Back Pain Treatment
Lower back pain can be caused by various ailments. In younger adults (aged 30 to 40), it is commonly caused by back muscle strain or soft tissue strain, lumbar disc herniation, or maybe even degenerative disc disease. In adults over 60, osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis or compression fracture is often what causes the pain. Back pain can cause difficulty ranging from mild soreness or dull aches and stiffness in movement to severe difficulty in movement and muscle spasms which can make walking or even standing very difficult. The problem with lower back pain is that it is extremely difficult to treat. Patients are advised to rest as much as they can, do some exercises for the lower back, use ice packs or heat packs to reduce inflammation, and prescribed pain medication which can have side effects. Over the past few years, however, many people with chronic back pain have found effective relief with acupuncture.
What is acupuncture and how will it treat back pain?
It involves thin needles being inserted into certain points on the body which stimulate something in the body. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) explains it as stimulating the ‘qi’, the life force in the body, in order to balance it. Western scientific medicine explains it as stimulating or triggering neurotransmitters and even hormone levels and the immune system. There are 14 major channels of energy on the body, with over 300 different points where needles can be inserted. These points are usually located at strategic locations, such as where a nerve meets a muscle, muscle and bone joints, and mid-points of muscles.
Studies have shown that treating back pain with acupuncture has been found to be more effective in relieving back pain than treating without acupuncture. Effects of the treatment come from:
- Stimulating the nervous system in our body, triggering the release of tension or chemicals which have an effect on our sensation of pain, like opioid peptides,
- Expediting the transmission of electromagnetic signals which can stimulate endorphins or the immune system, and
- Altering brain chemistry by affecting neurotransmitters and/or hormones.
Getting acupuncture
Acupuncture is done by hand by trained acupuncturists. A detailed treatment plan is made according to the patient’s medical and pain history and health goals. The acupuncturist will study the patient’s tongue and other vital organs (by touch) to see whether any imbalances are visible. The treatment is done using sterile, disposable needles that are very thin, so the treatment is usually painless. Some people may experience tingling sensations which are completely normal. If electrical stimulations are involved in the therapy then patients will feel slight prickly sensations.
Acupuncture of Columbus is an acupuncture centre run by Steve Drugan, L.Ac. (Licensed Acupuncturist) and his expert team. The clinic is located at 4499 Indianola Ave., Columbus, Ohio 43214, and provides treatment for chronic back pain as well as other conditions, such as arthritis, migraines, anxiety and depression, chemotherapy nausea, and scoliosis. For the past decade, Steve Drugan and his team have been successfully providing acupuncture treatment that manages not just the pain but also the underlying causes of the pain.
For more information about how acupuncture and other treatments can help you, please contact the Urban Acupuncture Center Board Certified Licensed Acupuncturist’s team at Indianola Ave, Clintonville (614) 725-2488 | Main St, Westerville (614) 426-4406 or click here. Taking new patients in and around greater Columbus, Ohio.