Posts Tagged ‘back pain’
What goes into an acupuncture treatment?
Jul 24, 2012
The process of treating back pain with acupuncture, or any pain for that matter, is complex. As an acupuncturist, we have many factors to consider in the treatment.
Important factors for the acupuncturist to decide are what acupuncture points to use, how long the needles stay in, what position the patient should lie, the use of electro-acupuncture, additional use of cups, and other factors.
1. How to choose acupuncture points:
Acupuncture points can be chosen based on location of the pain, type of the pain, and the underlying imbalances causes the pain. Some pain, such as pain from sciatica, is best relieved by acupuncture locally in the lower back, around the sacrum, and throughout the course of the sciatic nerve.
2. Use of electroacupuncture is very helpful for many types of back pain. This technique enhances the relaxation of muscles as well as helps to reducing inflammation and pain. In addition, electroacupuncture may be helpful in stimulating the growth of muscle tissue and therefore can be helpful for balancing the muscle weakness.
3. The length of the acupuncture treatment can also vary. If there is an acute back spasm, it is better to have a shorter acupuncture treatment. For muscle weakness, the needles will be left in for a slightly longer period of time.
4. The patient needs to be comfortable during the acupuncture session. Some positions, such as lying face down, will put stress on the back. These patients will often benefit from treatment lying on their side or back and use distal acupuncture points on the most powerful acupuncture channels.
5. Cupping is an effective additional technique to acupuncture for back pain. It helps to relax the muscles and bring circulation to the area.
Patient, NYC
Jun 11, 2012
After suffering for months from horrible, nagging sinus headaches, further complicated by the cumulative stress from caring for my 17-month-old child, I chose to give acupuncture a try. It has been one of the best health decisions that I have made for myself. When I was first diagnosed with sinusitis many months ago, I was prescribed antibiotics and other medication, which did help me recover from the terrible cold and relieve my sinus symptoms. However, since then, every time the weather changed, I was completely debilitated by a horrible sinus headache. I was afraid of future never-ending cycles of antibiotics (or even Tylenol), but caring for my child required me to be functional at full capacity. I was very afraid of the horrendous sinus pain, and was desperate for long-term relief. I did a lot of research and came across acupuncture, including articles that Joe Alban has published online on this topic. I decided to give acupuncture a try, as my doctor has told me acupuncture is a safe alternative from western medicine (i.e., no harm in trying).
Joe is not only very skilled in his techniques (I have never suffered any bruise; I could barely feel the needles), he is very informative and has educated me a great deal about acupuncture. The treatment room is clean and comfortable. Most importantly, after 6 or 7 treatments, I am already feeling drastic improvements of my condition. It is very encouraging for me to know that my body can be restored in a holistic manner, and it is capable to repairing itself. I am very happy to report that my sinus headache, even though it is still present from time to time (as I am not completely through with my treatment), has now become very manageable. Without the sinus pain, I am again able to engage in other activities (such as pilates) which more directly help me reduce stress and improve physical back pain. I am also able to enjoy the outdoor again with my child without the fear of feeling sick simply because the weather changes. I thank Joe and acupuncture for setting me back into a positive health cycle. I highly recommend Joe’s practice to anyone interested.
What does acupuncture feel like?
Mar 5, 2012
This is one of the top five common questions in my NYC acupuncture clinic.
Acupuncture for Back Pain
Acupuncture does not hurt. We use very thin sterile solid needles which means they do not feel like a doctor’s needle. Upon insertion, some points can feel a prick, but many do not feel anything. The acupuncture needles remain in the acupuncture points for 20-30 minutes. Patients can feel numbness, tingling, warmth, heaviness, or movement at the acupuncture point. All of these feelings are good. At some acupuncture points the muscles will twitch. This is particularly true when using acupuncture points such as GB 30 for treating acupuncture for sciatica and acupuncture for chronic low back pain. Acupuncture is very relaxing and people will often fall asleep while lying on the massage table.
