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Back Pain and Acupuncture
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Back pain can be a debilitating and frustrating impediment to a normal interactive life, and can severely restrict your range of activities, including your ability to work. Though you can damage the muscles of your back in a number of ways, including physical activity – people who are overweight or sedentary seem especially susceptible. This is because the muscles in this region do need to be utilised to maintain conditioning. Though traditional medication has an array of options for back pain sufferers, the unwanted and unknown side effects are often enough to dissuade people to seek alternative treatments. Acupuncture is especially popular for the treatment of a range of back and neck ailments, and offers tangible benefits for many sufferers.
What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture has its origins in traditional Chinese and Eastern medicine, and is still closely associated with that tradition. Central to the discipline is the concept of energy balance, which the procedure aims to stimulate and regulate. A Western viewpoint would see this as stimulation of the nerves, muscles and connective tissue of the body. This would appear to boost the immune system and lead to increased blood flow. A patient is first evaluated using a variety of methods, including analysis of the pulse, tongue, body as well as a record of the patient’s general health. The acupuncturist will then decide where to place the needles, which are very thin and cause minimal discomfort on insertion. These can be placed on the site of the injury – termed local treatment; or on other parts of the body – termed distal treatment. The needles are then inserted into the skin, targeting the meridians or energy lines of the body. The needles are then manipulated by hand or via electro-stimulation to alter the flow of energy through the affected area. This is intended to adjust the energy flow and alleviate the particular condition or ailment affecting the sufferer.
How Can Acupuncture Help Back Pain?
One of acupuncture's primary benefits is its ability to aid the body’s healing mechanisms while limiting the amount of pain being experienced. This has been demonstrated in countless studies, which have confirmed that back pain sufferers who had undergone acupuncture had less need for medication than those who had not undergone any form of treatment.
If you are considering acupuncture as a therapy for your back pain, ensure that you consult a trained and qualified acupuncturist.
Find out about other effective natural back pain treatments.
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