How long does an acupuncture session last for lower back pain?
How long does an acupuncture last for lower back pain? Many peoplewant to know how long the effects of acupuncture lasts for lower back pain?
To answer youneed to know the 4 major factors can affect successful treatment of lower backpain using acupuncture.
Factor#1: Severe pain or chronic pain?
If you aretreating a severe pain or a chronic back pain like sciatica, if the pain is adaily occurrence expect to expect to feel a lot of relief within the first 12to 36 hours of the first visit, with a return of pain. Or expect to have smallresults the first visit and better results the second and third visits. You see during the intense flare up, the painwill reassert itself but you continue treating it until the pain starts to reduce.It is quite appropriate to treat two or even three days in a row, to reduce thepain levels. Over time the subsequent treatments help bring down the pain.
Factor#2: How often are you getting treated with acupuncture for lower back pain? – Theneed for gaining momentum
Time aftertime again, I need to remind patients that it is unrealistic to expect onesession of acupuncture to undo months and months of hurt. Think of how muchphysical therapy you might have had to undertake to treat this, how many timesyou’ve taken pain relievers to reduce the pain, how you might have even boughtan expensive pillow or mattress in the hopes it would simply stop the pain (itcan), but the time frame that the pain relief expectation needs to be allowed for.Acupuncture works by increasing the blood flow to a painful area. By increasingthe blood flow to the painful area, it brings your own naturalanti-inflammatories and red blood cells to help reduce the pain and reduce the spasmin the muscle and heal the injury. It also treats the nerves that are sendingthe pain signals off the charts! Acupuncture signals shut down these painfulsensations that are stimulating the back pain. Acupuncture prods and pushes your body to work more effectively toreduce the pain that you’re having. So how often you are getting treated withacupuncture for lower back pain, helps determine how long session effects forlower back pain last.
Factor #3: How long your sessions last you tell us your “rate of response”
Usuallyacupuncture treatments for lower back pain last between 12 to 36 hours. Getting“momentum” with each treatment means that each acupuncture visit visit works onthe next, pushing down the pain before the pain has achance to reassert itselfto the same levels. Even if the pain gets back to the high intensity, the accumulatedeffect of the acupuncture visits will push the pain down. It may not be aninstant start but it will have pain relief when you are finished. The body can reducethe pain-relieving substances that cause the pain. Done frequently enough your pain relief startsto increase incrementally. The key is getting enough sessions in to get themomentum going so the pain starts to drop. As the treatments are performedregularly, the pain will drop down. If the time when your pain relief stretchesout, and your painful times feel less intense you are on the road towards recovery.Even if the pain isn’t totally eradicated, but the pain intensity is, you areon the right path. If the pain isn’t going down fast, you need to stick withit. At some point your rate of response gets better and the treatments thatmight have lasted 8 hours now last 20 hours.
I know whenyou are in pain, you are impatient and want the instant results, but bodiesheal differently. As you continue treatments, the faster you get out of painfrom the previous session, and the longer your body holds onto the relief.
Factor#4: Sticking with your acupuncture treatments!
You see whena patient comes in to see me, they are scared, they lack control over theirbody, and the pain scares the heck out of them. I know, I see it in their faces.The facial expression tells the story of a person fearing to use his or herbody as it was intended to be used- without pain. All they know, however, isthe invisible misery that they carry around locked inside of them. I sayinvisible, because it’s not like you have a bandage with blood on it that otherpeople can see. Physical pain is silent, inconspicuous. Unlike a firework show,pain isn’t pretty. Your pain can keep you locked up in a vice, with no one elseable to see it. Being in pain can feel lonely as it can isolate you from others.
Treatmentfor acupuncture has to send a clear signal to the pain. Regular and consistent treatmentsget better effects from the acupuncture treatments. This means for severe pain 3Xtimes to 4X times a week for the first 1 to 4 weeks may be warranted. It may beall that is needed. Pain that reduces can be treated at a lower frequency, sayfor example, twice a week and then down to once a week to clear away any lastingpain.
But mostpeople treat their lower back pain as if they are going to a visit to their specialrestaurant - once a week. The ambiance of the restaurant can linger long after yourfood has been digested, but when it comes to treating your severe, lower back,it is different. Acupuncture needs to be done consistently enough, and it willgive you better results and get you out of your lower backpain faster, if yougo more consistently in the beginning. Meting out treatments once a week forsevere lower back pain, will not get you the pain alleviating effects you are after. Rather than “save up” your treatments, myrecommendation to you is to go all in on treating your back pain. Treating closertogether will get you a better result. After treating so many people and makingrecommendations like this, it is an important factor that people who have nevertried acupuncture, don’t take into account. They seem to feel that it’s a one and donephenomenon for severe or chronic lower back pain.
For many,acupuncture, feels so new and “out there” that patients don’t always take theserecommendations seriously. The few that do walk out with a renewed confidence intheir ability to move and go about their chores- pain free!
How long doesan acupuncture session last for lower back pain? That depends on these factorsmentioned above. The main takeaway is if you want to get the best results fortenacious pain, devise a plan with your acupuncturist and stick to it (pardonthe pun). The more acupuncture visits done upfront, the fewer acupuncture visitsare needed on the back end. Each person’s pain condition has to be judged on acase by case basis.
I love itwhen patients ridden with pain have their eyes light up when they experience relieffrom acupuncture. Patient’s tell me that all their doubts about acupuncture meltaway, along with their pain. Getting patients pain relief is an exhilarating feelingfor me, because I love helping to make a positive difference in someone’s life,one person at a time.
Are you inpain? Do you want a non-drug approach to treating your pain? I would love tosee if I could help you. Please call me at 201-444-7150 or email me at integrativeacupuncturecenter@gmail.com.I look forward to helping you.