Good morning readers!

Today let ‘s talk about what are the benefits of Acupuncture for patients that suffered fractures and need to speed up their recovery.

Before sharing a few tips on how to treat fractures, I’m going to talk about how to avoid them.

In Chinese Medicine, the bone strength is related to healthy Kidney. Following this, to avoid spontaneous fractures or bone wear we must keep our Kidney strong, drinking a lot of water, resting when we tired and moderately working out (at least 3 times a week), we must not overwork or flood ourselves in emotional stress and we must have good eating habits (in proper quality and quantity).

In case you’re having trouble keeping Kidney energy strong, due to not being able to follow the previous recommendations, some acupuncture points shall assist you in keeping Kidney energy, such as KI3, KI6, KI7, CV4, BL23 and BL52. Kidney’s point on auriculotherapy must also be used, as well as Neutral foods for Water Element, found in the link below:

https://www.facilitatingacupuncture.com/therapeutic-food-tables/

However, let’s not forget that this does not remove the need of taking care of your daily habits!! That is, use the points, eat the foods and step by step learn how to take care of your own body, in order so that you live for a long time, healthy. Remember: Kidney is the base for our vital energy.

Now, moving to the main plot, post-fracture. If the patient had a spontaneous fracture, caused by an osteoporosis or if he suffered an accident, having or having not the need of surgery for correction, the Acupuncturist shall help this patient in various ways, as it follows:

A fractured patient may receive treatment from an acupuncturist, few hours after the surgery is done. Usually that is 48 hours following medical authorization so the technique is applied.

The goal in starting treatment so early is improving oxygenation and nourishment on the fractured tissues, this way making cicatrization easier. To top that, we may also do a drainage on the fracture spot, diminishing edema and pain.

How should we treat it?

I always recommend putting up points to strengthen the Kidney, following this I tend to always put KI3 to begin a fracture treatment and Kidney point in Auriculotherapy.

After KI3, the therapist shall use points that keep Blood and Qi flowing in a harmonic way in the body, as LV3 and LI4.

Case, there are edema on the spot, we may use the following points, that will remove humidity, drain the spot, according to the fracture region:

• Feet: BL60
• Leg: SP9
• Thigh: GB30, ST28
• Hand: SJ3
• Forearm: SJ5
• Arm: LI11, LU3

After we strengthen the Kidney, promote a harmonic Qi and Blood circulation, we shall start working on the fracture spot.

On the fracture spot, case there are any surgical scars, we shall measure 0.5cm from the scar and surround all affected regions with oblique needles. In order to boost the effects, the therapist may use continuous electroacupuncture within patient’s pain limit. If there are no scars, the needles may be placed over the fracture spot.

Needles and electrotherapy shall continue for at least 20 minutes.

Besides the traditional electroacupuncture, with the shock on the needle’s body, we shall also use a sliding Hai Hua over the fracture spot, even if it has been rebuilt with pins. The sliding suction cup and a sweep moxibustion may also be done.

Following the needle removal and electroacupuncture, the therapist may leave the patient with magnets around the affected region. The magnets shall have a 1 centimeter distance from each other and must always be in opposed poles in relation to the other, so that a magnetic field is created and local circulation is improved, this way helping the healing process.

On auriculotherapy some very interesting points:

• Ping Chuan – Helps soothing tissue inflammation
• Muscle Relaxation – Improve local pain
• Analgesia – Shall also improve pain
• Points that represent the fractured region (such as feet, hand, leg, knee, etc)…

The auriculotherapy points shall be there for 10 days, no matter what material is used, such as seeds, spheres or even needles.

There are also benefits in late treatment, once acupuncture and other resources from Chinese Medicine will always help improving blood and oxygen circulation, renewing and refreshing collateral circulation, soothing pain, improving movement amplitude and keeping tissues strong.

But never forget. Besides all that has been said in this text, bones will turn strong due to vitamin D:

• Sunbathe, or do it supplementary according to medical orientation.
• Workout so muscles are stimulated to be strong.

And in the end, everything will be just fine with the patient.

Hope you enjoyed it!

Tight hug to all!

Profa. Fernanda Mara