The Treatment of Back Pain
The Treatment of Back Pain When it comes to managing pain, Chinese medicine possesses many unique characteristics and modalities to provide quick results. At Tao to Wellness, we work with many patients who are in pain. The most common areas would certainly be the neck and the entire back. In Chinese medicine, it doesn’t matter where the pain is located, we can treat it by trusting the meridian system and Chinese philosophies and theories. We always start with acupuncture and depending on the particular situation, we may or may not incorporate Chinese herbal medicine, cupping, moxibustion or herbal patches. We are committed and in active collaboration with you to achieve results quickly and gently. How does it work? In Chinese medicine, the sign of pain is merely a blockage or stagnation in an area of a meridian; picture a traffic jam on a freeway or highway. When a strain, sprain, injury, repetitive stress issue or any number of things occurs there is a blockage of Qi (Energy) and Blood. These two vital substances, which are necessary for circulation, cannot nourish the area so inflammation, weakness or pain will be experienced, it’s the body’s way of sending a signal to the brain asking for help. Acupuncture is the perfect treatment because it easily opens the blockage, allowing the smooth flow of Qi and Blood to heal the area and when the area is addressed, pain disappears. How many treatments do I need? This is dependent on the following: Length of time the pain has been an issue Severity of the pain Consistency of the pain Overall health lifestyle 80% of patient’s have relief after the very first treatment; from there it’s a matter of how long the patient ‘holds or sustains’ the treatment. Change is easy, sustaining it is more challenging. We are creatures of habit and so are our bodies, all of the factors above dictate how long it takes to unwind the pattern. Chinese medicine acts as an interruption of that pattern, consistently willing the body to return to balance and an optimal state. We have a saying in the office, “When the pain comes back, you come back!” We listen and allow the body to dictate the treatment plan. So essentially time in between treatments could be a day or a week. This depends on how deep the pattern is but also takes into account the patient’s lifestyle, this will certainly feed the healing process or take away from it. Pain can be debilitating, Chinese medicine provides an outlet to regain quality of life without surgery or medications. Research studies Research confirms that using acupuncture for low back pain is extremely effective. At Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Oakland, California, a research study was performed to test the efficacy of acupuncture for low back pain. 640 subjects ranging from ages 17-80 with low back pain for more than 3 months participated in the study. Exclusions to the study were: already having previous acupuncture or any blood clotting issues. Ten treatments were administered over seven weeks total with follow up phone call interviews at the 8, 26 and 52 weeks after the last acupuncture treatment. The study is complete and did, in fact, conclude that acupuncture was a valid form of treatment for low back pain. An even larger study was done in Germany with 1,162 patients. This was the largest investigation of acupuncture for the treatment of low back pain vs. conventional non surgical treatments. Modalities tested were acupuncture, prescription medication, exercise and physical therapy. Researcher, Heinz Endres said, “Acupuncture represents a highly promising and effective treatment option for chronic back pain. Patients experienced not only reduced pain intensity, but also reported improvements in the disability that often results from back pain and therefore quality of life”. For this study, acupuncture was administered in ten, 30 minute sessions conducted over six weeks. The results were astounding and although it is still considered an alternative treatment in the US, based on the findings of this study acupuncture is now covered by the country’s health insurance in Germany. Dr. Endres, a research scientist, says that acupuncture is clearly useful for treatment for low back pain, “Just because we cannot explain exactly the mechanism by which a treatment works, doesn’t mean that it doesn’t work”.
