How Acupuncture Works for Relieving Back Pain

Healthcare providers have two theories about how tens works: the electrical current stimulates nerve cells that block the transmission of pain signals. This changes the way you perceive pain. The electrical current raises the level of endorphins (your body’s natural pain-killing chemicals), which then trigger your body’s pain-relieving power.

Acupuncture for back pain is a complementary therapy that's often used alongside more conventional medical treatments. As part of traditional chinese medicine (tcm), acupuncture has been used to treat different types of pain and promote better health for thousands of years . Modern-day systematic reviews on the effectiveness of acupuncture for back pain have shown mixed results. Some studies and clinical trials show that acupuncture works well for relieving chronic and acute back pain; others suggest it doesn't provide significant or long-lasting pain relief. Read on to learn what you need to know about if and how acupuncture relieves back pain, what to expect during an acupuncture session, how to find a board-certified acupuncturist, and more.

The study was designed to evaluate the pain relieving effect of acupuncture for pelvic and low-back pain during the last trimester of pregnancy. 72 pregnant women reporting pelvic or low-back pain were randomized during pregnancy weeks 24–37 to an acupuncture group. The acupuncture patients were less bothered than initially by pain during activity compared with that of control patients. The study concluded that acupuncture relieves low-back and pelvic pain without adverse effects in pregnancy. Acta obstetricia et gynecologica scandinavica volume 83, issue 3, pages 246–250, march 2004.

When you have acupuncture, you may be able to get pain relief without taking medicines. You don’t have to worry if this treatment will interact with your other medicines. Acupuncture works on the cause of your condition, not just the symptoms. It’s a holistic therapy, linking body, mind and emotions.

Release of natural painkillers: acupuncture stimulates the body to release its own pain-relieving chemicals, such as endorphins, which can help reduce pain and improve mood. Improved blood flow: by targeting certain points, acupuncture can improve blood circulation in the affected areas, allowing more oxygen and nutrients to reach the tissues and promote healing. Reduced inflammation: acupuncture may also help decrease inflammation around the sciatic nerve by focusing on specific points related to inflammation.

Benefits of Acupuncture for Back Pain

Acupuncture also offers several benefits, including pain relief, acting as a complementary treatment, and having a low risk of side effects.

The benefits of acupuncture are sometimes difficult to measure, but many people find it helpful as a means to control a variety of painful conditions. Acupuncture has few side effects, so it may be worth a try if you're having trouble controlling pain with more-conventional methods.

If you have been living with chronic back pain for quite some time, then you are probably more than ready to explore new paths to relief. Consider these science-based benefits of acupuncture: going medication free: most people don’t get jazzed up about the idea of putting unnatural chemicals into their bodies. And, for good reason. Although effective, pain medications like vicodin can lead to addiction. Even milder drugs, such as ibuprofen, can cause nasty side effects, like stomach ulcers. As a form of “alternative” medicine, acupuncture doesn’t rely on the use of drugs to treat your pain. This means that you can achieve pain relief by making the most of your body’s natural, addiction-free analgesics.

Comment: some commenters suggested that no further research is needed for cms to cover acupuncture. Response: we appreciate the comments. The decision regarding coverage takes into account an assessment of benefits and harms and the opioid public health crisis. While a small number of adults 65 years of age or older have been enrolled in published acupuncture studies, patients with chronic low back pain in these studies showed improvements in function and pain. The evidence reviewed for this decision supports clinical strategies that include nonpharmacologic therapies for chronic low back pain. Cms notes too that while there is variation in covered indications and frequency of services, a number of large private payers provide some coverage of acupuncture for certain indications.

The areas targeted by acupuncture for upper back pain are all connected since they create a flow of energy throughout the body. Focusing on an acupuncture point may support good physical and mental health because it helps restore the body’s natural balance. If you’re considering acupuncture for yourself, here are some of the benefits that may convince you to go for it: it stimulates the nervous system it helps the body release opioid-like compounds, like morphine or hydrocodone it releases neurotransmitters to regulate nerve endings responsible for pain sensations it triggers the body’s electromagnetic impulses to support the way the body handles pain.

What to Expect During an Acupuncture Session for Back Pain

Both dry needling and acupuncture involve the insertion of thin needles into certain parts of the body, but the similarities stop there. Dry needling acupuncture difference is that during an acupuncture session, needles are inserted into points along meridian lines. These lines represent the body’s organs, and they are based on ancient chinese medicine. Acupuncture is based on the idea of balance and restoring proper flow of energy throughout the body. During acupuncture, the needles are usually left in place for 15 to 30 minutes. It is most often used to treat internal ailments, including digestive problems, insomnia, stress and chronic pain.

Some studies have shown that acupuncture can provide sciatica pain relief. Acupuncture works by stimulating nerve fibres that inhibit pain signals, while also triggering endorphin release. Endorphins are the body’s natural painkillers, and may help ease your sciatica symptoms quickly and effectively. However, you may need multiple acupuncture sessions to get lasting or long-term relief from sciatica.

Treatment frequency: for acute pain, frequent sessions (e. G. , twice a week) might be needed initially, while chronic pain might require longer-term treatment. Individualized treatment: acupuncture treatments are tailored to each individual’s specific pain condition, taking into account their overall health and any underlying issues.

