Painful obstruction syndrome is acute or chronic pain and stiffness in the musculoskeletal system. There may also be swelling, numbness, parasthesia and decreased range of motion. The symptoms primarily affect joints and their related soft tissues.
The main features of any painful condition is the disruption to the normal distribution of qi and blood. This disruption may be due to a number of different factors, including physical blockage from scarring, trauma, obstruction by pathogens (Heat and Cold), sluggish flow of qi and blood, increased blood viscosity and a general lack of circulatory momentum.
Chinese medicine, as always, seeks to identify the root cause of any condition and by inserting needles we can aid circulatory function and regulate the blood and qi. When a needle is inserted, it releases endorphins, which are our bodies natural painkiller cells. Recently, detailed MRI scans of specific acupuncture points reveal brain deactivation of the limbic area of the brain, which is the area associated with pain!