P. Sze 
Acupuncture has become very popular over the last decade or so. Many people swear by its effectiveness in treating various ailments. However, some people are skeptical about acupuncture because they don’t understand how it works. To be honest, I was one of these people until I used an acupuncture pen for joint pain! And since then, I have never looked back.
Acupuncture is a form of Traditional Chinese Medicine where acupoints are stimulated to encourage blood circulation and provide alternative treatment to common pain conditions. The theory behind acupuncture is that these meridians carry energy throughout the body. When blocked, the energy cannot flow properly, causing illness. Acupuncture helps unblock the meridians and restore balance to the body.
Traditional acupuncture treatment uses acupuncture needles, but a more modern method is to use an acupuncture pen. The pens use electrical nerve stimulation to encourage blood circulation. But can you use an acupuncture pen for joint pain?
Keep reading to find out more.
What Is Joint Pain?
Joints are the parts of your body that allow you to move. They connect bones with muscles and ligaments. There are many joints in your body, including knees, elbows, hips, ankles, neck, wrists, and shoulders.
Joint pain occurs when there is damage to one or more of these joints. It may be caused by injury or disease. The most common cause of joint pain is arthritis. Arthritis is a condition that causes inflammation and swelling of the joints. This makes them stiff and painful. Other types of joint pain include osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and traumatic injuries.
How To Use An Acupuncture Pen For Joint Pain
There are several ways to use an acupuncture pen to treat joint pain. You can use an acupuncture pen to relieve pain after exercise, massage therapy, or other treatments. Or you can use it as a preventative measure against injury.
You can also use an acupuncture pen to reduce stress levels. Stress is known to contribute to joint pain. If you have chronic stress, you should consider using an acupuncture pen to help alleviate this problem.
Finally, you can use an acupuncture pen if you want to improve your overall health. For example, you could use it to heal wounds, boost immunity, increase energy and promote healing.
Studies show that acupuncture can work as a good alternative therapy for older people suffering from joint pain or for people suffering from osteoarthritis.
For more detailed instructions on how to use an acupuncture pen, please check out the other article.
Acupuncture Points For Joint Pain
If you want to use an acupuncture pen for joint pain, then you will need to know which pressure points to target. This will depend on where your joint pain is, but here are some commonly used acupuncture points for joint pain.
Acupoint: Bl-40 (Other Names: Urinary Bladder-40/Wei Zhong/Middle of the Crook)
Bl-40 It is located in the center of the horizontal wrinkle behind the knee and is the acupoint to use if you are struggling with knee pain. When acupressure and massage are applied to this acupoint, a light stroke is sufficient.
Apply pressure for 3 seconds, and then release the pressure for 3 seconds. Repeat this cycle until adequate pain relief has been reached. Please be careful not to irritate strongly or cause pain.
Acupoint Bl-40 is one of a few great acupressure points for thigh pain. If knee pain is your primary concern, take a look at this article about acupuncture pens for knee pain relief.
Acupoint: LI-12 (Other Names: Large Intestine-12/Zhou Liao/Elbow Crevice)
Acupoint LI-12 is very effective for the treatment of elbow pain. You can stimulate this acupoint by pressing firmly between the muscles and bones with the thumb of the opposite hand.
Daily stimulation of this acupoint will drastically reduce pain, numbness, and signs of swelling. Take a look here to learn more about acupuncture and tennis elbow.
Acupoint: LI-5 (Other Names: Large Intestine-5/Yang Xi/Yang Stream)
Acupoint LI-5, or Yangxi in Chinese, is a large intestine acupressure point for arthritis in the hands and pain in the wrist joints. Acupoint LI-5 is also one of many very beneficial acupressure points for arthritis in the fingers.
To find this acupoint, lift your thumb and bend it backward. At the base of the thumb, where the thumb connects to the wrist, two tendons form a triangular depression. The center of that depression is LI-5.
Acupoint: KI-3 (Other Names: Kidney-3/Tai Xi/Supreme Stream)
KI-3 or Taixi is the kidney pressure point that is located on the outside of the foot, in the depression between the tip of the medial malleolus and the Achilles tendon. You can use this to treat backache, but you can also use it to relieve menstruation cramps, constipation, and stomach aches.
As one of the kidney meridian points, this acupoint is quite versatile. Stimulating acupoint Kl-3 will also assist with alleviating joint pain, particularly in the lower body regions such as the legs, ankles, and feet.
Acupoint: ST-35 (Other Names: Stomach-35/Du Bi/Calf’s Nose)
ST-35 is one of many great acupressure points for knee pain. Stimulating this acupoint can reduce tension in the ligaments and muscles surrounding the knee. It is therefore very effective for knee arthritis and beriberi.
You can find the acupoint easily when the knee is flexed. It is in the depression on the lateral side of the patella and patellar ligament.
By stimulating this acupuncture point with acupuncture or acupressure, blood circulation in the knee joint will improve, inflammation and pain will be relieved, and you will be able to gradually exercise.
What Other Pressure Points Should You Use?
If you use acupuncture or an acupuncture pen to treat your joint pain effectively, then you could also use it to improve your general health.
Acupoint: LI-4 (Other Names: Large Intestine-4/He Gu/Joining Valley)
LI-4 is the pressure point for the large intestine. The acupoint is the highest point of the web when you press your thumb and the index finger together. It is used to treat conditions such as backache, headaches, shoulder pain, and knee problems. It is a very popular pressure point to use for the treatment of joint pain and arthritis.
In conclusion, if you are still wondering do acupuncture pens work? Check out our other article.
