Acupuncture For Back Pain

[admin]

Acupuncture was developed by the ancient Chinese. This is the process of inserting and manipulating needles into strategic points of the affected region and sometimes apparently unrelated parts of the body too - or so it seems. The needles used for acupuncture are very sharp and extremely fine. These needles are believed to alter the energy flow (or "qi") in the body and alleviate pain and restore the body to a healthier condition. The concept of qi and energy meridians dates back to the early days of acupuncture and has not been identified by modern medicine. People suffering from lower back pain have found acupuncture to be helpful

Though the very thought of having ones body pierced with dozens, and sometimes hundreds, of needles sounds painful acupuncture is a painless procedure. At times the prick of the needle is not felt at all but the relief is felt within hours of receiving the first acupuncture treatment. Acupuncture is not usually a one-time treatment, patients have to return for subsequent sessions that could take as many as 20 or more sittings. However, some patients find great relief within the first two or three sittings.

Fans of acupuncture swear by the results and will visit their acupuncturist whenever they are in pain. A review for the American Pain Society/American College of Physicians, and published in 2007, also found fair evidence that acupuncture is effective for chronic low back pain. Acupuncture is considered safe when administered by well-trained practitioners using sterile needles.

[admin]

In the UK the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the National Clinical Guideline Centre published a guideline in May 2009 to improve the early management of persistent non-specific low back pain.

One of their key recommendations was for more acupuncture treatment.

There's more discussion at this post

[lifeisattitude]

Eastern medicine is something that intrigues me. I am very into the spiritual aspects of the human person and believe that energy flow etc could make a difference. Here in the west we are very focused on the physical processes and stopping things physically. Of course this is very useful as well but would be great to have an implementation of both.

[Augustine5I]

I must admit, having been a physical therapist for over 12 years, acupuncture, while a viable treatment option, is often overlooked and seldom prescribed. Many medical doctors are just not that convinced this approach is of any value, and if it should be referred at all, it is due out of shear desperation and done as a last resort before surgery.

Given that these patients are of the worst kind, the most severe, the real hard luck cases, acupuncture in my experience fails quite often. And this happens as a result of being a provider that is last in line in the pecking order instead of being perhaps one of the first.

Isn’t that the case for many “eastern” approaches to medical intervention? Here in the United States, acupuncture may be perhaps one of the most underutilized healthcare disciplines that we may come across simply because it is not well understood.

A professional acupuncturist will utilizes long thin needles that when placed appropriately throughout the body (specific body points), they free-up blocked energy and relieve pain. This Chinese medical practice has been around for over 2,000 years! Now that is impressive.

While I am not advocating that everyone with a BULGING DISC go out and receive treatment from an acupuncturist, I would say that anything that has been able to stand the test of time is certainly worth exploring and as it makes good sense, giving it a try.


Good luck

[Craftweb]

I never tried acupuncture.
Does it advisable to treat to those who have heart diseases?

[Natural Life]

Acupuncture helps balance the body's energy flow, so yes, it can help with things like high blood pressue, palpitations, etc., but LIFESTYLE is a major factor in most disease processes, but, yes it can help.