Back Pain
The article is meant to provide general information instead of diagnosis because each individual is different. For specific assessment, please feel free to call 403-233-0498 to arrange an appointment for assessment.
Low back pain may have its origins in organs, muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, nerves, bones, or discs, or in a combination of these.
Common causes include injuries, infections, inflammation, nerve entrapment, degeneration, or autoimmune dysfunction.
Back pain from the above-mentioned origins may be treated with acupuncture for symptom relief, though the prognosis varies depending on the underlying cause.
As people age, bone strength and muscle elasticity tend to decrease. The discs begin to lose fluid and flexibility, which reduces their ability to cushion the vertebrae.
Pain can occur when someone lifts something too heavy or overstretches, causing a sprain, strain, or spasm in one of the muscles or ligaments in the back. If the spine becomes overly strained or compressed, a disc may rupture or bulge outward. This can put pressure on one of the more than 50 nerves rooted to the spinal cord that control body movements and transmit signals from the body to the brain. When these nerve roots become compressed or irritated, back pain results.
Soft tissue, the spine, the nervous system, internal organs, and emotional disturbance are all sources that can cause low back pain. Low back pain may reflect nerve or muscle irritation or bone lesions. Most low back pain follows injury or trauma, but it can also be caused by degenerative conditions such as arthritis or disc disease, osteoporosis or other bone diseases, viral infections, irritation to joints and discs, or congenital abnormalities in the spine.
Obesity, smoking, weight gain during pregnancy, stress, poor physical condition, poor posture, and poor sleeping position may also contribute to low back pain. Scar tissue created when the injured back heals itself does not have the strength or flexibility of normal tissue. Buildup of scar tissue from repeated injuries can eventually weaken the back and lead to more serious injury.
Occasionally, low back pain may indicate a more serious medical problem. Pain accompanied by fever or loss of bowel or bladder control, pain when coughing, and progressive weakness in the legs may indicate a pinched nerve or other serious condition. People with diabetes may have severe back pain or pain radiating down the leg related to neuropathy. People with these symptoms should contact a doctor immediately to help prevent permanent damage.
Nearly everyone has low back pain at some point. Men and women are equally affected. It occurs most often between ages 30 and 50, due in part to the aging process but also as a result of sedentary lifestyles with too little (sometimes punctuated by too much) exercise. The risk of experiencing low back pain from disc disease or spinal degeneration increases with age.
Low back pain unrelated to injury or other known cause is unusual in pre-teen children. A backpack overloaded with schoolbooks and supplies can quickly strain the back and cause muscle fatigue. To avoid back strain, children carrying backpacks should bend both knees when lifting heavy packs, visit their locker or desk between classes to lighten loads, or use a backpack or tote on wheels.
Acupuncture offers fast relief that can be effective within minutes to hours for low back pain through four mechanisms:
Desensitizing nerve sensation.
Improving local microcirculation for healing.
Reducing inflammation, if present.
Relaxing muscle spasms, if present.
Through functional MRI research on the neurophysiological evidence of acupuncture mechanisms in the United States, acupuncture appears to inactivate brain regions involved in the transmission and perception of pain. The data suggest that acupuncture stimulation desensitizes or reduces activation in cortical areas believed to be involved with pain signal processing, thereby alleviating pain perception. The data support the efficacy of acupuncture in pain relief and the biological basis of acupuncture analgesia.
$95/session, $45 consultation. 30-45 minute initial consultation.
Alberta Health Care does not cover acupuncture. Most company benefits cover acupuncture when treatment is provided through a Registered Acupuncturist. Contact your HR department or insurance company for coverage details.
Acupuncture treatment for pain relief has been recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) as a treatment that may be beneficial. It has helped many patients with low back pain. It is a reasonable natural modality with the potential to help. “It works for many” does not mean “it works for you.” As for you, there is only one way to find out.
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