Back pain symptoms
As many as eight out of every 10 people suffer from back pain at some point in their lives. Symptoms include muscle spasm, tension, waking at night in discomfort and chronic pain. It is also the most popular reason why individuals seek treatment.
Back pain can be caused by stress, tiredness, wear and tear or from an accident. In the worst case scenario, you may need surgery. You can avoid that by treating the problem early on.
Having a lot of discomfort can often feel like a disability and can prevent people from living a normal life, going to work and meeting friends and family.
Most problems are classified as non-specific and is often caused by muscle strains, bad posture, a heavy workload, slipped discs and a generally busy life. Individuals can also experience back problems when they feel run down or stressed.
Often people have discomfort in the lower back, coccyx and neck pain. Often the problem is in the soft tissue, disc bulge or the muscles and joints. It can be long term with people suffering for many years.
Treatment approaches
The most common form of treatment for back problems is medication such as paracetamol, ibuprofen, co-codamol or tramadol, which all have side effects. However, with chronic back problems, more people are being prescribed opiate based medication, which can be addictive. Other forms of therapy that are non-addictive include acupuncture, chiropractic, osteopathy and physiotherapy. Shockwave therapy is very painful and isn't necessary. I therefore don't offer shockwave treatment.
Chiropractors believe that lower back pain is caused by the spine being out of alignment, which osteopaths believe it's muscle tension and physiotherapists a trapped nerve. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that it's the muscles that pull the spine out of alignment and cause the pain. Muscle tension can be caused by stress or poor posture.
I use a variety of therapies to treat back problems, including acupuncture. All of these therapies can be used to relieve muscle tension, which can cause the back problem.
Acupuncture for back pain
There are a variety of treatments for people in a lot of pain, with acupuncture being one of the most successful. It is highly recommended for back problems and is becoming increasingly popular for this condition. It gives very quick relief and is more effective than massage therapy. Pain is debilitating and can stop you from carrying out your normal daily activities and enjoying life. It can seriously impact on every aspect of your life.
What is acupuncture?
It originated in Asia, involves small, fine needles being inserted into different parts of the body. The body has over 2,000 pressure points that connect to each other via meridians (pathways). Inserting needles connects these points and helps to improve energy flow, which in turn can improve health and relieve the body of tension.
How does it work?
It is incredibly effective for the relief of back problems. It works because it helps muscles to relax and to regain their normal position. It is safe and effective and can reduce pain.
This relaxation of the back muscles will instantly give relief. It is very effective for work-related back problems and for women in the early stages of pregnancy. I've helped many people become pain free.
Stimulation of the central nervous system
During acupuncture, the central nervous system is stimulated, releasing chemicals into the spinal cord, muscles and the brain which promote calm and help to relieve tension. It is also thought that it helps to release natural opioids within the body.
How often do I need to have treatment?
To achieve maximum results, it is advised that individuals have regular acupuncture sessions to help reduce symptoms. After the problem has gone, it's advisable to have regular check-ups and maintenance sessions.
When acupuncture is coupled with self-care measures such as gentle exercise and home remedies, it's possible to experience a loss of symptoms. Having regular yoga is great at helping to relieve muscle tension and prevent any problems.
Self-care
Most causes are muscular in nature, and releasing muscular tension will help to reduce symptoms. Sitting or standing for long periods of time can also cause muscular back tension, so altering your movements can help to relieve symptoms.
Office desks can cause a lot of lower back problems. Try using a standing desk instead. Standing is much better for your back than sitting down. Sitting down can affect the spine posture and compress the sciatic nerve.
Keep your body warm when it's below 10 degrees can help to reduce tension in the muscles. You can do this by wearing more layers on your back and extra layers on your legs, i.e. thermals.
Reducing exposure to stressful environments can help to reduce muscle tension and problems. Walking in Nature is good at relieving stress as is exercise and stretching such as yoga or Pilates.
Yoga and gentle stretching exercise can help, as can heat, such as having a warm bath with Epsom salts and making use of heat pads. However, a more effective treatment choice for long-lasting results against back pain is acupuncture.
Explanation video
Watch my video below which explains how my treatment can help back ache.
Book an appointment
I provide hands on treatment for those who suffer from ongoing issues with acute and chronic back problems.
I start by taking your full medical history, locating the origin of the problem and also treat any other problem areas in the body. Treatment is from head to toe.
To learn more about our services please give us a call today or book an initial consultation including treatment via our website.