, or explanation of cause such as, “nerve damage,” or inconclusive test results from an EMG, it is difficult to determine ahead of time who will improve and who will not. In some cases, no improvements are ever experienced, while for others, noticeable improvements may happen after just a few treatments. For some, the pain goes away before the numbness. For others the numb feeling lessens and may eventually stop all together.

In general, no matter the pain condition, patients often reduce or eliminate pain medications and no longer feel the need to return to Pain Management for more meds or cortisone shots.

Chronic pain patients are often taking a half-a-dozen different medications including narcotics (tramadol, oxycodone, zohydro), anticonvulsants (Gabapentin, Lyrica), antipsychotics (aripiprazole), and a wide variety of antidepressants, while medications such as statins can often increase or be the cause of joint and tendon pain.

When delivered by a trained acupuncture professional, one Licensed by the State Medical Board of Ohio and the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM), you can be sure you are utilizing one of the best complimentary therapies available. Learn more about Your Acupuncturist.