Traditionally, acupuncturists have called the feeling of acupuncture as “de qi.” The has been translated as “getting the qi” which means the acupuncture points has been adequately stimulated. In China, patients will tell their acupuncture doctors “zhong” which means heaviness, when the acupuncture point has been adequately stimulated.
How to Choose Acupuncture Points?
Feb 29, 2012
Patients in my New York Acupuncture clinic are always curious how acupuncturists choose the correct acupuncture points. There are a number of ways to choose the acupuncture points.
The basic idea with acupuncture is to correct the underlying imbalance in the body. This can help to stimulate the body to heal itself. We acupuncturists will determine the imbalance by our examination. For example, if there is lack of circulation of the energy, what we call qi stagnation, we’ll choose points to move the qi. A common combination for moving the qi is Liv 3 and LI 4.
I find that acupuncture is most effective by changing the focus of the treatment overtime. At first, we may focus on releasing tension in the muscles, this is called moving qi and blood stagnation. But over time it may become more important to focus on boosting up the qi to support the overall health. This is often true in the acupuncture treatment of chronic prostatitis.
There are also points which are chosen based on the location of the illness. Pain on the urinary bladder channel ,which travels up the back, can be treated with acupuncture points on the urinary bladder channel located on the legs such as UB 40 or UB 60. These points can help with the treatment of chronic pelvic pain syndrome, chronic low back pain, and sciatica.
Acupuncturists will also search out for specifically painful areas at the location of the pain. In Chinese these are called ashi points. In English this means “ouch points.” Often, they may be referred to as trigger points in the West. Acupuncture will help to release these areas of pain to relax the muscle, increase circulation, and reduce pain. Trigger points are very important in the acupuncture treatment of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome.
Acupuncturists also may use a specific point because we know that it is clinically effective. For example, using PC 6 acupuncture point for nausea has been shown time and time again to reduce many types of nausea. Because we know this works through clinical experience, we call this an empirical point.
Every acupuncturist has their own style. We develop these through training, our personal interests, and clinical experience.
Acupuncture and Moxibustion
Jan 9, 2012
The Meaning of Zhen Jiu ( 针灸)
Acupuncture is not just acupuncture. In fact, the word for acupuncture in Chinese, Zhen Jiu, actually translates to “acupuncture and moxibustion” which shows how central moxibustion is within acupuncture.
Moxibustion is the warming of acupuncture points or needles. Most often, this is done through burning an herb called mugwort. It can also be done with heat lamps as well as herbal lotions.
In my office, we use smokeless moxibustion because it is treated and does not create much smoke.
How does Moxibustion work?
Acupuncture and Moxa for Back Pain
Just like with acupuncture, moxibustion focuses on correcting the underlying imbalance in the body.
Because it is warming, generally moxibustion is used when there is cold in the body. Moxibustion can help to warm the body and add qi as well. The warmth also helps to increase circulation.
I use moxibustion often. I find it is very helpful for some people with Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome, Interstitial Cystitis, chronic low back pain, in addition to other pain or digestive issues.
Boosting the Qi
There is a tradition that one can use moxibustion on the acupuncture point Stomach 36 for 100 consecutive days in order to boost the body’s qi. I think this therapy is particularly effective for those with poor digestion or asthma due to low energy.
image: superfantastic
Why Cold Causes Joint Pain
Jan 5, 2012
Winter is here. It comes as no surprise that the cold and damp weather means achy and painful joints and an exacerbation of arthritis.
Acupuncture and Chinese medicine have understood this seasonal phenomena for thousands of years. According to acupuncture, cold and damp can become stuck in the joints disrupting the normal function and circulation which leads to pain.
Acupuncture and Chinese medicine work to warm the body and increase circulation leading to a decrease in pain. Warming the acupuncture points and acupuncture channels helps to dislodge the cold.
How can acupuncture warm the joints?
Needle Head Moxibustion
In the west, most people think of acupuncture as the use of acupuncture needles with acupuncture points. But really, acupuncture therapy encompasses much more.
