What are some natural ways to treat low back pain?

Low back pain (LBP) can be debilitating.

Chronic dull ache that can prohibit you from doing gardening, running, or even walking. Finding relief is key to regaining your quality of life! The first option for care should be the least force and natural way.

Why?

Toxic drugs and unnecessary surgery can do more harm than good.

A common question we get at Starting Point is if acupuncture can help with LBP?

Yes it can!

But don’t just take our word for it, let’s see what the research says.

What does the research say?

A study published in the British Medical Journal examined how acupuncture can be beneficial for LBP. The researchers split 241 people into two groups.

One group received acupuncture treatments and the other group only received conventional treatments. Over the course of the two-year study, researchers found that those participants receiving acupuncture reported their pain levels were less and that they needed less medication. While the differences in pain scores were not astronomical, this study does demonstrate that the addition of acupuncture to conventional treatments for LBP can be helpful.

 

What are some underlying causes?

Statistics show that almost eight out of ten people will experience LBP at some point during their life. Seeking medical treatment for LBP is very common. Typically, pain is fleeting and can be easily resolved with rest, heat and an occasional anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen.

However, once the damage is done, the recurrence of back pain can be as high as 50 percent. Part of this is because as we age, things like muscles and tendons become less flexible and pliable. It is also very well known that in the United States people are too sedentary, and this leads to excess weight gain that can create added pressure on the body, especially the low back.

How does Chinese Medicine view pain?

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a medical system that dates back nearly 3,000 years. Despite its age, TCM has a lot of validity to offer in the age of modern medicine. Thousands of studies have proven that acupuncture, just one of the modalities used in TCM, can be very beneficial in the treatment of chronic pain.

Read our previous post here on the top 3 therapies to try before drugs for back pain.

Acupuncture uses hair-thin needles to stimulate specific pressure points on the body. By invigorating these points, the brain is triggered to release endorphins, which are natural painkillers. The energy within the body is also moved and adjusted. According to TCM medical theory, when the energy is blocked or weak, then pain and illness can attack the body.

The Benefits of Acupuncture

There are so many more benefits of getting acupuncture than just pain relief. Since acupuncture has little to NO side effects it is the most safe, effective, and comprehensive treatment option out there. Not only do you get pain relief but added bonus of better sleep, more energy, and amazing digestion (just to name a few).

The treatments are very customizable because this medicine is not a “one size fits all” type of solution. This means that as the pain shifts and changes, the patient will receive customized treatments that not only address the pain and inflammation, but they also work on resolving the root of the problem. Most patients who are dealing with pain also have added stress, insomnia and depression or anxiety.

Acupuncture is great at treating all of these conditions. So the patient gets more than just pain relief.

Acupuncture in hospitals?

Acupuncture is so effective at treating and relieving pain that it is now showing up in hospitals and emergency rooms. In fact, Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota is now successfully using acupuncture in its emergency room to treat conditions ranging from chronic pain to car accident injuries to kidney stones.

Their initial results show that pain scores are just as low with acupuncture as they are with analgesic painkillers. Another positive action regarding the utilization of acupuncture came just recently. The Food and Drug Administration released proposed changes that plan to educate health care providers about treating pain. The new guidelines recommend that doctors get information about acupuncture and suggest it to their patients before prescribing opioids.

With these kinds of recommendations and testimonials, it is hard to believe that only about ten percent of Americans have ever tried acupuncture. But that statistic is slowly changing as more and more people are seeking natural and alternative methods of dealing with chronic pain.

Why not check it out for yourself?

If you suffer from chronic pain and not finding relief with standard therapies. Give our office a call today at (425) 686-4498 to schedule your initial consultation to learn how we can help.

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Dr. Ellie Heintze, ND, LAc, is a naturopathic doctor and acupuncturist in Bothell, WA at her practice Starting Point Acupuncture. She specializes in chronic and complex cases and commonly treats neuropathy, fibromyalgia, migraines, autoimmune, and infertility cases. Dr. Ellie Heintze is also the author of the book, A Starting Point Guide to Going Gluten-Free  and Keep Calm and Zen Out available on Amazon.

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Sources:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060915102553.htm