7.1 Acute Musculoskeletal Pain
127
• Signs and symptoms requiring a referral to a neurologist/neurosurgeon:
– progressive sensory and motor deficits (especially with prolapsed disc)
– difficulty swallowing
– sensory deficits in the segments S1–S5 (in particular cauda equina syndrome).
• While further treatment exclusively with auricular acupuncture may alleviate the pain,
this might mask the underlying disorder and therefore result in the delay of necessary
surgery.
Point Prescription
French points
■ Local points: e.g.
L4
and/or
L5
(
›
6.1.1) on the anterior ear;
Lumbar Spine
(
›
6.11.1) on
the posterior ear
■ Points in the
Vegetative Groove
(
›
6.9.1)
■ Analgesic points:
Diazepam
(
›
6.7.3),
PGE
1
/Thymus
(
›
6.7.6)
■ For restricted movement: relevant points of the lumbar spine on the anterior ear, for
example
L4/5
(
›
6.1.1); restricted movement in one area of the spine often results in
(compensatory) counter-blockages in other parts of the spine; needling these points
is therefore recommended: e.g.
C7, T4, T10
(
›
6.1.1);
Thoracic Spine
(
›
6.11.1) on the
posterior ear
Chinese points
■ Local points:
Lumbar Spine (40)
(
›
6.1.1) on the anterior ear;
Lumbar Spine (106),
Thoracic Spine (108)
(
›
6.11.1) on the posterior ear
■ Analgesic points:
Lumbar Pain Point (54)
(
›
6.1.1),
Thalamus (26a)
(
›
6.7.4)
■ Relaxing point:
Muscle Relaxation (98a)
(
›
6.1.3)
By injecting 0.1ml 1 % prilocaine in the auricular points L4/5 and/or
Ω
1
-Point (› 6.8.1)
symptoms may subside completely within seconds, especially if treated early.
Treatment Intervals
■ Once daily until the pain has reduced significantly
■ Then once weekly until symptoms have subsided completely
Treatment Course and Prognosis
■ The sooner treatments commence after the onset of the pain, the sooner there will be
results.
■ Generally the pain will diminish or subside completely within minutes to hours after
acupuncture but this tends to be temporary; repeat treatments will be necessary until
there is a sustained subsidence of symptoms.
■ The pain usually subsides completely after 4 weeks at the latest.
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