Spring and summer are usually times of increased physical activity, and with that, the risk and frequency of sports-related injuries are also increased. Twisted ankles, torn ligaments, shin splits or simple bruises can all be successfully treated with acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herbal remedies. If the place of injury is too painful or inflamed and cannot be needled, the opposite part of the body is used as a
mirror. This is effective because acupuncture meridians are bilateral (except 2 that run front and back midline of the body) so the meridian on the other side of the body can be needled to affect the change in both. Acupuncture is also very useful after surgery (knee, shoulder) or broken bones (1, 2). It reduces
recovery time and speeds up the healing (3).
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, pain is understood to be a product of energy not moving (qi stagnation) that is sometimes coupled with blood stagnation. With acupuncture treatment we remove energy stagnation, which in turn moves blood, lymph and other fluids resulting in pain elimination and tissue healing. There are several topical preparations of TCM herbs that help greatly with any physical injury or trauma.
For example, when my son was fiveyears old he ran into a metal bar on the playground after school. He quickly developed a bruise on his forehead that started to “egg”. It was literally swelling into an egg shaped growth on his forehead. After applying an essential oil blend immediately at the playground; at home I soaked a cotton ball with a traditional TCM liniment for bruises and applied this directly to the bruise. After about half an hour the swelling was starting to subside and it was completely gone within a few hours. He still had a slightly sore spot there for several days, but there was no black and blue bruise and certainly no “egg”
on his forehead. This trauma liniment is great for any bruise, twisted ankles or any joint/soft tissue injury.
There are also TCM herbal remedies that can be taken internally,
or that can be used internally and externally for acute trauma, sore or tight muscles, muscle knots, deep body pains and more.
One thing that I always have in my purse is a small vial of Arnica (200C potency), a homeopathic remedy for any fall, bruise, shock or trauma. Consequently, homeopathic Arnica gel is great for pain and bruises and Calendula gel is excellent for burns and cuts.
I hope that your summer will be injury-free, but in case you need
help I am only a phone call away.
Wishing you a happy summer,
Aleksandra
1) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23427386
2) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23131374
3) https://www.acufinder.com/Acupuncture+Information/Detail/Acupuncture+Assists+Post-Operative+Recovery,+Studies+Show
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