Does acupuncture for low back pain work? I’ve got good news for you. Yes, acupuncture has been shown to reduce low back pain. In a study of 18,000 patients, acupuncture successfully treated patients in four pain categories. The study participants had shoulder, osteoarthritis, headache, or back pain. The acupuncture treatments also outperformed the “usual care” group. Simply put, the treatments exceeded medications or rehabilitative exercises.

Acupuncture for Low Back Pain

Research shows that acupuncture is well known for its pain-relieving benefits. For example, the Centers for Medicare Services (CMS)has recently concluded that Medicare will start covering acupuncture treatment for chronic low back pain. Unfortunately, acupuncturists cannot bill for medicare services as a medical specialist. Hopefully, that will change one day soon.

Why is acupuncture a good option for treating conditions? Generally, acupuncture works by increasing circulation and relaxing muscles. As a result, this decreases inflammation and stimulates the release of endorphins – your body’s natural pain-relieving chemicals.

Top five reasons for low back pain

If you suffer from low back pain, you are not alone. Over 80% of all Americans complain about chronic lower back pain. Consequentially, both men and women can have discomfort equally. Back suffering is so common that a recent survey found that most adults had symptoms in the last three months.

Low back pain is something a lot of people experience, and it can happen for different reasons. Here are the top 5 causes of low back pain:

Muscle Strain: Sometimes, we can hurt our back by straining our muscles. This can happen if we lift something heavy or do a lot of physical work.
Spinal Problems: Your spine is like the backbone of your back, and if there are problems with it, it can lead to back pain. Issues like herniated discs or problems with the vertebrae can be a cause.
Pinched Nerves: Nerves run through your back, and it can be excruciating if they get irritated or pinched. Conditions like sciatica can cause intense pain.
Injuries: Falling or getting into accidents can injure your back. Even minor accidents can sometimes cause long-lasting back pain.
Poor Posture: How you sit, stand, or even sleep can affect your back. If you have bad posture, it can strain your back over time and lead to pain.

Remember, if your back hurts a lot and it doesn’t get better with rest or home remedies, it’s a good idea to talk to a doctor. They can help determine the cause and the best way to make your back feel better.

When discomfort is minimal, rest is always a good option. Additionally, symptoms may be reduced with the use of ice or heat. However, if the discomfort worsens, seeking medical attention is best. Generally, your condition is considered chronic when discomfort lasts more than four weeks. A medical specialist can help you determine the root cause of these conditions.

What you can expect from treatments

Chronic back sufferers respond very positively to acupuncture. Unlike most pharmaceutical medications, acupuncture won’t damage your organs with long-term use. Also, it doesn’t have the addictive quality that opioid prescription medications have. For individuals who are susceptible to addiction or may develop a long-term dependency, acupuncture for pain reduction can be critical.

Acupuncture is a great short-term and long-term strategy for back pain management. For short-term relief, it is completely normal for patients to have pain reduction from just one treatment. For long-term relief, the patients who tend to do the best complete a series of treatments and include appropriate physical exercise.

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