Acupuncture with E-stim

Acupuncture with E-stim offers a safe, minimally invasive treatment to help manage certain pain-causing conditions, including arthritis, sports injuries, and chemotherapy-related nausea. At Seven Dragons Integrative Medicine, naturopathic wellness doctors Stefani Hayes, ND, LAc, and the team use acupuncture with E-stim to help people manage pain. It may also help reduce the need for opioids or other pain medications. Call the office in Portland, Oregon, to schedule an appointment, or book your visit online today. 

What is acupuncture with E-stim?

Acupuncture with E-stim is a minimally invasive treatment that helps ease pain, nausea, and other related side effects. 

Like traditional acupuncture, it involves inserting thin needles into specific points on the body, called meridians. This is thought to stimulate your nervous system, release the body’s natural painkillers (endorphins), and help reduce inflammation.

With E-stim acupuncture, two or more needles are inserted into meridians and connected to a small device that delivers a mild electrical current between them. The electrical stimulation is believed to enhance the effects of acupuncture and may cause more noticeable results for some patients.

What ailments may benefit from acupuncture with E-stim?

The Seven Dragons Integrative Medicine team uses acupuncture with E-stim to treat various symptoms and medical conditions. These include:

• Chemotherapy-related nausea
• Arthritis 
• Acute or chronic pain
• Stress
• Tinnitus-related symptoms

Sometimes, the team recommends acupuncture with E-stim as a supportive therapy for people recovering from substance abuse disorders (SUDs).

What does acupuncture with E-stim involve?

Acupuncture with E-stim typically takes 90 minutes to two hours.

Before recommending this treatment, your provider reviews your health history, asks about your symptoms, and completes an exam. 

If your provider determines that you may benefit, they have you lie down on your stomach or back on an exam table. Then, they carefully insert several thin acupuncture needles into specific areas of skin. For example, if you’re experiencing back pain, they may insert the needles at several areas along your spine.

Once the needles are in position, your provider connects them to a special electroacupuncture machine. The machine emits a low-voltage electrical current, stimulating your nervous system at each targeted site. 

It’s normal to feel some tingling and vibration during treatment, but you shouldn’t experience pain. Your provider can adjust the frequency and voltage, so let them know if anything feels off.

At the end of treatment, your provider removes the needles and provides recovery instructions. You may feel tired afterward, but most people return to work and other routine activities the same day.

How long does it take to experience results from acupuncture with E-stim?

The amount of time it takes to experience results from acupuncture with E-stim depends on the severity of your symptoms and their underlying cause. Some people notice an improvement after a single session, but this isn’t typical.

For optimal results, the Seven Dragons Integrative Medicine team often recommends a series of between four and six sessions. However, you may need more or less, depending on your situation.

To schedule acupuncture with E-stim, contact Seven Dragons Integrative Medicine. Call the office or book an appointment online today.