Acupuncture and Back Pain
Chinese Medicine has been treating back pain successfully for over 3,000 years. The Chinese developed several tools to be able to do this and chief among them is the use of Acupuncture as a physical therapy to relax effected muscles and relieve pain. They also used techniques such as cupping, heat and Asian body work as well as topical plasters and liniments along with internal herbal formulations to achieve the goal of relieving pain in the back.
So what is Acupuncture and how does it work. Acupuncture is the insertion of tiny needles at specific points along the body which have the effect of stimulating the body’s ability to heal it’s self. From a western perspective the insertion of needles is activating to the central and peripheral nervous systems, which send signals to the brain. The brain uses those signals to send messages to different glands in the body responsible for secreting chemical compounds like enkephalins, anti inflammatory chemicals and pain relieving compounds which are then transported by the circulatory system to were the pain is such as the back.
The next modality, which helps the back, is cupping. This is were the practitioner uses glass plastic or bamboo cups to create a suction topically on the skin. Cups placed on the back will then draw stagnant blood, which is trapped in the muscle layers up to the surface of the skin. In most cases of pain this will create local reddening or bruising on the surface, which will release the pain that was trapped in the muscles. This technique is very effective at promoting circulation, which helps bring fresh blood and chemical compounds to the tissue so that it can regenerate.
Chinese Herbal medicine can then be used internally to aid the body’s ability to regenerate cells as well as reducing inflammation. Chinese herbal medicine employs over 1,800 naturally accruing compounds to effect change in the body. A qualified Chinese herbalist will asses the type of back pain being experienced and compare that with the patients constitution to come up with the proper herbal formulation.
In short Chinese Medicine is an effective drug free way to treat back pain. There is no need to suffer let Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal medicine restores you back to health.
www.awakeningacupuncture.com
Stuart Dimson LAc, Dipl O.M. practices Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine in Westminster Colorado. For more information visit him at www.awakeningacupuncture.com or contact info@awakeningacupuncture.com
Stuart Dimson LAc, Dipl O.M. practices Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine in Westminster Colorado. For more information visit him at www.awakeningacupuncture.com.
