Berkhamsted acupuncture: Arthritis UK page on Acupuncture for arthritis
According to Arthritis Research UK, the main charity in the UK dedicated to the research and cure of arthritis, arthritis is the number one cause of pain and disability in the UK. Over 10 million people in the UK live with arthritis and sadly 88% of those suffering with the condition describe it as debilitating and life restricting. It forces 1 in 4 of those suffering to leave work or take early retirement and can be a considerable challenge to live with.
Many people are not aware that there are multiple types of arthritis with very different mechanisms of disease. The two main forms however are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis although there are many others.
Osteoarthritis accounts for the majority of cases in the uk with about 8 million sufferers. This particular variation of arthritis involves degeneration of the smooth cartilage that lines the joints and often affects the knees, spine, hips and hands. Often osteoarthritis is the product of joint use and degeneration over time. Rheumatoid arthritis on the other hand is an inflammatory form of arthritis in which the immune system itself attacks the joints that lead to swelling and pain. This can have effects in the body beyond just the joints and often necessitates more powerful forms of medication that are aimed at dampening down the immune system in order to reduce the damage to joints and tissues.
While it’s imperative that your GP be your primary care giver if you have arthritis there are complementary approaches like acupuncture and counselling that can be of great help in assisting you living with what can be very difficult conditions. These approaches can’t cure the condition but they can help you live with it and ease the symptoms.
Arthritis UK have produced a fact sheet on Acupuncture for arthritis which you can find here:
The fact sheet describes the process of acupuncture, what it involves, and how stimulating peripheral nerves helps to release pain killing hormones that can ease the pain of the condition. The British Acupuncture Council also produce a factsheet on acupuncture for osteoarthritis which you can find here:
https://www.acupuncture.org.uk/a-to-z-of-conditions/a-to-z-of-conditions/osteoarthritis.html
..and a separate factsheet on Rheumatoid arthritis which you can find here:
https://www.acupuncture.org.uk/a-to-z-of-conditions/a-to-z-of-conditions/rheumatoid-arthritis.html
In addition to acupuncture which can help with the symptoms of arthritis, counselling can also be of great support in helping deal with the stress of living with a chronic painful condition. Arthritis often involves changes in body image, a loss of the ability to do things that a person enjoyed previously, and can be a scary, painful experience that needs emotional support.
If you’re a sufferer of arthritis or you know someone that is that might benefit from additional forms of support my acupuncture and counselling practice is in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire. You can ask questions or book an appointment on 07717 515 013.