"When there is pain there is no free flow of Qi. When there is free flow of Qi there is no pain"  (Chinese Proverb)

The basic premise is that pain is a result of a blockage of the normally smooth flow of Qi through the meridians. Qi is the energy that nourishes every cell, tissue, organ, and system in the body. When it is obstructed, it accumulates on one side of the blockage and is deficient on the other side.
Pain, simply stated, is caused by a lack of proper circulation. External factors such as wind, cold, dampness, and heat can cause the flow of energy and blood to be obstructed. The result of this obstruction can be pain, numbness, a feeling of heaviness, stiffness and swelling of the joints and muscles. In severe cases motor impairment in the limbs will occur.

For straightforward cases involving pain, the practitioner will select points to disperse stagnant qi and stimulate correct circulation in the effected area. 
Acupuncture stimulates circulation and corrects improper circulation in the affected area. Once proper circulation of energy and blood is restored the pain will recede. 

During the diagnostic assessment the TCM practitioner will look for "patterns" exhibited by the patient. Pain can take on different forms. In TCM pinpointing the nature of the pain will focus your practitioner on the most effective treatment plan for you.  Pain in classified by how it feels into the following types according to TCM:

 DAMPNESS: Feels achy, dull, distensive pain that is aggravated by damp weather. Pain due to dampness is generally characterized by a feeling of heaviness and sluggishness. The practitioner will choose a treatment protocol to drain dampness and alleviate pain. 



HEAT or FIRE, DAMP HEAT: Pain that is worse with heat, red, raised, painful, hot. People who suffer from pain caused by heat generally describe the pain as burning. Rigidity of the affected area is a common symptom with increased pain upon motion of the affected area. Pain due to heat is usually accompanied by fever, thirst and restlessness. 



WIND: (Wandering Pain) Pain is in no fixed location and generally “wanders” around the body. The location of the pain tends to move and has an ascending nature. Wind type pain commonly affects the upper body and limbs (shoulder, elbow, and wrist) and is often described as a shooting or pulling pain sometimes  accompanied with numbness. 


COLD: Feels constricting, sharp, colicky pain that is relieved by the application of heat . Often accompanied by cold sensation in the joints. A practitioner will often stimulate acupuncture points with heat (warmth is applied with a clinical heat lamp or by burning the Chinese herb moxibustion and holding it over the acupuncture point) to alleviate pain and dispel cold.

BLOOD STASIS:  Feels sharp & stabbing and fixed.  Indicates very poor circulation of the energy and blood. The practitioner will treat to invigorate the circulation of blood. 


 QI DEFICIENCY : Pain that is reduced with the application of pressure, or pain that is worse after physical exertion. The treatment will focus on boosting the vital energy of the body and aiding circulation. 

Along with determing what “type” of pain you are experiencing, a myriad of other factors are also taken into account, such as how thie problem began, where in your body you feel it, when it occurs, and any other correlating symptoms. In this way, Acupuncture and TCM effectively treat your pain and also change the underlying pattern that caused it to emerge in the first place.. Sometimes the energy need simply be moved to disperse the stagnation. Other times the patients qi (energy) will need to be boosted to help move the qi as well. The treatment protocol will be designed based on the nature of your condition. How chronic or acute the episode or issue will determine the approach of the treatment. 

The main object in treatment of pain is to break the pain cycle.