Acupressure for back pain

Low Back Pain: acupressure more effective than physiotherapy

We explore the findings of Taiwanese researchers, who ventured to test acupressure’s efficacy in comparison to conventional physical therapy.

Acupressure – pushing with the fingertips at the same body points used in acupuncture – gave patients better, long-lasting relief for low back pain than conventional physical therapy, Taiwanese researchers report.

‘Acupressure was effective in reducing low back pain in terms of disability, pain scores and functional status,’ doctors at the National Taiwan University reported in the current issue of the British Medical Journal. ‘The benefit was sustained for six months.’

‘Acupressure conferred an 89 percent reduction in physical disability compared with physical therapy,’ the researchers reported. The people who got acupressure also scored better on measures of pain and had fewer days taken off from work or school, the researchers said.

However, they cautioned that the effectiveness of any manipulative therapy such as acupressure ‘is highly dependent on the therapist’s technique and experience.’

In our practice we combine acupressure/Tuina with acupuncture for back pain to utilise these techniques to the maximum potential.

Interested to learn more? Get in touch or read more about how acupuncture helps with pain.

Acupuncture for back pain

Acupuncture effectively relieves chronic low back pain

In an age of technological marvels and medical breakthroughs, it’s fascinating to see how a practice rooted in ancient wisdom continues to provide relief to those in pain. Acupuncture, a cornerstone of traditional Chinese medicine, has long been the subject of scrutiny and debate. However, a comprehensive meta-analysis has provided compelling evidence that acupuncture can effectively alleviate chronic low back pain, a condition that plagues countless individuals and often sends them seeking solace from their physicians.

The study, spearheaded by Eric Manheimer and his team, assessed the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating low back pain by analysing 33 randomised, controlled trials. These trials compared needle acupuncture with sham acupuncture, other sham treatments, no additional treatment, or another active treatment for patients with low back pain. The outcomes considered included pain, functional status, overall improvement, return to work, and analgesic consumption. Additionally, the quality of the included trials was assessed.

The researchers discovered that for the primary outcome of short-term relief of chronic pain, acupuncture was significantly more effective than both sham treatment and no additional treatment. This finding is a testament to acupuncture’s potential as a viable alternative to traditional pain relief methods. However, for patients with acute low back pain, the data remains sparse and inconclusive. Moreover, the study could not draw conclusions about acupuncture’s short-term effectiveness compared with most other therapies.

While the quality and quantity of the included trials varied, the results of this meta-analysis are heartening for proponents of acupuncture and individuals struggling with chronic low back pain. The study concludes that acupuncture does indeed provide effective relief for chronic low back pain, though it is not necessarily more effective than other active therapies.

In an era where the pursuit of knowledge and understanding is paramount, it’s essential to keep an open mind when exploring the potential benefits of ancient practices. The findings of this study not only validate acupuncture’s role in pain relief but also reinforce the notion that sometimes, the answers to modern problems can be found by looking to the wisdom of the past.