Chronic Back Pain Treatment - Acupuncture

Acupuncture is an effective chronic back pain treatment. Acupuncture is one of the primary forms of Traditional Chinese Medicine, or TCM.  TCM aims to restore harmony and balance to the body's energies, or Chi, which helps natural healing and stimulates health.

What often turns people off from trying Acupuncture is that it involves needles. The needles are placed either near the location of the pain, or frequently in areas we don't realize are connected to the pain, in order to provide relief to the patient. The back is a large area and the acupuncturist will usually massage the body to find the most sensitive areas, since those are the most effective areas to treat.

Typically, acupuncture involves inserting very tiny needles that provide a gentle sensation to the patient. It is generally not painful; many patients report not even feeling the needles while they are in their body. Sometimes electricity is passed through the needle to enhance the effect and occasionally traditional Chinese herbs are burned as well - this is called "moxabustion."

A Swedish hospital study found that acupuncture provides long term pain relief, as well as increased activity, better sleeping patterns, and that patients took less pain medication than the control group. Acupuncture can provide ongoing back pain help for 6 months or longer without the negative side effects found in more traditional chronic back pain treatments.

Acupuncture is a reliable therapy that has been around for centuries. Many patients who have not found relief through traditional therapies have been made much more comfortable with acupuncture. While clinical studies are only now being done on its effectiveness versus a placebo there is growing evidence that acupuncture can provide safe pain management for many people seeking chronic back pain treatment.

From Mazur Media's "Mind/Body Medicine Show", this segment gives an overview and demostration of acupuncture. (www.mazurmediacom.com)