Elective or emergency surgery is also a situation where acupuncture can be very helpful. Surgery is really a type of trauma, but it is controlled by the surgeon to achieve a particular result. Nonetheless, there is still swelling, bruising and pain, and loss of function just as with accidental trauma. Sometimes there is post operative pain which does not improve as expected, and acupuncture can be used to try to reduce the painful sensations. Acupuncture and herbal medicines are often applied to scars as they begin to heal and also used for scars that remain painful, or are causing referred pain.

Post surgical pain is often frustrating for both surgeons and patients, and is generally poorly addressed by modern Western physicians. Before you start on pharmaceutical drugs or have nerve blocks or more surgery, consider Oriental medicine.

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