If you are suffering lower back pain, then you are not alone. Lower back pain is prevalent in society. According to statistics, Back pain affects 8 out of 10 people at some point during their lives[1].
The last thing you want to be is one of those 8 people!
Approximately one quarter (1/4) of U.S. adults, reported having low-back pain lasting at least one whole day in the past three months.
7.6% reported at least one episode of severe acute low-back pain within a one-year period[2].
Acupuncture and lower back pain might sound a bit out there, especially when you’ve seen the neurologist, the rheumatologist or been to a physical therapist for many months of therapy. What can acupuncture do that these interventions haven’t? However, many people are being drive to acupuncture in desperate attempts to stop their lower back pain. Acupuncture in the treatment of lower back pain can be a tremendous help in reducing the pain, so you can focus on getting back into your daily routine and the things that matter. As more and more people are turning to acupuncture in the treatment of lower back pain, they are getting more curious about acupuncture and start to consider this method as a more serious option.
Regarding acupuncture and the treatment of lower back pain it is important to know the 4 effects acupuncture has on treating your back pain.
4 Effects of Acupuncture and Lower Back Pain
1. Acupuncture increases the blood flow to the area of the lower back pain: The body slows down blood flow to the lower back as a result of pain messages. The body constricts or limits blood flow to the painful lower back areas. By increasing the blood flow to the lower back area, acupuncture treats lower back pain by increasing blood flow to the lower back and flooding it with needed red blood cells, white blood cells and anti-inflammatories that your body naturally makes. By getting nutrients into the site of injury your back muscles and nerves can heal quicker.
2. Acupuncture increases nerve flow: Increasing nerve flow through neuro-vascular nodes, it can increase nerve flow to the area of pain That means that stimulating an acupuncture point affects flow to the nerves of the body specifically to the area of pain. The acupuncture points actually connect to specific nerve pathways which can turn the nerves on or off nerves that are firing too much causing the pain to your lower back.
3. Acupuncture causes the body to release pain relieving substances: . Many patients ask me, “Isn’t there any medication in the needles?” This underscores the misconception that many people have about acupuncture. Unlike injection therapy, acupuncture “sparks” the body to heal itself. It stimulates the body to release it’s natural substances that can reduce lower back pain and act as natural pain killers. For example, acupuncture releases neurotransmitters and anti-inflammatory substances, known as prostaglandins, such as substance P. It does so by stimulating certain glands in your body to release these substances so the body can get out of the lower back pain. Acupuncture needles then are like “tuning” forks that focuses the body to work more specifically in a problemed area. All the needles do is supply the messages that the brain and body act upon.
4. Acupuncture Releases Endorphins to help your back pain:
Let’s face it when you keep having a pain,it jabs at you and your body starts to tense up. This tension is caused by a spike in stress hormones which puts your body on full alert. This causes your brain to be wired to run away from the pain. Flooding the brain and body with endorphins can help you reduce your threshold for pain which means you can take more of the pain with less of the cringe. Endorphins are feel good hormones that can also help you reduce the perception of your pain so you feel less of it. It also helps you to relax and by relaxing you mentally, it has a relaxation carry over effect to the muscles and nerves of your body.and especially your lower back pain.
These are the main ways acupuncture has on treating lower back pain.
If you have a specific issue, please feel to reach out to me. Our friendly staff will walk you through the questions and steps you will need to start feeling better.
You can call me at 201-444-7150 or email me at integrativeacupuncturecenter@gmail.com. Looking forward to connecting. My acupuncture office is located in Ridgewood, NJ, in Bergen County.