The Chinese Secrets Of A Lower Back Pain
Conventional medicine can only do so much when it comes to back pain. Pop a pill here and the symptoms stop. But thats just itit often does not go any further and address the root of the problem.
Many people laugh at the idea of using alternative medicine for back pain that is, until theyre doubled over in bed willing to try anything.
What many do not know is that Chinese medicine treats illness and pain as signs of imbalance. It doesnt just deal with the symptoms.
So if your body is out of balance, restoring the balance will also help the pain go away.
Points To Consider About Acupuncture
If other treatments have failed and you are considering acupuncture, discuss it with your doctor. Be sure to let your doctor know any other medications you are taking. Also tell your doctor if you are pregnant, wear a pacemaker, or have any type of implant.
Your doctor may be able to refer you to a licensed acupuncturist. You may also contact the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture for the name of a doctor who does acupuncture.
Before starting acupuncture, find out if your health insurance will pay for it. Also ask how many treatments you should expect and how much they will cost.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: âAching backs get support from FDA, but not payors.â
University of Maryland Medical Center: “Study Analysis Shows Acupuncture Effective for Treating Chronic Low Back Pain.â
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: âAcupuncture for Pain.â
The University of Chicago Medical Center: âAcupuncture.â
What Is Qi And The Role It Plays
Qi comes into play as soon as you use acupuncture on your body. This is a Chinese unit of length that is part of the human body. It creates positive energy or life force in the human system. The use of acupuncture provides the relief and vibrations that your system requires. Allowing positive energy to take over your body. This is highly essential especially if there are negative factors around you.
Don’t Miss: How To Tell What Kind Of Back Pain You Have
It Changes The Chemistry Of The Brain
Acupuncture treatment works by making modifications to the brain’s chemistry. The treatment helps change the brain by altering the release of the neurotransmitters that work to stimulate or dampen nerve impulses or by releasing the neurohormones that work to improve the functioning of the body. According to Spine Universe, these natural chemicals may either change the pain experience or trigger the release of other chemicals and hormones that influence the body’s own internal regulating system.
Acupuncture Does Not Work For Back Pain
A new study which randomized 638 adults to either standard acupuncture, individualized acupuncture, placebo acupuncture using tooth picks that did not penetrate the skin, and standard therapy found exactly what previous evidence has also suggested it does not seem to matter where you stick the needles or even if you stick the needles through the skin. The only reasonable scientific conclusion to draw from this is that acupuncture does not work.
But let me back up a minute. Imagine if we were evaluating the efficacy of a new pain drug. This drug, when tested in open trials has an effect on reducing pain it is superior to no treatment. When compared to a placebo, however, the drug is no more effective than the placebo, although both are more effective than no treatment.
Now imagine that the pharmaceutical company who manufactures this drug sends out a press release declaring that their drug is effective for pain, but that their research shows that a placebo of their drug is also effective . Therefore more research is needed to determine how their drug works. Would you buy it?
That is the exact situation we are facing with acupuncture research.
A well-designed trial, therefore, isolates the specific treatment variable to see what effect it has.
There are two treatment variables when it comes to acupuncture. The two variables specific to acupuncture are sticking needles through the skin, and the locations on the body where the needles are placed.
Read Also: What Doctor Do You See For Lower Back Pain
How Acupuncture Works For Treating Back Pain
Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese treatment created more than 2,500 years ago. This alternative medicine option is quite unique since it requires skilled acupuncturists to insert super-thin needles into certain areas of the body, which may include more than 2,000 locations. Since these body areas are all connected, they create the flow of energy in the body that supports good overall health. When these areas are stimulated via the needle insertions, the body is put back into its natural balance, which helps relieve any pain experienced.
Acupuncture Is Worth A Try For Chronic Pain
- By Daniel Pendick, Former Executive Editor, Harvard Men’s Health Watch
ARCHIVED CONTENT: As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date each article was posted or last reviewed. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
Chronic pain in the muscles and joints can make life miserable. Standard treatments like ice and heat, anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy, and appropriate exercises can often ease the pain. But when they dont, acupuncture is an option with a good track record thats worth considering.
Over the years there has been substantial debate about whether acupuncture really works for chronic pain. Research from an international team of experts adds to the evidence that it does provide real relief from common forms of pain. The team pooled the results of 29 studies involving nearly 18,000 participants. Some had acupuncture, some had sham acupuncture, and some didnt have acupuncture at all. Overall, acupuncture relieved pain by about 50%. The results were published in Archives of Internal Medicine.
The study isnt the last word on the issue, but it is one of the best quality studies to date and has made an impression.
You May Like: Can Back Pain Go Away On Its Own
Acupuncture For Lower Back Pain At Seitai Acupuncture In Manhattan Staten Island And Brooklyn
Getting acupuncture treatment for lower back pain is an option that many individuals choose, often after traditional methods of treating lower back pain failed to provide satisfactory painrelief. Our Seitai Acupuncture professional acupuncturists realize the frustration some people feel after failed attempts at relieving low back pain through over-the-counter or prescriptionmedications.
