Acupuncture and Back Pain
By Betty Durden
Research carried out in 2002 indicated that almost 80% of the world’s
population would suffer from some kind of back pain with lower back pain being
the most common type. In addition to the high rate of incidence, back pain is
also known to have a high rate of recurrence in patients. With patients trying
everything from over the counter painkillers to physiotherapy to gain relief
from back pain, Acupuncture comes as a welcome change.
Acupuncture is a natural method of treatment that involves no chemicals or
surgery. Thin stainless steel needles are inserted into the body at various
acupuncture points to stimulate the free flow of Chi or life force through the
body. Free flowing Chi results in a healthy and pain free body. Large bodies of
research have been able to establish a connection between acupuncture and
relief from back pain-especially sciatica.
Sciatica refers to a type of back pain in which the pain radiates from the
buttocks down the legs. Sometimes, sciatica pain can also be a consequence of a
muscle spasm impinging on the sciatica nerve. Acupuncture can be effectively
used to alleviate muscle spasms. The results are almost immediate and can provide
relief within minutes.
Back pain is generally caused because muscles that are not frequently
exercised and stretched are suddenly put to excessive use. Muscle spasms are
common in such cases and result in the individual feeling sore, stiff and a
dull ache in the back. Patients suffering from sciatica may even feel a
tingling sensation or numbness. This is generally due to the narrowing of the
disc space or a disc protrusion in the lumbar region.
Acupuncture is used to improve blood circulation to the entire lumbar region
and spinal cord. It relaxes paraspinal muscles and provides relief from muscle
spasms. The increased blood flow provides greater nourishment to the discs and
increases the elasticity and strengthens the spinal cord. Thus, acupuncture can
be extremely effective in reducing back pain symptoms. It is important to
remember that different patients respond differently to acupuncture sessions
and it can take anywhere between 4-12 sessions to really feel the difference.
Betty Durden is a staff writer for The National Acupuncture
Specialists located at http://www.acupuncture-treatment-specialists.com.
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