In Chinese, acupuncture is not just acupuncture. Acupuncture is called 针灸 (pronounced Zhen Jiu). This translates to acupuncture and moxibustion.
Moxibustion refers to the warming of the acupuncture needles or acupuncture points. Most often it is done with the burning of an herb called mugwort. It can also be done with a heat lamp or warming herbal extracts rubbed onto acupuncture points or the affected muscle.
By warming the acupuncture points and acupuncture needles with moxibustion, we can stimulated improved circulation and pain relief.
What can you treat with Acupuncture and Moxibustion?
Moxibustion is very effective for treating many conditions causes by cold. During the winter in particular, I use it for back pain, arthritis, osteoarthritis, knee pain, and joint pain. For some women, it is very effective for menstrual cramps.
Smokless Moxibustion
In our New York Acupuncture office, we use smokeless moxibustion. The herb mugwort is treated in order that when it is used it does not create much smoke when used.
Making New Year’s Resolutions Stick
Dec 22, 2011
It’s that time of year again. Resolution time.
Are you going to get in shape? Eat healthier? Take care of that chronic back pain?
New years is a natural time to think about the future. That’s a wonderful aspect to New Years resolutions. It gives us a natural moment to think about change.
We all know the problem with New Year’s resolutions. They’re made to be broken. So what to do?
1. It’s about change
The key to a new years resolution is not to think of it as a special occasion to make a change. You’re just ready to improve yourself, that’s it.
2. Make it small
One key way to stick with a resolution is to make it simple. Changing our habits’ isn’t easy. Start small. Do something reasonable.
A great change to make is trying to eat non-processed organic food. When my family started to eat local organic food we started slowly.
We started with only dairy, moved to meats and vegetables from there. Then we started going to the farmer’s market. Finally after a couple of years we joined a CSA.
3. Make it fit in your schedule
My brother in law and I on the TA Century
Biking to work is one of the best ways to stay in shape. We all have to commute anyway. By getting on your bike, you’re combining getting to work with your exercise routine. I find it to be one of the most relaxing times of the day.
Acupuncture for Stress Induced Back Pain
Sep 15, 2011
This is the fourth article in a series focusing on acupuncture for back pain.
Acupuncture for Lower Back Pain
Car accidents, injuries, and training are not the only reason people develop back pain. Stress is also be a significant cause of back pain. Acupuncture is very effective for stress induced back pain because it can address both the physical and mental aspects of the cause of the pain.
This patient came to me with chronic back pain on the lower left side. When I asked where the pain was specifically, she pointed to the sacro iliac joint. This is a very common location for lower back pain. Stress also causes back pain by creating muscle tension and spasms.
She had back pain for a number of years and was not finding relief. Her pain was dull but persistent. While exercise made it feel better, the next day the pain was more intense. And the pain was worse with work stress.
The Acupuncture Treatment for Stress Induced Back Pain
Because of the chronic nature of the back pain and the weakness in the back muscles, this person does not have enough energy. The muscle stiffness should be relieved but also the qi of the body needs to be boosted to prevent the pain from returning.
To do this, I use less needles and more of a tonifying technique in the treatment. I also included acupressure. Focusing on points down the channels rather than at the pain helps. In this situation, I used 4 ashi, or ouch points, at the location of the pain. In addition I used UB 23, KI3, UB 40 to open up the back channel.
The acupuncture results
This patient responded remarkable well to the acupuncture. After only one treatment the pain had diminished greatly. The stiffness was much better and she was able to exercise without pain.
Gradually during the weeks that followed some pain returned. She followed up in two weeks for a second visit which provided pain relief again. Seeing that the treatments were effective but did not totally resolve the back pain, we created a maintainence schedule of coming once per month for a period of 6 months. The effects of acupuncture are cumulative and each visit can be more dramatic in effect.
After the 6 month treatment period she was mostly pain free with little back pain.
