Acupuncture for Back Pain

Name: Dr Vitalis Acupuncture Auckland
Price range: $$

Considering acupuncture for back pain? This natural option is now a frontline treatment.

The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) is a reputable mainstream peer-reviewed medical journal published by the American Medical Association.

The new JAMA back pain treatment best practice guidelines recommend acupuncture as a frontline treatment, before resorting to opioids, antidepressants, surgery, steroid and anaesthetic injections. This is for both acute lower back pain and chronic.

These guidelines also include other therapies which we often combine with our acupuncture treatments: superficial heat (our TDP far infrared lights), spinal manipulation, massage and mindfulness. See the chart below for better understanding of back pain treatment we’re renowned for.

	JAMA best practice guidelines	Our treatment
Acupuncture	Frontline therapy for both acute and chronic back pain	Includes Acupuncture
Manipulation (spinal adjustments), massage	Frontline for both acute and chronic b.p.	Includes Tuina spinal adjustments and massage on the affected muscles
Heat application	Acute back pain	We use far infrared TDP heat lights
Exercise/Yoga/Tai Chi/Motor control exercises	Chronic back pain	We provide guidelines on exercise and stretching
Mindfulness, CBT, Progressive relaxation	Chronic back pain	We guide and teach some simple yet powerful mindfulness techniques
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs	Both acute and chronic	We do not supply nor prescribe medications

Tag Archive for: back pain

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Pregnancy back and pelvic pain – acupuncture and stabilising exercises

Over two-thirds of women will experience some degree of back pain during pregnancy, and nearly a fifth suffer from pelvic pain.

Researchers from Cochrane collaboration reviewed research on various therapies available to relieve back pain during pregnancy.

The researchers confirmed that stabilizing exercises and pregnancy acupuncture were better than usual care alone for relieving pelvic pain. Among women with both back and pelvic pain, there was evidence that acupuncture was more effective than physical therapy.

SOURCE: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2007, Issue 2.

“I haven’t been able to find anyone of Vitalis’ standard” Jeremy Stanford, Melbourne, Australia

I was in Auckland for Christmas last year, on holiday from Australia, and I put my back out so badly I could hardly get off the bed. It was the worst back pain I’d ever experienced. I picked Vitalis out of the phone book and thankfully he was open between Christmas and New Year. He promises that you will feel an improvement after the first treatment, and he lived up to that promise in spades. I was astounded how quickly he was able to relieve the back pain and put me on the path to recovery. With a combination of acupuncture and manipulation, after just two sessions I was feeling 70% back to normal. If I didn’t have to return to Australia, I’m sure he’d have got me back to 100% with another session.

I get regular osteopathic treatment in Melbourne but haven’t been able to find anyone of Vitalis’ standard over here. This year I returned to Auckland and prebooked to see him just to keep my back in order and for him to treat an Achilles problem I have. With acupuncture, he again worked wonders this time on my foot. I’d highly recommend Vitalis to anyone.

Jeremy Stanford, Melbourne, Australia

Acupuncture relieves low back pain long-term

“Our new data provides a significant step forward in treating chronic pain and managing depression” Professor MacPherson

In a recent study, Professor MacPherson and his team explored the impact of acupuncture for back pain on 241 individuals. Their findings suggest that acupuncture not only offers short-term relief but can also provide lasting benefits.

“If you offer acupuncture to someone with back pain, on average, they are likely to experience sustained benefits—not just in the short term but particularly over the long term, up to 24 months,” said MacPherson.

This is a striking discovery, as most treatments tend to lose effectiveness over time. MacPherson emphasised: “It’s remarkable to see lasting improvements, where you would typically expect the benefits of treatment to diminish.”

The study compared standard care, which included medication, physiotherapy, and exercise, with the addition of 10 acupuncture sessions over three months. Throughout the two-year study, patient satisfaction and pain levels were closely monitored. While there was little difference between the two groups after three months, subtle improvements were observed in the acupuncture group by the 12-month mark.

By 24 months, the gap between the two groups had widened, with the acupuncture group showing greater improvement.

“This is the first study to show such a progressive difference over two years, which makes it quite unique,” MacPherson noted.

Additionally, a cost-analysis revealed that acupuncture is a cost-effective option. The cost of treatment for each patient receiving acupuncture was £460 (NZD $863) compared to £345 (NZD $647) for standard care. The modest increase in cost is justified by the long-term benefits reported by patients.

This research adds to the growing body of evidence supporting acupuncture as a valuable and effective treatment for chronic pain management, offering patients not only relief but also hope for lasting results.