What to Expect During an Acupuncture Session for Back Pain: Preparation and Procedure
Are you tired of battling persistent back pain that seems to linger no matter what you try? If so, you’re not alone. Back pain affects millions of people worldwide, impacting their quality of life and daily activities. Fortunately, acupuncture offers a comprehensive approach to back pain treatment that focuses on addressing the root cause of discomfort. Join us at Tao to Wellness as we explore what to expect during an acupuncture session for back pain, including preparation tips and the procedure overview. Back Pain Treatment: Embracing Comprehensive Healing Before diving into the specifics of acupuncture for back pain, it’s essential to understand the comprehensive nature of this ancient healing practice. Acupuncture is rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and involves the insertion of thin needles into specific points on the body to stimulate energy flow and promote balance. Rather than merely masking symptoms, acupuncture targets imbalances within the body’s energy pathways, known as meridians, to address the underlying causes of back pain. By restoring harmony to the body’s energy system, acupuncture facilitates natural healing processes, leading to long-lasting pain relief and improved overall well-being. Procedure Overview: Navigating the Needle Pathways During an acupuncture session for back pain, you can expect a personalized treatment tailored to your unique needs and symptoms. Your licensed acupuncturist will begin by conducting a comprehensive assessment, discussing your medical history, and identifying areas of discomfort or tension in your back. Once the assessment is complete, the acupuncture procedure will commence. Your acupuncturist will strategically insert thin, sterile needles into specific acupuncture points along the meridians associated with back pain relief. These points may include locations near the spine, muscles, and surrounding tissues, depending on the nature and severity of your symptoms. Contrary to common misconceptions, acupuncture needles are typically painless or cause minimal discomfort upon insertion. Many individuals describe sensations such as tingling, warmth, or a dull ache at the site of needle placement, signaling the activation of energy flow and the body’s natural healing response. Preparation Tips: Setting the Stage for Success Preparing for an acupuncture session can enhance your overall experience and optimize treatment outcomes. Here are some helpful tips to consider before your appointment: Hydrate: Drink plenty of water leading up to your acupuncture session to ensure your body is well-hydrated and primed for optimal energy flow. Wear Comfortable Clothing: Choose loose-fitting, comfortable clothing that allows easy access to the areas of your back targeted for treatment. Communicate Openly: Be honest with your acupuncturist about your back pain symptoms, concerns, and treatment expectations. Clear communication fosters a collaborative approach to healing and ensures that your treatment plan aligns with your needs. Relax and Unwind: Arrive at your acupuncture session with a relaxed mindset, free from distractions or stressors. Practice deep breathing or mindfulness techniques to center yourself and prepare for a therapeutic experience. Pain Relief Experience: Embracing the Journey to Wellness As the acupuncture needles stimulate specific points on your body, you may experience a sense of deep relaxation and relief from back pain. Many individuals report immediate improvements in pain levels, mobility, and overall well-being following acupuncture sessions. However, it’s essential to recognize that the effects of acupuncture may vary from person to person, depending on factors such as the severity of your back pain, your overall health status, and the frequency of acupuncture treatments. For some individuals, significant relief may be achieved after just one session, while others may require multiple sessions to experience lasting results. Regardless of the timeline, acupuncture offers a comprehensive approach to back pain treatment that addresses both the physical and emotional aspects of pain. By tapping into the body’s innate healing abilities and restoring balance to the energy system, acupuncture empowers individuals to take control of their health and embrace a journey to wellness. In conclusion, acupuncture holds tremendous promise as a natural, effective treatment for back pain. By understanding what to expect during an acupuncture session, preparing mindfully, and embracing the comprehensive healing experience, you can take proactive steps towards relieving back pain and restoring vitality to your life. At Tao to Wellness, we’re committed to providing comprehensive care and personalized treatment solutions to support your journey to optimal health and well-being. Contact us today to schedule an acupuncture session and discover the transformative benefits of this ancient healing art. Your path to pain-free living starts here.
Does Acupuncture Help with Neck Pain?
Acupuncture is a modality in Chinese medicine and has been in practice for 3,000 years. Often people wonder if it’s an effective treatment for neck pain or pain management overall, we like to say that if it weren’t effective, it would have died out long ago. There are so many causes of neck pain or discomfort; maybe you slept ‘wrong’ or had an uncomfortable night’s sleep, extended periods on a couch or in your work chair, or maybe you’ve been in an accident or done something extreme at the gym. Either way, neck pain is not uncommon, it’s usually minor, it comes and goes but sometimes it can become a chronic problem. What is an acupuncture treatment like? An acupuncture treatment is simply the administration of fine needles, about the size of one hair on your head. These thin needles are inserted into acupuncture points causing a stimulus to release, tonify, relax or harmonize the area, the meridian or the organ system. With neck pain, it doesn’t matter if it’s just a pulled muscle, cervical radiculopathy, thoracic outlet syndrome or multiple things going on at once. We locate the pain, find the meridian associated with the area