Back Pain Is Something That Millions Of People Suffer
Back pain is something that millions of people suffer with, every year, all over the UK. Some suffer pain on a long term basis due to concerns such as arthritis, or old soft tissue injuries that never really recover. Others have to navigate acute pain caused by a particular problem, such as a fresh injury. Others find that their pain comes and goes dependent upon the amount of sport they may be involved with at any given time. It has long been reported that age, genetics and weather conditions can also effect those who suffer with arthritis and any other kind of boney pain. Repetitive strain and bad posture, both sitting and standing, is also a regular cause of aches and pains. In this blog we will discover more about the use of various holistic treatments - acupuncture, massage, cupping - for back pain.
Regardless of the reasons, back pain is no joke and it's wearing to deal with, day in day out. Back pain, all pain, can have an effect on a person's mental health, their ability to work comfortably, and their ability to go out and socialise. Sleeping patterns are often affected as acute and chronic pain can wake a person up and disrupt rest. An individual's ability to move freely and with confidence can also be limited. So, what can be done? It's important to remember that getting a good diagnosis may be very important and anything physically and obviously suspicious, such as a lump, needs to be assessed by a GP. However, if we know what the issue is, such as an injury, too many hours sitting at a desk, or another chronic and ongoing issue then holistic therapies offers a range of services to help you.
Pain Score, Acupuncture, Massage & Cupping
If your pain score is quite high, let's say 7/10 and above, it would be my personal recommendation to approach first with sessions of acupuncture. The reason for this is acupuncture has the ability to work with the pain receptors in your body. Good needling technique is known to bring about what we call 'descending inhibition', which means in a block of treatments (a minimum of 4) I would aim to bring down your pain score to a more workable and manageable level. Sometimes we'll get lucky and your pain may vanish all together. In these cases, however, such luck is usually the result of a multi-disciplinary approach over an extended period of time. Such as a combination of acupuncture, massage and cupping therapy, with possible intervention from an outside physio and / or chiropractor. Keeping up with appropriate at-home exercises and being mindful of how to keep your pain at bay might also be a regular ingredient. After all, one of my favourite phrases has always been... 'nothing happens in a vacuum'.
Nevertheless, once we complete a block of acupuncture, we would stop to assess your pain score and how you are feeling overall. Where did you start, where are you now? And we would discuss anything else that has changed, altered, or improved. After this, it may prove that to carry on with acupuncture is the best course to follow, and we would start to space your sessions out more and more. Or, it could be that you are feeling enough improvement and we decide on moving you to treatments of massage and cupping to physically loosen off tight muscles, knotty fascia and encourage blood flow to the necessary areas. Occasionally, a combination of acupuncture, massage and cupping for back pain proves to be of most benefit. In this case, we would combine, or juggle our methods as the weeks progress.
Might Your Pain Lean Towards A Massage Approach?
If you turn up and you already have a fairly low, but highly irritating, pain score, it's likely I would suggest moving straight in the direction of massage and cupping therapy (dependant upon your own preferences and the root cause of your pain). Physically tackling knots, taking a hands on approach to lessening tension and increasing blood flow naturally leans towards a massage and cupping approach. Therefore, lower level issues are often best approached in this way. However, if you have a variety of difficulties and physical concerns, a mixed approach of acupuncture, massage and cupping for your back pain might, as discussed above, again be of most benefit to you.
For those of you who are not accustomed to the use of cups and cupping therapy, it is the process of suction cups being placed along the skin at strategic points. Some can be stationary, while others are moved along the skin in order to lift the fascia, muscle bulk and other soft tissues underneath. This promotes circulation, it supports the lymphatic system, and tension knots are physically lifted and massaged out. Popular with those who are particularly sporty, cupping therapy is frequently requested as it is often seen as a method of improving muscle recovery. It's also important to note that cupping can trace it's roots as far back as acupuncture. From a traditional TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) perspective, cups over key meridian points can be equally effective as needling techniques in terms of stimulating the nervous system into action and reducing pain as a result.
Dry Needling As An Option
Dry needling is not so well understood, but it's also an option, again depending upon the cause of your pain. The dry needling technique involves the use of an acupuncture needle placed directly into a muscle bulk. It is vigorously moved around the tight and painful tissues, including any fascia that might be contributing to your tension. Pain and tightness is then noticeably dissipated and released due to the needle slicing it out and the body's natural rush of blood to the area. This approach is, again, popular with sports persons. It's also popular with those who tend to carry themselves in a particularly tense manner. Acupuncture, massage, cupping for back pain can easily incorporate another player - such as dry needling. In this way, a mix of bespoke approaches and modalities can also be brought into a treatment session.
Knowing where to start with your back pain can be confusing. Much depends on your knowledge of your issue and what you have experienced before when it comes to helping yourself. If you are in doubt as to how you might like to proceed, you are always welcome to book a consultation slot. It is also worth noting that holistic therapies are generally very safe. There are few instances where we come across any contraindications that stop, or limit, our ability to move ahead and find what works for you. What is most common is people find that acupuncture, massage, cupping therapy and dry needling act as wonderful team players to any other methods of pain control that might already be in place. Such as prescription painkillers, or input and advice from a physiotherapist.
Links and resources:
If you would like to read a clinical approach to acupuncture and it's ability to intervene in cases of back pain, you can do so via the link.
If you would like to watch and listen to Dr Carl Clarkson discuss the effect of concentrated acupuncture on pain pathways, please click on the link provided.
For more from me, please don't hesitate to reach out and you can find my contact details here