Acupuncture and Chinese medicine provide a holistic approach to healing and are effective treatments to relieve the pain, improve sexual function, and decrease urinary problems associated with Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome. Acupuncture is a natural treatment with very few side effects.

Chinese medicine could possibly make it the most used treatment for Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome of all time. In one of Chinese medicine’s earliest text called Elementary Questions, TCM has described the diagnosis and treatment many syndromes characterized by painful, frequent, and urgent urination with pain and distention of the lower abdomen and pelvis. Of course, this syndrome was not called Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome or Chronic Prostatitis at the time. But the practice of Chinese medicine has shown that those same principles of diagnosis and treatment are effective when applied to the symptoms caused by Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome.

Acupuncture works to reduce pain and inflammation through regulating neural pain pathways, stimulating the release of natural pain relievers in the body, such as opioids, as well as regulating pain relieving opioid receptors. Many studies have also shown acupuncture to have a anti-inflammatory effect, reducing the circulating inflammatory hormones in the blood.

Acupuncture Treatment for Chronic Pelvic Pain
Traditional Chinese Medicine has a holistic approach to diagnosis and treatment, identifying specific imbalances in the body and using acupuncture, Chinese herbs, and acupressure to correct them. The symptoms of pain, urinary changes, sexual dysfunction, as well as digestion, energy, sleep are all factored into identifying the cause of the issues.  Examining the muscles within the lower back, pelvis, and legs often reveals trigger points which refer pain to the pelvic floor.  The gluteus maximus and medius, adductor magnus, and illopsoas are among the most common problematic muscles.  In addition, sacro-iliac joint should be examined for dysfunction. Correcting the imbalance does not just treat the symptoms or mask the condition, but rather corrects the root of the problem by encouraging self-healing of the body.

Chinese medicine works best as a combination therapy that includes acupuncture, tui na (acupressure), and other therapies such as gua sha and cupping. Chinese herbs are also effective and may be required for certain people. Acupuncture diagnosis and treatment focuses on identifying the specific root imbalance causing the condition and tailoring the treatment for you. During the first visit, your practitioner will complete a medical history and an in depth physical examination, which focuses on an examination of acupuncture points and trigger points of the lower back, abdomen, hips, and pelvis. This information creates the picture of the specific imbalance causing the problem. Often, men will have significant reduction in pain within a few weeks of treatment.  The full treatment course normally lasts a number of months. It is like peeling off the layers of an onion until you correct the root cause of the problem.