and treat accordingly, bringing down inflammation, enhancing circulation to the area which speeds up healing time, increasing mobility and relaxing any muscle tension. For example, let’s say a patient comes to the clinic with terrible upper back and neck pain on the left side. There is trapezius involvement and the whole area between the spine and scapula going all the way down to thoracic vertebrae 8 is quite painful, patient has difficulty turning their head to the left or touching their ear to their shoulder, flexion and extension is completely normal though. From a Chinese medicine perspective, we asses which meridians are effected, here it’s primarily the Gall Bladder because of the trapezius involvement and also the inability to turn the neck side to side. The Urinary Bladder is also involved since this meridian runs along the entire spine, about an inch away on both sides. Lastly, the Small Intestine is a culprit as well since this meridian zig zags all over the scapula. So, we know who the imbalanced meridians are, how do we treat it? At Tao to Wellness, we use Dr Tan’s Balance Method often, this is a distal needling method, it’s basically needling away from the pain or the area of imbalance. There are many meridians that can balance the imbalanced meridians above, but probably the best ones for this are the Liver and the Kidney. So by treating acupuncture points on these meridians we can balance and pull the “traffic jam” away from the painful area. In Dr. Tan’s Balance Method, we mirror the body and use acupuncture points on the ankle and lower leg. We can also use some points on the wrist and forearm as well. The beauty of doing a treatment style like this is is it allows us to do ‘moving needle technique’ where after the insertion of needles, we have the patient move their head or mimic the pain. It’s a wonderful way to target and bring attention to the area so that that traffic jam starts to move along a bit faster. How many acupuncture treatments do I need for treatment of neck pain? That all depends! Maybe you just woke up with it this morning or it’s something that’s been nagging you for months or maybe even years! In a nutshell, the longer something has been around, the harder it is do get rid of. It’s like it’s taken residence in your body. That being said, patients see an improvement right after the first treatment and most of the time, during the actual treatment itself. From there, we listen to your body and tell patients when the pain comes back, you come back! Some patients will ‘hold’ their treatments anywhere from 1-5 days, by returning to the clinic before the pain is at the same level, we are able to get deeper healing out of that next treatment and giving you results faster. As the pain become less and less, you need less and less treatments. Are there other things you can do for Neck Pain? Cupping is also a wonderful addition to your acupuncture treatment and is used for pain on the entire back. Herbal medicine can take things to the next level, helping your body make subtle shifts throughout the day which will get you the results you want faster. Lastly Herbal Patches can administer herbal medicine through the skin locally in the area and can will assist in resolving things faster. How to get started with us? In the realm of pain management, acupuncture truly shines and completes the “trifecta” of alternative medicine. At Tao to Wellness we see more pain management related issues then anything else in our practice. Whether it’s neck pain, back pain, knee pain, wrist pain or simply a headache, it doesn’t matter, Chinese medicine can address all of these with much success!
One Minute Prep: Brussels Sprouts
One Minute Prep: Brussels Sprouts Tao to Wellness, Berkeley Acupuncture You’ve heard of “4 hour chef”, how about “one minute prep”! I like things done fast and with no fuss, no muss. I’m efficient and impatient, a constant teetering between positive attribute and annoying anxiety, for pete’s sake someone give her a Xanax! Just kidding, I’ve never had a Xanax in my life. When it comes to cooking, the prep time kills me, the chopping, the mincing, the slicing, the dicing, my most hated task is the chopping of onions (I cry enough in real life) and garlic because my fingers smell for hours or sometimes the whole day! When it comes to the baking for an hour or the simmering for 2 hours, ironically I don’t mind it in the least, I can go do something else while I’m waiting and somehow that to me screams efficiency, one of my strong suits. Here’s the quickest brussels sprouts you’ll ever make… Swear! Prep: 1 minute Bake: 30 min (or until they get crispy) Preheat oven to 400 degrees Buy organic already shaved Brussels Sprouts, open the bag, toss it in a bowl. Boom! Pop 6 garlics out of the tray, toss them into the bowl! Boom! Coat the Brussels lightly with olive oil, learning to eyeball things is a good trait, go with your gut! Add some maple syrup, maybe about a third of the amount of olive oil you used, the sugar helps them caramelize! Add a sprinkle of truffle sea salt and ground pepper. (I use Sabatino Truffle Salt) Stir it up and throw it into a cast iron skillet In 10 minutes, your garlic should be soft enough to blend into the brussels sprouts. Bake for another 20 minutes and then enjoy! Quick and easy and the clean up is a breeze since you’ve used one cast iron skillet, one bowl and one spoon! Yours, Speedy Gonzalez Tao to Wellness Berkeley, California 510.883.0383 Christina Martin is the founder of Tao to Wellness. She is an Acupuncturist, Chinese Herbalist and Teacher and has been in practice for almost twenty years. After having studied with the late great master, Dr. Richard Tan for her whole career, she is considered an expert in musculoskeletal issues, including sports medicine, and all aspects of internal medicine with an emphasis on gynecology and fertility. She is a fellow of the American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine and she is part of the Northern California Fertility Group. In addition to her private practice, she teaches meditation and is repeat guest lecturer at Symposia Medicus (a continuing education organization for Western doctors and nurses), UC Berkeley and Laney College.
