Chronic Pain Relief
in San Antonio:
Reclaim Your Life
“Scot has been able to help me manage my pain in ways that no traditional doctor has. ” – Shellie B.
Chronic pain changes everything.
It affects how you move through your day, how well you sleep, whether you can exercise, play with your kids, or simply feel comfortable in your own body. And after months or years of trying different approaches, medications, physical therapy, injections, maybe even surgery, many people in San Antonio find themselves still searching for lasting relief.
At Balance Acupuncture and Natural Medicine, we see chronic pain differently. Rather than simply masking symptoms, we focus on understanding the underlying patterns that keep pain active in your system. This is what I’ve spent more than 25 years learning to do, not just in textbooks, but in real clinical practice with thousands of patients dealing with back pain, arthritis, sciatica, neck pain, and other musculoskeletal conditions.
Acupuncture works for pain in several measurable ways: it reduces inflammation, releases endorphins (your body’s natural pain relievers), improves circulation to injured tissues, and calms the nervous system’s pain response. But beyond the mechanisms, what matters most is whether you feel better and can return to the activities that matter to you.
As a San Antonio acupuncturist specializing in pain management, I work with patients who’ve tried everything else, and with those who are looking for a natural option before resorting to more invasive treatments. Whether you’re dealing with chronic back pain, osteoarthritis, post-surgical pain, or nerve-related issues, we design treatment plans based on your specific condition, not a one-size-fits-all protocol.
Effective pain management starts with listening. We take time to understand your history, examine what’s working and what isn’t, and build a plan that makes sense for your goals. This isn’t about quick fixes—it’s about meaningful, lasting improvement that lets you move forward with confidence.
Serving San Antonio patients dealing with chronic pain since 2004, we bring both clinical experience and evidence-informed techniques to every treatment. If you’re ready to explore what acupuncture can do for your pain, schedule a consultation and let’s talk about what’s possible.
New Patient Offer
$40 Consultation
Why Choose Balance Acupuncture and Natural Medicine for Chronic Pain:
Whole-Person Approach
Addressing chronic pain from a comprehensive perspective, with the objective of not only relieving pain but improving function.
Tailored to Your Journey
Customized treatments that are based on your individual needs and presentation.
Natural and Gentle
Experience therapies that are non-invasive with minimal side effects.
Support Every Step
Our caring team is with you at every stage, offering guidance, understanding, and expertise.
Why is acupuncture so extraordinarily effective in the treatment of pain and arthritis?
All of the substances that make it possible for your body to heal (oxygen, natural pain killers, anti-inflammatories, hormones) are carried in the blood. If the flow of blood is impeded, your body may not be able to fully access the areas where these substances are needed. In Chinese medicine, we consider lack of circulation to be one of the main causes of disease due to it’s major impact on the body’s ability to communicate. Acupuncture has been shown in research to increase blood flow and the dilation of capillaries, blood vessels and arteries throughout your body.
When an acupuncture needle is inserted into a painful or tight area of your body, we are essentially creating a controlled micro trauma. The healing mechanisms of your body are called in to heal the new injury and during the process clean up some of the old injury as well.
Acupuncture impacts your brain in a way that results in a reduction of your perception of pain. In fact, a recent study using functional MRI imaging showed that it had a dampening effect not only on your perception of pain, but your expectation of it as well.
In many cases of chronic pain, the problem has more to do with the function of the joint rather than degenerative issues in the joint itself. Stimulation from an acupuncture needle has a regulating effect on the muscles that surround and control the movement of the joint. This causes muscles to relax and lengthen thereby taking pressure off of your joints and relieving muscle spasms.
Research has shown that acupuncture increases the levels of natural pain killers, such as endorphins, norepinephrine and enkephalin, in the blood. Some of these biochemicals are 10 – 200 times as powerful as morphine and serve to effectively block pain signals.
Our unique blend of natural therapies works for all types of pain, including:
- Sports Injuries
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Fibromyalgia
- Low Back Pain
- Sciatica
- Neck Pain
- Upper Back Pain
- Knee Pain
- Tennis/Golfer's Elbow
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Plantar Fasciitis
Frequently Asked Questions
There are many mechanisms by which acupuncture helps with pain. In short, it helps to increase blood flow to the affected tissues, reduces inflammation, relaxes tight muscles and promotes the release of natural painkillers.
Most people are surprised and relieved to learn that acupuncture needles are extremely thin and completely unlike the hypodermic needles that they have experienced with injections and blood draws.
Acupuncturists can attain a high level of skill in gently placing these tiny needles and often the insertion is barely perceptible. Once the needle is inserted there may be a mild sensation of heaviness, achiness or tingling in the area of insertion. This is normal and therapeutically beneficial.
The majority of our patients do not need long term maintenance. Once your pain has resolved and we ensure that your results are stable we release you from care. Many patients choose to come in for regular visits even after their main complaint has resolved because they notice that they feel and function better when they receive regular acupuncture treatments.
Our goal is to get you feeling better fast. We want you to be so happy with our care you will tell all of your friends and family about us.
Generally our treatments require several visits to obtain stable, long lasting relief from pain. That being said, many patients begin to feel significant improvement in their symptoms within the first 2-3 visits.