Sharp Pain In Right Lower Back After Barbell Row
Does Acupuncture Work For Chronic Lower Back Pain Lower Right Back Pain Kidney Infection Symptoms Can Lung Cancer Cause Pain In The Upper Back, Upper Right Pelvis Back Pain Pain And Itching In Upper Back Massage Techniques For Chronic Lower Back Pain.
Steroid Cycle Lower Back Pain How Does Smoking Cause Lower Back Pain. Comprehensive Teaching Plan For Low Back Pain Lower Back Pain After Standing For A Few Minutes Stabbing Pain In Lower Back Ribs. Temporary Lower Back Pain When I Lay Down Low Back Pain In Golf Swing.
Don’t Miss: What Oil Is Good For Back Pain
Acupuncture For Lower Back Pain & Sciatica
In a 2015 review of research for lower back pain and sciatica, it was suggested that acupuncture may be more effective than standalone pain relief medication and may actually increase relief when combined with it. For chronic lower back pain sufferers, one paper found acupuncture to be up to twice as effective as conventional treatment .
At Village Remedies in Balmain and Sydney CBD we use acupuncture for lower back pain all the time, it is one of the most common types of pain people will seek acupuncture for. We work with people who suffer with an acute onset of sciatica as well as those who have struggled with lower back pain for many years, and everyone in between.
In Chinese medicine, our job is to treat you as a whole person, so even though our main goal is to help you out of pain, we also look to help support your bodys overall ability to heal and recover. It is our experience that stress will have a major influence on the experience of pain and ability to recover. Which is why we not only assess the pain and the associated physical components, but also look to help offset life stress, improve sleep quality and address any digestive issues. With a more regulated nervous system, youre in a much better position to heal and feel better into the future.
For those who have suffered chronic pain for many years, this may mean some months of treatment, and perhaps ongoing management but we monitor your progress closely to ensure you continue to find value from treatment.
Low Back Pain Pins And Needles With Burning And Numbnedss In Both Legs
- Green Urine And Lower Back Pain Lower Back Pain After Cutting Grass
- What Does It Mean To Have Very Thin Feces And Abdominal Pain And Lower Right Side Back Pain
- Mucus Like Strings In Stool And Lower Back Pain Stabbing Pain Lower Left Back Early Pregnancy
- Angina Pain Upper Chest And Back
- Best Essential Oils Recipes For Back Pain Relief Young Living
- Severe Pain Between Upper Back Ribs The Mckenzie Method For Low Back Pain
- 9 Weeks Pregnant And Upper Back Pain Excercise To Releive Lower Back Pain
Does Acupuncture Work For Chronic Lower Back Pain Pain In The Left Mid Back Under Ribs Jospt Ultrasound Low Back Pain Do Tempurpedic Mattresses Cause Lower Back Pain. Pain Relief For Back Muscle Pain Playing Golf Lower Back Pain Pain In Lower Back Yahoo Answers. Pulled Hamstring Severe Lower Back Pain Parkinsons Disease With Low Back Pain What Is Causing The Pain In My Upper Back.
Read Also: How To Ease My Back Pain
What You Should Know About Back Pain And Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a safe procedure and therapy when you see a professional certified acupuncturist.
Avoid receiving acupuncture from someone who is not qualified or certified. It helps to do background research on a practitioner. Or, talk to someone you trust who has seen an acupuncturist for back pain. Ask them about practitioners they would recommend or refer.
People who have received acupuncture sometimes report soreness, bruising, and minor bleeding at puncture sites. These issues should clear up and go away in a few days. It also poses little to no risk to overall health.
If youre pregnant, certain types of acupuncture could stimulate labor and delivery. Talk to your acupuncturist about your pregnancy beforehand.
If you take blood thinners or have a bleeding disorder, acupuncture poses some health risks. Make sure to discuss your issues and medications with your acupuncturist before therapy. Bleeding can happen during the therapy, though this is rare.
Needles must be sterile and disposable. But, make sure to keep puncture sites clean after each session to prevent risk of infection. Risk of infection is small if you see a well-trained professional.
This Is How Acupuncture Has Been A Huge Help In Managing My Chronic Back Pain
When I was a child, I was terrified of needles. Every time I had to get a shot or my blood drawn, I would throw a fit, sometimes I would need to be held to the chair. So it’s interesting that as an adult I purposefully get needles put in my body.
Acupuncture has become a self-care ritual that I frequently turn to for a variety of issues including lower-back pain relief. I have lordosis, which causes my low back pain. From middle school to high school, I saw a chiropractor, which alleviated a majority of the severe pain for years until I was in my early 20s.
