Back pain affects a good majority of the population, especially during the summer when everyone is outside doing projects and having fun. Mild, moderate, or severe back pain can prevent you from living life because it makes it so difficult and uncomfortable to perform everyday tasks. Acupuncture is a minimally invasive treatment option that shows promising results for chronic and acute back pain. Galen Acupuncture and Osteopathic Medicine can offer a healthier, safer alternative to pharmaceutical drugs.
Acetaminophen overdose is one of the most common poisonings. Since back pain is considered a common occurrence, most people will treat with over-the-counter pain relievers. People often think that this is a safe medicine, however, it can be deadly if taken in large doses. Tylenol is a brand name for acetaminophen, and this can also be found in several other medications that include acetaminophen as an ingredient. Adults should not take more than 3,000 mg of acetaminophen a day, less if you are over 65 years old. Taking more, especially 7,000 mg or more, can lead to a severe overdose problem. Acetaminophen overdose is the leading cause for calls to Poison Control Center, with more than 56,000 emergency room visits, 2,600 hospitalizations, and an estimated 458 deaths due to acute liver failure each year. A safer alternative to treating back pain is acupuncture.
Acupuncture is a technique rooted in ancient Chinese medicine, inserting hair-thin needles into the skin at strategic places to release stress and tension. Back pain has many causes, and we must find them. Starting with assessing any structural imbalances that could be contributing to the back pain, we will palpate associated muscles and release trigger points and tight tender points that are causing the back pain. The longer you live with back pain, the stronger the pain pathways become, meaning it is harder to treat.
Acupuncture helps to release trigger points in muscles that can cause back pain. The idea behind acupuncture is that it helps reset your body’s energy to resolve several issues – our current medicine has found it especially helpful in treating back pain. In fact, back pain and sciatica are the top reasons people seek out acupuncture therapy. Acupuncture stimulates the nervous system, releasing pain-reducing chemicals and promoting changes within the body that help resolve back pain. The specific needle placements help patients experience relief through several different ways, including:
- Triggers electromagnetic impulses – the electromagnetic currents released during acupuncture help the body control chronic and continuous back pain.
- Stimulates the nervous system – by stimulating specific trigger points around the body naturally occurring, pain-relieving chemicals around the spinal cord are released.
- Releases Neurotransmitters – neurotransmitters release and help eliminate sensations of pain and discomfort caused by back pain.
If you have any kind of back pain that isn’t being helped with other treatments, call Galen Acupuncture and Osteopathic Medicine today and see if our treatments will work for you! Dr. April L. Harris out of Lawrence, KS is certified in Family Practice and Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment with added qualifications in Geriatric Medicine. Call 785-393-1108 to schedule an appointment and visit our site to learn more! We look forward to offering you relief soon!