Physical Rehabilitation
Pain Management Acupuncture
PAIN Relief THROUGH ACUPUNCTURE
Acupuncture for Acute and Chronic Pain
Living with pain can affect far more than the area that hurts. Persistent or recurring pain can impact your work, sleep, mobility, exercise, mood and relationships.
At Angelo D’Alberto Acupuncture, treatment is personalised to your individual symptoms, health history and goals. Acupuncture may be used as part of a broader approach to managing pain, stiffness, movement and overall wellbeing.
Whether your pain is recent, recurring or longstanding, treatment begins by taking the time to understand how it affects you.
The 4-Week Pain Relief Programme
Focused treatment. Consistent support. A plan for moving forward.
For people who would like a structured approach to treatment, the 4-Week Pain Relief Programme provides an intensive initial course of care.
The programme includes:
● 8 personalised acupuncture treatments
● Treatment delivered over 4 weeks
● An individual treatment approach based on your symptoms and goals
● Regular review of your progress
● Adjustments to treatment according to your response
Regular treatment during the initial phase allows us to monitor how your symptoms respond and develop a clearer understanding of the approach that is most appropriate for you
The programme is designed for people experiencing persistent or recurring pain who want to commit to a focused course of treatment.
4 weeks • 8 acupuncture treatments • Personalised care • Ongoing progress review
How does Acupuncture work?
The physical stimulation activates sensory nerves, signaling the brain to release endorphins, enkephalins, and dynorphins—the body's natural, heavy-duty painkillers.
Treatment alters the secretion of serotonin and norepinephrine, chemicals that play a massive role in how your brain processes and downgrades pain signals.
The needle stimulation crowds your nerve pathways, effectively "closing the gate" in the spinal cord to block slower, aching pain signals from reaching the brain.
Inserting a needle creates a microscopic site of safe friction. The body responds by dilating local blood vessels, rushing fresh oxygen, immune cells, and nutrients to damaged tissues.
Treating Acute Pain: Rapid Relief & Tissue Recovery
Acute pain is sharp, sudden, and typically follows a specific injury, surgery, or physical
trauma. Because the tissue damage is fresh, the primary goals of acupuncture are to
accelerate healing and prevent the pain from becoming a permanent fixture.
Key Benefits for Acute Conditions:
● Immediate Pain Suppression: By flooding the system with endorphins, it provides rapid, drug-free relief straightaway.
● Swelling and Edema Control: It regulates local pro-inflammatory cytokines, which quickly subdue localised swelling and heat.
● Breaking the Spasm-Pain Loop: When a muscle is injured, it locks up to protect itself, causing more pain. Acupuncture directly deactivates hyperactive “trigger points,” forcing the muscle to relax.
● Preventing “Central Sensitisation”: Aggressive or poorly managed acute pain can rewire the nervous system, turning a temporary injury into a permanent chronic issue.
Early acupuncture stops this rewiring process in its tracks.
Common Acute Conditions Treated:
● Acute lower back pain, spasms and stiffness which may also cause sciatica
● Sports injuries like rotator cuff injuries, ankle sprains, hamstring strains, tendonitis and tennis elbow
● Whiplash and sudden neck stiffness and pain
● Headaches and migraines
Treating Chronic Pain: Rewiring the Nervous System
Chronic pain is entirely. It can persist for months or years, often outliving the original injury.The nervous system becomes hyper-sensitised, essentially stuck in a loop of firing false pain alarms. Acupuncture acts as a system reboot for this exhausted network .
Key Benefits for Chronic Conditions:
● Desensitising the Central Nervous System: Over multiple sessions, acupuncture
rewires the brain’s pain center, turning down the baseline volume of constant,
throbbing discomfort.
● Cortisol Regulation & Stress Reduction: Living with long-term pain elevates stress
hormones. Acupuncture regulates the sympathetic (“fight-or-flight”) nervous system,
drastically lowering cortisol and easing mental exhaustion.
● Breaking Down Scar Tissue: For old injuries, acupuncture increases cellular
remodeling, breaking up rigid, fibrous scar tissue and restoring elasticity.
● The Cumulative Effect: While acute pain can sometimes be resolved in one or two
visits, chronic pain treatment builds on itself. Each session extends the window of
relief, slowly retraining the body to function normally.
Common Chronic Conditions Treated:
● Chronic lower back pain and sciatica
● Piriformis syndrome
● Neck and shoulder pain, ‘frozen shoulder’
● Osteoarthritis
● Fibromyalgia and widespread myofascial pain syndrome
● Migraines, tension headaches
● TMJ
● Knee, hip and elbow pain
● Peripheral neuropathy
A Personalised Approach to Pain Management
Pain is rarely experienced in exactly the same way by two people.
During your consultation, we look beyond simply identifying where the pain is located. Your
assessment may include discussion of:
- When and how your symptoms began
- The nature and severity of your pain
- What makes your symptoms better or worse
- Previous injuries
- Medical history and diagnosis
- Movement and activity levels
- Work and lifestyle factors
- Sleep and stress
- Previous treatments and their effects
- Your personal goals for treatment
Treating Common Fertility Disorders
What Does the Research Say About Acupuncture for Pain?
Acupuncture has been the subject of extensive research in several areas of pain
management.
The evidence varies according to the condition being studied, the type of acupuncture used and the outcome measured.
For some conditions, including chronic low back pain and migraine, systematic reviews and
clinical research provide evidence that acupuncture may help reduce pain or improve
function for some patients.
What to Expect at Your First Appointment
Your first appointment includes:
● Comprehensive consultation
● Review of your medical history including any recent scans/imaging and medication
● Discussion of current symptoms
● Physical assessment
● Personalised treatment plan
● Acupuncture treatment
● Follow-up sessions include a review of your symptoms and progress, allowing your
plan to be adjusted where appropriate
Why Choose Angelo D'Alberto?
Patients choose Angelo D’Alberto because of his friendly and empathic approach to care as
well as his 22+ years of clinical experience.
Benefits include:
● Individualised treatment plans
● Extensive experience treating many painful conditions
● Professional and confidential environment
● Holistic approach to wellbeing
● Convenient London and Bexley locations
● Focus on long-term health and quality of life
Frequently Asked Questions
Research suggests that acupuncture may help reduce pain or improve function for some
people and for certain conditions. The likely benefit depends on the underlying cause of the
pain and individual circumstances.
This varies according to your symptoms, how long you have experienced them and how you
respond to treatment. Some people choose the structured 4-Week Pain Relief Programme,
while others may require a different treatment schedule.
In many cases, acupuncture can be used alongside other forms of care. It is important to tell
your practitioner about any diagnosis, medication or treatment you are receiving.
Many people with persistent pain choose acupuncture as part of their overall
pain-management approach. If you are in any doubt as to whether acupuncture can help
you, then please get in touch.
Acupuncture is generally considered safe when provided by an appropriately qualified
practitioner. Your health history and individual circumstances will be discussed before
treatment.