Does back pain keep you from enjoying your days? Medication may mask the pain, but that’s not your only option when it comes to relieving back pain. There are many non-drug options for treating back pain. If you’re experiencing back pain, the experienced team of providers at Premier Chiropractic may suggest a variety of holistic treatments including soft tissue therapy, decompression, or acupuncture.
Acupuncture is a holistic treatment for back pain that dates back thousands of years. There’s a reason acupuncture has withstood the test of time: it helps relieve chronic back pain.
Keep reading to learn how acupuncture may relieve your back pain.
Acupuncture 101
Acupuncture is a therapy that focuses on healing energies, pressure points, and Meridians. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Meridians are pathways for energy, and stimulating the energy (or “qi” in Chinese) helps to combat inflammation or pain.
The process
During your acupuncture session, one of our trained acupuncturists will determine where to place the needles — which are very thin. There are many pressure points (including the hips, stomach, and backs of the knees), but for back pain, your needles will be placed into your lower back.
Once your needles are inserted, they’ll stay in place for up to 25 minutes. The needles are thin and shouldn’t hurt. You’ll be very relaxed throughout your session.
How do acupuncture needles relieve back pain?
Acupuncture needles are placed into very specific points. The needles are inserted into the Meridians, which helps to balance your life-energy, or qi.
In addition, acupuncture needles combat pain in another way. The insertion of the needles helps to combat inflammation in your back. Keep in mind that inflammation is a major cause of pain, especially in inflammatory conditions like osteoarthritis.
Acupuncture also reduces back pain by:
- Stimulating your nervous system to release pain-relieving chemicals
- Stimulating neurotransmitters that reduce the number of pain signals
- Increasing electromagnetic pulses in the body, which help reduce the intensity of pain
Thanks to these effects in the body, researchers contend that acupuncture can be more effective than pain medication. That’s because acupuncture makes real changes throughout the body.
More than a placebo effect
Acupuncture isn’t a placebo; it creates changes in your body, and has been clinically shown to reduce certain types of pain. Back pain is one of the most often cited reasons for using acupuncture, according to a study published in Archives of Internal Medicine.
Say goodbye to back pain with acupuncture
At Premier Chiropractic, we strive to help you manage your back pain, and whether you need decompression or acupuncture, we’ll help you determine your next steps.
Give us a call and say goodbye to back pain. To schedule an appointment at our Pearland, Texas clinic, call 281-223-1172.