Low back pain means pain in the lower lumbar, lumbosacral or sacroiliac regions, possibly accompanied by pain radiating down one or both buttocks and legs. Low back pain is one of the most common complaints. It is present in at least 50 percent of all persons 60 years of age or older. It accounts for millions of hours lost from work and millions of dollars spent on treatment and medication. Low back pain may be either acute or chronic. It can be simply annoying or irritating or it can produce unbearable physical and emotional suffering.
In Western medicine, acute low back pain is treated with rest, local heat, massage, oral analgesics and muscle relaxants. Chronic low back pain is treated by weight loss, exercise, orally administered and intramuscularly injected analgesics and surgery.
On the other hand, the Chinese have been treating low back pain with acupuncture and Chinese medicine for more than 2,000 years, and in the last 50 years, a large body of research has been developed suggesting that Chinese medicine can be an effective alternative to Western drugs and surgery. The National Institute of Health states that acupuncture may be useful as an adjunct treatment or an acceptable alternative or be included in a comprehensive management program. Low back pain, joint pain and soft tissue injury are the most common complaints treated in an acupuncture clinic.
In one study of more than 20,000 patients at UCLA, acupuncture reduced both the frequency and severity of muscle tension, headaches and migraines. Another study, involving 204 patients suffering from chronic painful conditions, resulted in 74 percent experiencing significant relief for more than three months after acupuncture treatment.
Doctors also have found that using acupuncture lowers the need for conventional pain-killing drugs and thus reduces the risk of side effects for patients who take the drugs.
For more information, please call Ki acupuncture clinic at 661-251-5930.