Can I Treat My Spine with Acupuncture?

If you or a loved one suffers from back pain, you are a member of a not-so-exclusive club. Not only is back pain one of the most common health issues worldwide, but low back pain is also the No. 1 cause of disability across the globe.

Sometimes, back pain is a weekend warrior deal caused by overestimating your strength while helping a friend move or doing one too many reps on your new workout. For others, it’s a chronic issue caused by spine instability.

Regardless of the cause, you quickly learn that when you have spine issues, it’s hard to find a comfortable position — standing, walking, or sitting can be painful. In this blog, Neil Bhamb, MD, offers his insights on acupuncture and how this traditional Chinese medicine can play a role in a multidisciplinary holistic spine care program for your journey to spine health.

Acupuncture explained

Acupuncture has become a popular alternative modality. But how does it work, and more importantly, is it an effective treatment option for your spine? Acupuncture can trace its roots back more than 2,500 years to traditional Chinese medicine.

It wasn’t until the 1800s that the treatment modality made its way to the United States when Dr. Franklin Baché, the great-grandson of Benjamin Franklin, became the first American medical doctor to use and document acupuncture. It took some 170 years to gain traction in the US in the 1970s.

Acupuncture is the idea that optimum mind, body, and spirit health happens when energy, or “qi,” circulates freely throughout the body along meridian pathways. Meridians connect to body organs and systemic functions, similar to Western medicine’s concept of the central role of fully functioning nerve receptors and oxygenated blood to overall health.

Safe with few or no side effects

The central concept with acupuncture is that disease or illness and pain occur when something disrupts the body’s qi and prevents it from flowing freely. In this scenario, a practitioner uses acupuncture to restore the flow of qi and stimulate healing.

But can acupuncture relieve pain? According to the National Institutes of Health, research indicates that acupuncture may be an effective pain reliever, particularly for chronic conditions such as tension headaches, osteoarthritis, neck pain, and lower back pain.

Not only can the placement along the meridians stimulate nerves and trigger a reaction that results in a relaxation response that relieves pain, but unlike some narcotic analgesics, patients don’t have to worry about becoming addicted or suffering side effects.

Initially, some patients new to acupuncture may have minor soreness at the needle insertion sites. Patients only feel a mild ache or pressure when the practitioner inserts the needles during an acupuncture session.

Holistic spine care and acupuncture

Our practice is committed to providing patients with exceptional care with a holistic approach to their spine health. Fellowship-trained orthopedic and minimally invasive spine surgeon Dr. Bhamb understands the multiple ways healing happens and how spinal health plays a central role in a patient’s well-being and quality of life.

Remember that holistic spine care doesn’t mean that prescription medications or surgery get eliminated from the full menu of spine care treatment options. It means that instead of focusing on an injury, Dr. Bhamb and his caring, experienced team treat the whole person.

Our holistic approach includes a variety of treatment modalities, including:

Acupuncture – Used as an alternative therapy in a blended treatment program for patients with chronic low-back pain that hasn’t responded to conventional treatment.

Consultations – Focusing on nutrition and fitness includes functional lifestyle choices and programs on physical activity.

Physical therapy – Reducing the symptoms of lumbar instability by stretching and strengthening the lower back.

Pain medications and injections – Oral pain relievers are the first line of treatment to relieve lower back pain. We may prescribe epidural steroid injections to reduce pain and swelling.

If you suffer from spine issues and want to learn if acupuncture is right for you, contact our Century City or Marina Del Rey office. Call us today or book your appointment online.