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Acupuncture For Low Back Pain
According to traditional Chinese medicine, low back pain can be differentiated into three main types based upon their causes.
Cold Air Dampness
This type of low back pain usually occurs after patients are exposed to cold, damp weather. This type of low back pain is aggravated during rainy days. Usually patients experience a heavy sensation and muscle stiffness in the pelvic region, and may have limits to how far they can extend or flex their back muscles without feeling pain. The pain may radiate down to the buttocks and lower limbs. The patients may have a cold feeling around the affected area. The patient’s tongue coating is white and sticky, and their pulse is usually deep and weak, or deep and slow.
Kidney Deficiency
The symptoms of this type of pain include a gradual onset of pain and prolonged pains or soreness accompanied by lassitude and weakness of the pelvic area and knees. The pain is aggravated by fatigue and alleviated by bed rest.
If the Yang energy in the patient’s kidney is deficient, patients may have cramp-like sensations in the lower abdomen, a somber white facial complexion, cold limbs, pale tongue, and a deep thready or deep slow pulse.
If the Yin energy in the patient’s kidney is deficient, patients may experience irritability, insomnia, dry mouth and throat, flushed face, feverish sensations in the chest, palms and soles, reddened tongue with scanty coating, thready weak or thready rapid pulse.
Trauma
The patient with this type of pain may have a history of strains in the lumbar region, or rigidity and pain in the lower back, which is generally fixed in a certain area. The pain is aggravated by pressure or by turning the body.
This type of pain can be diagnosed by a pink or dark purplish tongue and string-taut, hesitant pulse.
These three types of low back pain do not occur only in isolation. Sometimes they may combine together or transform from one type into another.
Depending upon the type of low back pain, a Chinese medical doctor will choose different herbal formulas, acupoints and needle manipulating methods to treat the patient. Moxibustion and cupping may also be used.
Many people think that chronic, non-specific, low back pain is difficult to treat because it is difficult to find its cause. Patients use painkillers, which gradually become less effective. Chinese medicine is a good alternative or complementary choice.