Western medical acupuncture (dry needling) is the use of acupuncture following a medical diagnosis. It involves stimulating sensory nerves under the skin and in the muscles. This results in the body producing natural substances, such as pain-relieving endorphins. It's likely that these naturally released substances are responsible for the beneficial effects experienced with acupuncture. A course of acupuncture is usually recommended because it can take a few sessions for you to see improvements. Traditional acupuncture is based on the belief that an energy, or "life force", flows through the body in channels called meridians. This life force is known as qi (pronounced "chee").

This area was prioritised for new economic modelling. The rationale, methods and results are summarised below. Full details are available in the ‘acupuncture modelling report’. The clinical evidence showed a benefit of acupuncture compared to both sham acupuncture and usual care, in reducing pain and improving quality of life. Two economic evaluations were identified for this review comparing acupuncture to treatment as usual. One uk-based within-trial economic analysis compared acupuncture in addition to usual care with usual care. This was in people with chronic neck pain, and had a 1 year follow up, although the intervention itself was around 5 months long.

Other Complementary Therapies for Back Pain

Chronic back pain causes physical, emotional and socioeconomic changes 1 - 3 and, consequently, high use of medicines and health resources 4. The search for demedicalization leads to an increasing use of integrative and complementary practices, such as traditional chinese medicine (tcm) resources, to complement pain-related allopathic care 5. Cupping therapy is one of the recommended tcm therapies for chronic pain reduction 6. It involves the application of cups of different materials 7 in an acupoint or area of pain by means of heat or vacuum apparatus 8. The effect on pain reduction has not yet been fully elucidated 9 , but different mechanisms of action, based on several assumptions 10 , are attributed to cupping therapy, such as the metabolic, neuronal.

Some people find pain relief from complementary and alternative therapies such as biofeedback and acupuncture. Keep in mind, though, that these therapies have not been shown by scientific studies to help sciatica. Biofeedback is a technique that helps make it possible to control bodily processes such as heart rate , blood pressure , and muscle tension. It works by using a machine that provides information about the process being addressed. Having that information displayed, the person is often able to find ways to achieve conscious control of these processes. Probably the most common use of biofeedback is to treat stress and stress-related conditions.

As a traditional chinese medicine acupuncturist and yoga teacher practicing from my clinic in auckland, new zealand, i have helped countless individuals find relief from back pain through the use of acupuncture, yoga, and complementary therapies in traditional chinese medicine. In this blog post, i will discuss the causes of back pain, the ways in which acupuncture can alleviate it, and other therapies that can be used to complement acupuncture treatment. Back pain is a common and often debilitating condition that can significantly impact your quality of life. Understanding its causes and exploring effective treatment options can help you manage and reduce discomfort.

Acupuncture in the united states requires providers to be appropriately trained and credentialed in order to practice acupuncture. Credentialing requirements vary based on state and institution regulations. Acupuncturists come from many backgrounds including physicians, chiropractors, dentists, physical therapists, and licensed acupuncturists. In the 2002 national health interview survey, 2. 13 million americans reported recent use of acupuncture. 12 of all the varied types that exist, manual acupuncture, consisting of needle insertion with no additional stimulus, is the primary focus of this article. The use of acupuncture has been studied in a multitude of disease processes, focused most heavily in western literature on pain management.

How to Find an Acupuncture Practitioner for Back Pain

Acupuncture is a time-tested, holistic medicine that has been used for thousands of years to decrease pain and restore function. At health pointe jacksonville, we have developed a proven and effective protocol for treating back pain & sciatica. Our tailored treatment plan combines acupuncture, neuromuscular therapy, and other holistic modalities to relieve pain and restore function. Life is meant to be celebrated. Why not live it to it’s highest potential? find out more by visiting our website.

Dry needling is a type of acupuncture that utilizes thin, solid acupuncture needles to target trigger points within the muscles and soft tissues of the lower back. These trigger points are knots of tight muscle fibers that form as a result of repeated strain or injury, leading to pain and discomfort. By inserting a needle into the trigger point, the practitioner can release the tight muscle fibers, reducing pain and promoting relaxation. The process of dry needling for lumbago begins with a thorough evaluation of the patient's symptoms, medical history, and physical examination. The practitioner will then identify the trigger points within the lower back that are contributing to the patient's pain.

All over the internet and when talking to patients, people are finding out that back pain can be relieved and cured with acupuncture therapy. After over 2000 years of history , acupuncture is now being recognized by western healthcare providers as cutting-edge when it comes to holistic wellness, sports recovery, and physical therapy. Athletes, men and women, and elderly individuals are looking for advanced plans and strategies to gain and maintain lasting physical and mental health. Acupuncture is one great form of therapy that many people can benefit from. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach, thrive’s acupuncturists can guide patients toward the root causes of back pain through.

Acupuncture is known for its simple, yet effective methods and does not cause harm to patients when performed correctly. Acupuncture treats many of the same conditions that modern medicine does – without having to resort to chemical pharmaceuticals or invasive surgeries, making it very attractive to those who are looking for natural, safer treatment methods for chronic or acute problems. Due to the growing side effects and damages of pharmaceuticals, such as opioid prescription painkiller addiction and abuse, we’re finding increased interest in less invasive, yet effective alternative treatments, such as acupuncture. The future of acupuncture is especially bright and relevant as it’s a proven effective treatment therapy for a wide array of conditions.