Acupuncture for Back Pain – Is it a Viable Alternative to Other Methods?

Back pain can result in major issues related to mobility,decreasing a person’s quality of life. Muscle strains can cause painful spasms preventing the person from performing everyday tasks. Thanks to our hectic (more importantly, unhealthy) lifestyles and postural mistakes, back pain has become a rampant problem. A study shows that almost 80 percent of the global population will experience back pain at some point in their lives. Over the years, many treatments have been developed to treat back pain. However, not all back pain treatments are created equal and many treatments have associated side effects. Several medications, for instance, can increase the chances of the body developing gastrointestinal problems and prolonged use of certain back pain medications can cause kidney and liver damage.

Acupuncture can be a viable alternative to modern methods. A trained acupuncturist is adept at locating critical trigger points and stimulating these points by inserting needles. When this is done, the brain, spinal cord, and muscles secrete naturally pain-relieving chemicals. Acupuncture treatment for back pain does not involve puncturing the skin to achieve results. How does acupuncture for pain in Santa Rosa work? While some doctors believe that acupuncture has a placebo effect, others are of the opinion that there is some underlying cause why acupuncture works.

Around 65 percent of respondents who participated in various studies conducted to find the effectiveness of acupuncture for back pain over the years said that they experienced positive results after undergoing acupuncture. Researchers also noted that the condition of the participants who underwent acupuncture drastically improved. Such a high percentage cannot be attributed to the placebo effect.

Before seeing an acupuncturist, you need to determine the root cause of the problem. Some common causes of back pain include a herniated disc, sciatica (in older patients), or a simple strain or sprain.

Traditional Chinese medicine categorizes back pain into deficiency-type back pain, chronic pain caused due to stagnation, and pain caused due to a disorder named cold damp obstruction. While pain caused by deficiency usually subsides after a rest period, stagnation pain can get worse if the person rests their back. To get rid of sharp and stiff pain caused due to stagnation, the person must keep their back active. People who experience pain from cold damp obstruction must limit their exposure to excessive humidity and chilly breezes.

Acupuncturists generally treat back pain by inserting needles at points far away from the origin point of the pain. The expert may even use suction cups on specific spots and low-intensity electric currents. Many acupuncturists prescribe traditional herbs to improve blood flow and circulation and many patients undergoing acupuncture report long-term positive results.

Have you been experiencing back pain for quite some time now? Let Acupuncture Mama, located in Santa Rosa, help you break the vicious cycle of pain. We witness the miracles of acupuncture every day. We have helped many patients sufferingfrom chronic back pain get their lives back on track. No matter how old or nagging your back pain, we can help. For more information about treatments, call us today at 707-303-7200.