Low back pain
is an extremely common concern, affecting anywhere from 75 to 90 percent of
people at some point in their lives. Low back pain is second only to the common
cold as a cause of lost days at work and is one of the most common reasons to
seek medical care, including acupuncture. In fact, one of the top reasons that
people get acupuncture treatments is for low back pain.
The
Oriental Medicine Perspective of Low Back Pain
In spite of
the large number of pathological conditions that can give rise to low back pain,
up to 85% of the cases are classified by Western physicians as 'non-specific'.
When low back pain is looked at from an Oriental medicine perspective, it is
seen as a disruption of the flow of Qi within the area, associated with a
specific disharmony and then treated accordingly.
The basis of
acupuncture is expressed in this famous Chinese saying: "Bu tong ze tong, tong
ze bu tong" which means "free flow: no pain, no free flow: pain." In other
words, any kind of pain or illness represents an obstruction in the normal flow
of Qi or life force. Simply put, acupuncture moves Qi, restoring free
flow.
The disruption
of Qi that results in low back pain is usually associated with the following
three disharmonies:
Weak
Kidney Qi - In Oriental
medicine, the lower back is referred to as the "dwelling of the Kidneys". The
majority of chronic low back pain conditions are associated with Kidney
Deficiency. Kidney Deficiency type pain is dull and comes and goes. It is
usually aggravated by over tiredness and improves with rest.
Stagnation of Qi and
Blood - When the flow of Qi along the meridians that traverse
the lumbar region becomes congested, it is referred to as the stagnation of Qi
and blood. This presents with a severe stabbing pain that is worse with rest and
better with movement, tender to touch and can be accompanied by stiffness and
tightness.
Invasion of Cold and
Dampness - Cold, damp type pain is worse in the morning and when
the weather is cold and damp. This type of pain improves with movement and the
application of heat. Stiffness and contraction of back muscles that is
aggravated by rest indicates cold predominance while swelling, numbness and a
heavy sensation are indicative of dampness.
Studies on Acupuncture and Low Back Pain |
While acupuncture is readily accepted as a viable option
for low back pain in mainstream modern medicine, there has been little research
to prove that it works. Now there are studies that support the clinical
evidence.
In a German
study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, 1,162 adults with
chronic, lower back pain were divided into groups treated with the standard
pharmaceutical and exercise therapy commonly used in Western medicine and
acupuncture. The researchers reported that acupuncture provided relief and
lasting benefit to nearly twice as many lower back pain patients as drugs and
exercise. Forty-eight percent of the acupuncture patients reported at least a
one-third decrease in pain along with improvement in their ability to function,
versus 27 percent of the patients treated with conventional methods reporting
such benefits.
In another
recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers from the
University of Maryland School of Medicine analyzed 33 studies covering more than
2,100 patients from around the world on acupuncture for low back
pain.
They found
acupuncture provided definite pain relief in the short-term (defined as relief
sustained for three weeks after the end of the acupuncture
sessions).
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