The American College of Physicians (ACP) has recently emphasized a “strong” recommendation for the treatment of acute and chronic low back pain with Acupuncture treatment along with other complimentary therapies. The ACP gave a “weak” recommendation for opioid treatment when non pharmacological treatments did not offer relief for pain. Low quality evidence revealed that systemic steroids were not effective in treating acute or subacute low back pain.
What does this mean? According to the ACP, 25% of adults have suffered from low back pain within the last 3 months. Low back pain is one of the most common reasons why Americans visit their physician each year. Americans annually swallow 80 percent of the world’s pain pharmaceuticals and yet we are still in pain. The ADP recommends that physicians should avoid costly tests and procedures and recommend complimentary therapies to help resolve the low back pain issues. ADP recommends exercise, Acupuncture, tai chi, yoga, psychological stress reduction, and spinal manipulation among other therapies for the treatment of low back pain relief.
Acupuncture can help soothe chronic and irritated muscles due to nerve signals that over firing or mis-firing causing low back pain. Acupuncture stimulates the brain to release it’s own “opioid” like receptors called enkephalins, which help prompt the body into a healing response. When the body is in pain, it can not heal. Acupuncture activates the antithesis of of a pain response, which is deep relaxation for a body to heal by taking away the pain response and flooding the low back with blood to the area to expedite healing or inflamed muslces.
Low back pain sufferers can gain significant relief with the first treatment of Acupuncture. The needles are placed in areas that are away from the site of pain. This is a unique style of Acupuncture because pain can be systemic and inflammatory and local Acupuncture may exacerbate an area that is hurting. There is a common saying “pain can be stuck signal by the brain,” and Acupuncture helps address this by helping establish more blood flow to an area that is inhibited by a pain signal or response.
Most major medical insurances cover Acupuncture treatment as well as personal injury from auto accidents. Contact Emily for an appointment today and get immediate relief from low back pain.
