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Acupuncture for Back Pain
Acupuncture has long been known as one of the best alternative and complementary medicine therapies in the treatment of pain. Acupuncture for back pain has long been recommended for chronic symptoms, especially in the neck and lower back, for organ diseases such as kidney ailments, as well as overall health.
Developed in China over 5,000 years ago, acupuncture works on the premise that every living thing has a vital energy (qi) that circulates through twelve invisible energy pathways (meridians). These meridians each represent organ systems in the body. When a meridian is blocked, the resulting imbalance in the flow of qi causes pain and disease to develop. In order to unblock and restore the balance and harmony to the flow of qi, long fine needles are inserted into specific points along the meridian lines. The body has over 1,000 acupuncture points.
Acupuncture has since evolved to also include the chakra points (or the energy centers) of Indian medicine.
How Acupuncture Works and Why Acupuncture for Back Pain is Effective
Intensive research studies on acupuncture have shown that the technique works in the following ways…
- Stimulates the release of neurotransmitters that send nerve impulses to the brain, which then “orders” the release of pain-relieving endorphins
- Has a direct effect on the autonomic nervous system and the cardiovascular system
- Regulates the flow of electrical currents in the body
Indications of Acupuncture
Acupuncture has been found to be effective in the conditions listed below…
- Chronic lower back pain (its effectiveness in acute lower back pain is still largely debated)
- Post-operative pain
- Sciatica
- Tennis elbow
- Arthritis
- Fibromyalgia
- Migraines and tension headaches
- Common cold and sinusitis
- Asthma
- Meniere’s Disease
- Trigeminal Neuralgia
- Menstrual cramps
- Aids in addictions such as smoking
- Weight loss
- Infertility
Acupuncture Treatment Procedures
Procedures for acupuncture treatment are very similar to regular consultation with the doctor. The acupuncturist first gets a complete medical history from the patient, including the history of the pain and lifestyle habits such as diet, exercise, and other physical activities that may have an impact on the pain. This is followed by a physical examination, which includes assessing the three pulse points at the wrist of each hand and the twelve meridians. From these steps, the acupuncturist will arrive at a diagnosis and begin treatment.
Depending upon the diagnosis, the acupuncturist typically uses 6 to 12 needles during treatment. The number of needles reflects the meridians that need to be treated. Only mild discomfort is felt at the prick of the needles. Other sensations such as discomfort, numbness and pain require immediate termination of the treatment.
A typical session has a duration of 20 to 30 minutes. Depending upon the severity of the patient’s condition, the acupuncturist may need to do additional techniques along with the acupuncture such as…
- Moxa/Moxibustion = Involves heating the acupuncture needles with dried herb sticks in order to warm and activate the energy
- Cupping = Involves the application of small glass cups in order to create suction pressure on the skin to remove stagnated blood and qi.
- Herbal medicine = Chinese herbs — in the form of teas, pills, and capsules — are given as supplements during and after acupuncture treatment
- Electrostimulation = This procedure is similar to TENS. It involves the introduction of electrical stimulation to 2 to 4 acupuncture needles for pain relief
- Laser acupuncture = A relatively new procedure, this involves the stimulation of the energy points along the 12 meridians with a laser
Effectiveness of Acupuncture for Back Pain
Although research studies on acupuncture have produced mixed and controversial results, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration could not deny the effectiveness of the procedure in certain populations of lower back pain sufferers. In fact, acupuncture needles have been reclassified from an “experimental” to a “medical” device by the FDA in 1997. This alone is proof enough that acupuncture does work!
Indeed, for those patients who have long been suffering from lower back pain and have not found relief in conventional treatments and surgeries, acupuncture for back pain is a safe and natural remedy.
