Johns Hopkins Health Alert
Choosing Acupuncture For Back Pain Relief
This Health Alert is intended for readers interested in learning about the prevention, diagnosis and management of back pain.
Acupuncture comes from the traditional Chinese medical theory that pain or disease occurs when the body’s natural energies (chi) are out of balance. The Chinese believe that chi is conducted through the body along pathways called meridians, which intersect at specific points in the body. Stimulating these points through acupuncture needles is meant to correct the improper flow of chi—and relieve the disorder.
The needles used in acupuncture are as thin as a hair. In general, 10 to 15 of these needles are inserted into the back to treat pain. Sometimes the needles are stimulated with electricity or heat, or turned after insertion. Acupuncture may relieve pain by triggering nerves to send out natural, pain-blocking chemicals (endorphins) within the body. Pain relief, while common, is usually temporary.
Although a panel convened by the National Institutes of Health found few well-designed studies of acupuncture, they concluded that there was enough evidence of its value for further research. They also stated that for certain situations, such as back pain, acupuncture “may be useful as an adjunct treatment or an acceptable alternative or be included in a comprehensive management program.”
Posted in Back Pain on May 1, 2006
Reviewed June 2011
Medical Disclaimer: This information is not intended to substitute for the advice of a physician. Click here for additional information: Johns Hopkins Health Alerts Disclaimer
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