It finally snowed! Coloradans are welcoming the much-needed moisture and fresh feeling as we head into 2022. Winter adventures are on the horizon, so we should all remember to be careful on the road if we want to make the most of the season when we get to our destination.

Motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) are a leading cause of injury, and the effects can be long-lasting. The risk of getting in an accident increases with snow on the ground, icy conditions, and poor visibility during storms. It's extra important to exercise caution—and to know what resources are available to help you recover if you do ever get hurt. Since 2009, Colorado requires car insurance companies to offer anyone who's suffered a MVA $5,000 toward medical expenses. This medical pay coverage will typically need a Primary Care Provider to authorize what types of therapies they'll refer the patient for, however acupuncture is always covered for these claims.

Medical acupuncture is evidence-based and shown to excel at pain management for both acute and chronic injuries. Whiplash, back pain, spinal cord or head injuries, and even broken bones can benefit greatly from acupuncture. Research shows that medical acupuncture speeds up the healing process by promoting circulation to the site of trauma, increasing the presence of nutrients and healing factors like platelets, white blood cells, and other cells that help regulate inflammation and mobilize the immune system.

With a whole-body approach to assessment, we frequently spot underlying issues that may be causing or complicating existing or persistent pain. For example, sacroiliac joint pain—where your spine meets your hips in your lower back—can often correspond to jaw tension, and vice versa. Acute pain near the shoulder blade can result from an impingement in the neck or pectorals; chronic pain in the knee or foot may stem from a problem in the hips. Or wrist pain that traces back to a spasm in the deep muscles of the upper arm. This can happen when you're bracing for an impact, or gripping the wheel on a long, slow drive through a snowstorm. I've seen dry needling, medical acupuncture with electric stimulation, and trigger point injections resolve these issues with just a few rounds of treatment.

Acupuncture influences neurotransmitters that control how we process pain at the injury site, in the spinal cord, and in multiple regions of the brain. A 2016 systematic review and meta-analysis of three well-known medical research databases concluded that patients who received acupuncture tended to rely less on opioids while recovering from surgery. Medical acupuncture stimulates endorphins and other natural analgesics and helps alter the way the brain responds to pain. By affecting the vagus nerve and parasympathetic nervous system, each medical acupuncture treatment helps guide the body out of "fight, flight or freeze" into a "rest and digest" state of relaxation.

Post-traumatic stress is perhaps the most widespread consequence of motor vehicle accidents; even a near-miss or witnessing a collision can make us feel anxious and fearful. Trauma triggers the vagus nerve to mobilize the body into self-preservation: heart rate increases, digestion slows, senses are heightened and breathing becomes quick and shallow. It can be hard to calm down after perceiving danger, but studies show that acupuncture is remarkably effective for helping these systems return to homeostasis so we can move on and feel at ease.

Electroacupuncture has been studied extensively by the medical community as an amazing treatment for PTSD as well as pain. By running a light electrical current close to nerve junctions at the injury site and the spinal cord, medical acupuncture downregulates sensations that process these signals as pain. These effects can last for several days after a treatment and are reinforced with each follow-up session.