If you are one of the 1 in 6 Australians living with back pain, our acupuncture clinic on Brisbane’s southside offers a natural approach to help you find relief.

Back pain is one of the most common reasons people see a doctor, and it can have a debilitating impact on a person’s physical and mental health and wellbeing. If you’re unlucky enough to be among them, you know just how much it can affect your ability to cope with everyday life.

Fortunately, there is growing evidence that acupuncture may offer back pain relief. In fact, in some cases, long-term acupuncture treatment may even be more effective than medication for symptom improvement (1)!

Back pain may be caused by a variety of factors, including poor posture, muscle or ligament strain, herniated discs, and underlying medical conditions like arthritis or osteoporosis.

It may also be caused by acute injuries from physical activities or accidents, or by lifestyle factors like prolonged sitting, lack of exercise, or obesity.

Pain experienced may be in the lower back or upper back (thoracic) region, and may be:

• Acute (short term) – Pain that lasts a few days to a few weeks, or
• Chronic – Pain that continues for 3 months or longer

Understanding the cause of, and any other contributing factors to your back pain, is essential for effective treatment and prevention. A doctor or an acupuncturist experienced in back pain is able to assist with diagnosis and treatment options.

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese therapy that involves inserting thin needles into specific points on the body to stimulate the body’s natural healing process. It is widely practiced for acute and chronic pain management due to its analgesic effect (2).

The mechanism lies in acupuncture’s ability to stimulate the body’s natural painkillers, such as endorphins, serotonin, and corticosteroids (3). Additionally, acupuncture promotes blood flow and reduces inflammation – both crucial for enhancing the healing process and helping alleviate back pain.

Studies have found that over the long-term, acupuncture treatment may assist with:

• Relieving lower back pain (4)
• Improving back function (4)
• Alleviating chronic neck pain (5)
• Relieving shoulder pain (6)
• Improving physical quality of life (4)

Our acupuncturist may also prescribe specific Chinese herbs which may work synergistically to enhance the body’s healing processes and provide further relief (7). Commonly used Chinese herbs for back pain include:

•          Turmeric (Jiang Huang) – known for reducing inflammation and swelling, and promoting blood circulation
•          Cinnamon (Rou Gui) – due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties
•          Corydalis Root (Yan Hu Suo) – for its strong analgesic properties and ability to block pain signals in the brain
•          Frankincense Resin (Ru Xiang) – known for reducing inflammation, improving blood circulation, and relaxing muscles
•          Safflower Flower (Hong Hua) – for relieving tension in the body

Trying to decide between acupuncture or massage for back pain? While there is not enough evidence to support whether one relieves pain better than the other, they are often used in conjunction to help with back pain.

Life shouldn’t have to be painful. If back pain is getting you down, book a consultation with our highly experienced acupuncturist Louise today, and let’s get your body working to heal deeply from within.