Acupuncture Injection Therapy is the use of injections of medications, vitamins, amino acids, and homeopathic substances into trigger points and traditional acupuncture points. The therapy can be effective for the alleviation of pain, prevention of illness, and improvement of physiological function.

What is Acupuncture Injection Therapy?

Acupuncture Injection Therapy (AIT) is based on traditional acupuncture points, as well as on Trigger Point Therapy. Although classical acupuncture is several thousand years old, modern acupuncture injections began in China in the mid-twentieth century, developed rapidly in Europe after the second world war, and today involves the integration of Eastern and Western approaches to medicine. Trigger Point Therapy, developed by Janet Travell, MD, in the 1950s, treats local and referred pain due to hypersensitive palpable nodules in taut bands of soft tissue. Treatment is based on relieving muscle spasms and breaking up chronic fascial adhesions with the injection of procaine and nutrients into trigger points.

What are the benefits of Acupuncture Injection Therapy?

The many benefits of Acupuncture Injection Therapy include release of chronic soft tissue pain and/or neuropathic (nerve) pain, and faster healing time. Patients who have chronically tight, painful muscles or specific areas of pain in their bodies often have trigger points that need to be released. For those who have recently suffered from acute or chronic injuries, this powerful therapy can promote both faster recovery and reduction of pain. Over 70 percent of patients who receive Acupuncture Injection Therapy experience immediate, long-lasting relief of pain and other symptoms after only three sessions of trigger point injections.

What to expect from treatment:

Very thin needles are inserted in acupuncture points, trigger points, or irritated muscle bands. Extremely small amounts of a local anesthetic (procaine) are injected, along with vitamins, amino acids, and homeopathic medications. Tight muscles contract and release, due to the needles’ stimulating effects on local tissues. The injected procaine acts as a painkiller, which lessens post-injection soreness and helps to break up scar tissue and built-up adhesions. Procaine also enhances the ability of cell membranes to absorb the nutrients in the injected solution. The vitamins, amino acids, and homeopathic medications work in conjunction with procaine to bring fresh blood and oxygen to the treated areas, and help the tissues recover from the treatment. There can be temporary minor discomfort or muscle twitching as a needle comes into contact with taught muscles. Painful symptoms can typically be resolved in 3 to 5 sessions. Patients commonly experience soreness—often compared with the feeling of having worked out in a gym—in the treated areas for approximately 24 to 72 hours after treatment. Following treatment, heat should be applied to the treated areas (a warm bath with Epsom salts is recommended), light stretching is advised, and strenuous exercise should be avoided for up to 72 hours.