Are you suffering from low back pain? If so, you’re not alone: It is estimated that 84% of American adults report low back pain at some point during their lives. Low back pain is classified as acute (lasting less than a month), subacute (lasting between one and three months), and chronic (lasting more than three months).
Of the millions of Americans who experience back pain, 85% of them have no significant reason for the pain. In other words, while some people may have underlying health conditions such as spinal disc disorders or arthritis, the overwhelming majority have nonspecific pain that cannot be traced back to any particular cause.
However, there are a number of factors that can contribute to lower back pain. These include smoking, obesity, advanced age, female gender, occupations that require strenuous labor, occupations that require sedentary work, anxiety, and depression.
To identify the source of your back pain, it is important to give your healthcare provider a thorough and accurate history of your pain, overall health, and lifestyle. Radiographic tests like X-rays or MRIs may be able to help your doctor identify the source of your pain, or they may just rule out anything serious.
However, what you’re ultimately looking for is a way to alleviate this nagging and life-limiting pain. Acupuncture or dry needling may be the solution you’re looking for. Let’s talk about these two pain-relief options and where you can go to receive a diagnosis and treatment that works for you.
How Acupuncture Works
Acupuncture is one of the oldest medical procedures known, having started in China about 2,000 years ago. It appeared in the United States as early as the 1700s, but it truly became popular in the 1970s to address maladies such as low back pain.
Acupuncturists are trained and licensed health professionals who perform treatment with the use of very thin metal needles. The underlying reasoning behind acupuncture is that illness comes from interrupted or blocked “Chi,” or vital energy. By inserting fine metal needles at precise points, the practitioner removes blockages in your body’s “energy flow” and returns your body to harmony.
Acupuncture has been reported by many patients to successfully relieve their low back pain, with or without the addition of other treatments. It is accepted by the American Medical Association to treat lower back pain and many other types of pain. This treatment is covered by some health insurance plans.
The most common side effects include pain at one or more insertion sites, bruising, and bleeding. However, most patients find these acceptable in exchange for relief of pain.
How Is Dry Needling Different from Acupuncture?
Dry needling is a newer treatment than acupuncture, and its principles supporting the practice are different. During dry needling, the practitioner inserts hair-thin needles called monofilaments into trigger points in your muscle or tissue. Trigger points are local bands of tight muscle that interfere with the movement and function of the muscle tissue. These trigger points are often the source of your low back pain.
By puncturing a trigger point with the monofilament, the tightness is diminished, and blood flow is increased – which then results in less pain. It is a safe and effective procedure that is minimally invasive, with few side effects.
While acupuncture comes from Eastern medicine, dry needling finds its foundation in Western medicine’s philosophy of pain management, including posture, pain patterns, and orthopedics. Unlike acupuncture, dry needling is often performed by a licensed professional like a physical therapist who has been trained in the procedure. It is often used in conjunction with other treatments.
Research has found that this treatment is also safe and effective, having the same potential side effects as acupuncture. Patients often report relief of low back pain and the ability to resume their normal activities.
Sports Doctors in Dallas
If you find yourself suffering from lower back pain, acupuncture or dry needling may be reasonable treatments that can get you on the move again. Here at Reagan Integrated Sports Medicine, our healthcare providers can recommend and perform the treatment that is best for you.
If you are looking for quality, patient-centered care to help with lower back pain, or any other problems with your back, bones, joints, or muscles, we are here to help. Contact us today for a consultation. We look forward to helping you find relief from your back pain once and for all.
