8 of 10 Americans will experience back pain at some point in their lives. Most cases are mild to moderate and resolve on their own within days to weeks. Some cases, however, persist for months or even years. If you have unremitting back pain, you should consult your physician. If you’d like to know how acupuncture can help back pain symptoms, read on.
Symptoms of Back Pain
• Lasts 3 days to 3 weeks • Usually due trauma or arthritis • May be caused by sports injury, car accident, or other spinal stress • Chronic back pain is greater than 3 months
How Acupuncture Treatment helps Back Pain
Acupuncture works directly on the nerves and muscles in the body to treat muscle spasms and pain. When a needle is inserted into the body, a signal is sent to the brain via the spinal cord. When the brain responds to the needle a few things can happen at the needle site and along the signal pathway. Here are few of them:
The body’s response to needling:
• Release of muscle spasms
• Pain signals are “turned off”
• Blood flow increases to the tissues infusing them with oxygen
• Nerve inflammation is reduced
Will Acupuncture Cure My Back Pain?
It depends. If your pain is due to a muscle spasm or tight muscles, acupuncture will likely provide complete and lasting relief. If your pain is due to degenerative changes in the spine, like osteoarthritis or degenerative disc disease, acupuncture will provide significant relief, but treatment may be required on a periodic basis to maintain the benefit. In either case, acupuncture represents an extremely safe (free from side effects) alternative to addictive or dangerous medications. As each person is different, you should get a personalized evaluation to determine how your condition will benefit from treatment.
Severe or Chronic Back Pain
When back pain does not resolve on its own or with simple intervention, a more severe problem may exist. You will need an x-ray and possibly an MRI to determine the exact cause of your pain. It may be due to a problem with one of your intervertebral discs, or there may be bony changes in the spine. If you also have neurological changes like numbness, weakness, or tingling you’ve likely got pressure on a nerve root.
Important: If you are having progressive loss of strength in your arms or legs, or bowel and bladder changes, consult your physician immediately. You may suffer irreversible nerve damage if you do not intervene.
What is the prognosis?
Most patients with back pain recover without residual functional loss, but you should contact your physican if there is not a noticeable reduction in pain and inflammation after 72 hours of self-care. Recurring back pain resulting from improper body mechanics or other nontraumatic causes is often preventable. Pay attention to your work environment, your posture, and daily activities that put your back at risk. Engage in exercises that don’t jolt or strain the back, maintaining correct posture, and lifting objects properly can help prevent injuries.
Additional Resources:
Medline Plus: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/backpain.html