My low back pain began to come back where, in some instances, getting out of bed required for me to curl myself into a ball and roll onto my side so I could place my feet in my slippers then roll through my spine to stand up. Yeah, it was a process. As my pain got progressively worse, I kept hearing friends and colleagues mention acupuncture, so I decided to give it a try.
Keep reading to find out more about how I use acupuncture to manage my back pain, including what the treatment feels like.
Read Also: Can Herpes Cause Back Pain
Real Acupuncture Versus Fake Acupuncture: The Only Contest That Matters
The general problem with most acupuncture research, especially the older stuff, is that it had never been well controlled. Thats not a minor problem controlling research by comparing a therapy or medicine to a persuasive fake is extremely important. The methodical Germans made note of this, writing that acupuncture has never been directly compared with a placebo or with conventional therapy. So they did it.
There are things science cannot understand! This is one of the most common objections to talk of acupuncture research. However, we dont need to understand how something works to test if it works. In medical science, we dont worry about trying to explain something until were sure that there is something to explain. If acupuncture really helps people, we can prove it even if we dont know how it helps. Dr. Steven Novella:
Before we speculate about possible mechanism, we need to establish that acupuncture has an effect that it works for some specific indication. This has not been established, despite rather robust clinical research efforts. If there were not a cultural inertia to the notion of acupuncture the existing research would have been sufficient to abandon this modality as a dead end.
Are You Currently Suffering From Back Pain
Ready to find out if acupuncture treatment will provide you with the back pain relief you need to perform your everyday activities without experiencing further discomfort? Contact an acupuncture professional now and set up an appointment to learn more about this alternative therapy and obtain an individual treatment plan. Our office is happy to provide further information and answer any questions.
Are you considering acupuncture in the Ooltewah area? Get more information at .
Check out what others are saying about our services on Yelp: Read our Yelp reviews.
Also Check: What Causes Back Pain At Night
How Does Acupuncture Treat Back Pain
Before your session begins, your practitioner will read your pulses and conduct other examinations to give a clear and complete picture of your overall health and how your back pain fits into your total health. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, pain is caused by a disruption of energy flow, or qi, so your practitioner will locate any problem areas that could be contributing to your back pain and insert needles along the relevant meridians.
Treatment protocols will depend on the cause and severity of your pain. Starting with 1 to 3 sessions per week until you feel improvement and then slowly lessening frequency to once per week is a good rule of thumb.
Studies Show The Effectiveness Of Needles And Other Forms Of Treatment
If youve ever considered acupuncture for chronic low back pain, heres the good news: Studies by Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute show that acupuncture can help. In a large study, KPWHRI researchers found that acupuncture was more effective than usual care alone for helping people with chronic low back pain feel less bothered by their symptoms and function better in their daily activities.
“Acupuncture is about as effective as other treatments for chronic back pain that have been found helpful,” says study leader Daniel C. Cherkin, PhD, an emeritus senior investigator at KPWHRI. “But we found that simulated acupuncture, without penetrating the skin, produced as much benefit as needle acupunctureand that raises questions about how acupuncture works.”
Since simulated acupuncture also soothed low back pain, the benefit seemed to require neither tailoring acupuncture needle sites to an individual patient nor inserting needles into the skin. “We don’t know precisely why people got back pain relief from the simulated acupuncture,” says study co-author Karen J. Sherman, PhD, MPH, a senior investigator at KPWHRI. “Historically, some types of acupuncture have used non-penetrating needles. Such treatments may involve physiological effects that make a clinical difference.” Or it might be all about the mind-body connection. She said, “Maybe the context in which people get treatment has effects that are more important than the mechanically induced effects.”
Recommended Reading: Is Stretching Good For Lower Back Pain
How Acupuncture Benefits Arthritis
The actual method by which acupuncture reduces pain and inflammation remains unclear. Proposed theories include anti-inflammatory effects from needle insertion by suppressing inflammatory responses, improving blood flow, and relaxing muscles. While acupuncture cannot cure or reverse arthritis, it may be useful for managing pain and decreasing associated symptoms, especially in conjunction with other treatment options.
Benefits Of Acupuncture For Low Back Pain
June 26, 2020 By Alex Hirsch
The most common type of chronic pain is low back pain caused by muscle, ligament, nerve, and spine injuries. Many therapists believe that one of the best forms of treatment for low back pain is acupuncture.
Acupuncture has been an integral part of traditional Chinese medicine, and it is believed to date back to at least 100 B.C. This treatment uses hair-thin needles inserted into specific points in the body in order to balance the patients internal energy, also called Chi or Qi in acupuncture.
As reported by the Mayo Clinic, many studies which have analyzed patients results after sham acupuncture and true acupuncture have shown to yield the same effects, as patients experienced reduced back pain either way. These studies also found that having acupuncture lessens back pain better than receiving no treatment.
Also Check: What Causes Lower Back Pain Just Above The Buttocks
