The Benefits of Acupuncture Support Post Surgery

Monica Mae Leibson, R. Ac., Dipl. Ac.

While surgery may be necessary, it can cause discomfort and limit the patient’s ability to move and function for a period of time. Some turn to acupuncture as a way to help the healing process after undergoing a surgical procedure. What are the modern benefits of this traditional Chinese treatment?

• Acupuncture Can Boost Your Immune System

If you have to stay in the hospital after surgery, then you need a healthy immune system to help you recover and fight off any germs in the area. Acupuncture helps normalize immune response so that you are better equipped to overcome illness.

• Acupuncture Can Decrease Postoperative Pain

Pain after surgery is normal. Acupuncture can help you stay comfortable so you require fewer pain medications while you recover. That also means you’ll experience fewer side effects often associated with pills.

• Acupuncture Can Help Reduce Surgical Scars

Scarring can happen after a surgery, especially those that require multiple or larger incisions. An acupuncturist can work under the scar. A procedure known as moxibustion may be used. This needleless treatment uses the herb Artemisia vulgaris, or mugwort, to bring qi, warmth and blood flow to the surgical region to promote healing. It is also used to fortify the immune system.

Schedule Acupuncture for Surgery

Acupuncture can also be used pre-op to help calm anxiety. To learn more about the benefits of acupuncture before or after surgery, contact Michigan Associates of Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine in West Bloomfield, Michigan. We are available to help you decide if this is the best treatment option for you.