Common Causes of Back Pain Treated with Acupuncture
Back pain, whether it is acute pain caused by injury or a chronic state due to past trauma or surgery, can be completely debilitating. Having your life affected by the necessary changes in lifestyle, movement and stature not only causes mental and spiritual unhappiness, but in the long term can also cause other structural problems within the body.
The main cause of acute back pain is the sprain. During your day, workout, or play you may have overstretched one or more of the ligaments in the back and possibly caused a strain, which is tearing or damaging the muscles, generally caused by sudden movement and force. Even seemingly innocent activities can cause these things, apparent mild injuries, poor posture and lifting over heavy items improperly.
Chronic pain comes from an early injury, and may be related to having a herniated or protruding disc bulging. Another common form is sciatica. Sciatica is pain that usually extends down from the buttocks into the legs. This is generally caused by an irritation or inflammation of the sciatic nerve which extends out from the lumbar area of the back.
Although most episodes of low back pain last less than two weeks, research has shown that recurrence rates for low back pain can reach as high as 50% in the first few months following an initial episode.
推拿 - tuī ná
Traditional Chinese Medicine Patterns of Back Pain
How can Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) help you? TCM has a different view of diagnosing back pain than Western Medicine. We differentiate the pain into various patterns based on the type of pain and the over all constitution of the patient.
Common TCM Patterns for Back Pain include:
- Deficiency type pain
- Qi and Blood stagnation
- Pain due to Cold Damp Obstruction
When the pain is resulting from deficiency, it feels dull, is usually chronic and improves with rest. We see this more common in office workers, middle aged people and the elderly.
Stagnation is pain that is more severe and may feel stabbing in nature, with sensations of stiffness, tightness and when resting, it gets worse. Typically, getting up and lightly stretching the area can alleviate the pain and often times when this type reoccurs, it is indicative of an underlying deficiency as well.
Cold damp pain is usually always made worse with cold and damp weather and generally with pressure changes. Heat is useful to relieve the pain and there may be a sensation of numbness either in the back where the pain is, or along the legs or feet. Sensations of heaviness and swellings may also occur.
Traditional Chinese Medicine as Treatment for Back Pain
Acupuncture can help to relieve all of these types of pain by restoring harmony and bringing balance to the body and thereby helping to stimulate natural healthy patterns of healing.
Treatment usually consists mainly of acupuncture, but other methods may be applied, such as moxa, a heating therapy, cupping, Tuina and possibly the use of a personalized herbal formula. When using acupuncture, points in the local area as well as in the arms and hands, legs and feet may be used. Quick relief follows the insertion of the needles.
Cupping consists of using glass cups to create suction on the body relieving the area of stagnation, dampness and pain. Using cups on the body, one can find great relief from long term chronic pain, especially if caused by trauma.
Treatment should happen frequently at the beginning and then as pain relief is sustained, can be tapered off.
As we can see, acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine can greatly improve the quality of life for many who live with back pain.
Research and Sources:
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