Read More about Acupuncture, Stress, and Back Pain:
- Stress, Depression, and Inflammation
- Acupuncture for Stress and Depression
- Relieve Back Pain with Acupuncture
An Athletic Back Pain
Sep 12, 2011
This is the third article in a series focusing on acupuncture for back pain treatment.
New York City Marathon
Back pain commonly challenges serious athletes. This next case study discusses a young man who was training for a marathon when he developed back pain.
This patient came to me after developing back pain while training for a marathon. He was building up strength and running time when he developed pain in the lower back on the right side. The pain was most intense after running and sometimes traveled down through the butt. Back stiffness and spasms were also a problem.
After a visit to his orthopedist and an MRI, he was diagnosed with a bulging disc.
Acupuncture treatment for lower back pain
We began with treatments once a week. This patient had more stagnation than deficiency, so I focused on creating circulation by using more needles and electro-acupuncture. But in athletes it is important also to boost the energy to support the training.
The points I used were UB 23, UB 32, Yao Yan, GB 30, and UB 40. KI 3 and KI 7 on the inside ankle were also used to help boost the qi.
I also looked for tender areas on the right ride, which are traditionally called ashi points, which literally means “ouch” points. There were a lot of ouch points along the upper part of pelvis. At the end of each acupuncture session, I did tui na to help relax the muscles and increase the circulation.
The Acupuncture Results
New York City Marathon Finish Line
After the first visit, the patient began to feel better. His back was less stiff, and he experienced less pain after running. We continued with weekly sessions throughout his training. At times, when he increased his mileage during the training, his back pain was somewhat exacerbated. After the following acupuncture session, the pain was generally relieved and he could continue.
By the time the marathon rolled around his back pain was under control and muscle stiffness was virtually gone. He was able to successfully complete the New York City Marathon.
Car Accident Back Pain
Sep 7, 2011
This is the second article in a series focusing on acupuncture for the treatment of back pain.
This is a case explaining how acupuncture can treat back pain after a car accident.
The patient is a young man in his early thirties who came to me for acupuncture for his back pain after being in a car accident. The car accident had occurred over 2 years before he began treatment. Despite therapy, the pain persisted. The pain and tightness was focused in his lower back that sometimes radiated down his legs.
His back pain was very persistent, although he had no disc problems or nerve impairments diagnosed on his MRI.
The pain was very intense, it hurt all day during his job and even kept him from sleeping soundly. It was difficult for him to exercise. When people stop moving and using their region of pain, the pain is often exacerbated.
Naturally, his situation caused a lot of worry and anxiety that his condition would never improve.
Upon our first visit, I saw that he had restrited range of motion in his lower back. It was difficult to bend forward or to the side.
I assessed his problem as qi and blood stagnation.
The Acupuncture Treatment
Acupuncture for Lower Back Pain
Because he tended to have more stagnation than vacuity, I focused on increasing the circulation in the back. To do this, I will tend to use more needles, electro-acupuncture, acupressure and tui na and cupping.
The points I used were on the lower back, such as UB 23, UB 25, UB 32, GB 30, Yao Yao, as well as points on the legs that open up the back channels. UB 40 on the back of the knees is a special point for back pain. I also used Kidney 3 to boost the kidneys and relieve the pain. Electro-acupuncture was also used on the lower back to relieve the pain. I used tui na rolling technique as well.
The Results
Chinese Fire Cups
After the first two visits his back pain began to diminish. And he had increased range of flexibility. By the fourth visit, his back pain, tightness, and tingling in his legs was much less. After six visits, the pain was only minor.
At this point, I advised my patient to return to exercising. Light cardiovascular and a stretching routine. Stretching is very important to maintain flexibility and prevent back pain in the long run.
We continued with four more weekly visits. The pain was much diminished and range of motion had significantly returned.
The patient was now comfortable while working and was able to return to exercising.
SEARCH
Sign up
GET RSS FEED
CATEGORIES
ARCHIVES
Like us on Facebook
RECENT BLOG POSTS
Recommended by
