Did you know that back pain is one of the most common conditions of people who seek acupuncture treatments? It’s true! Even when there’s another reason they come to me for acupuncture treatment, many people additionally suffer from back pain.
What is the cause of back pain? Well the answer to this question could fill a book! Causes for back pain range from the obvious injury or trauma, to the less obvious subtlety of a new chair at work or repetitive motions such as pulling weeds in the garden…to the even more elusive natural compensation of the body. For example: hamstring tightness, or an old ankle injury could put more strain on one side of the body causing back pain.
In traditional Chinese medicine your acupuncturist will examine the body as a whole, investigating underlying reasons why you may be experiencing back pain, and helping to bring the body back into a balanced, pain-free state. Some tools to help in this endeavor are acupuncture needles, eletro-stimulation acupuncture, cupping therapy, and even natural herbal medicines and topical ointments.
Breaking it down to the most basic and non-traditional explanation, acupuncture will cause a micro-trauma (that is relatively painless), to the body directing an influx of healing blood cells to the site of the pain. Additionally it will promote the production of endorphins (the happy hormones), allowing your muscles (and your mind), to relax- thus further promoting the healing process.
No matter how you look at the mechanism of acupuncture, or the metaphysical explanations, the fact is it is very often effective in the treatment of back pain. If you are one of the many people suffering from back pain, acupuncture may be able to help you!
