Acupuncture is considered an acceptable form of treatment for sciatica and back pain even though it may not offer longstanding relief all the time. Seen more as a way to alleviate pain rather than a cure for it, acupuncture is a valuable mode of treatment for those who are suffering from severe pain and discomfort.
Acupuncture is currently a very much accepted and well known form of back pain treatment in West societies even if it is still classified as an alternative treatment. The Chinese have been utilizing this treatment for thousands of years with consistent success for the alleviation of back pain although it is not seen as a complete cure for it. The basic procedure of this treatment is simple. Filiform sterile needles are stuck in the body at specific points in the body and the acupuncturist then manipulates them in order to elicit a desired effect.
The points in the body where the needles are inserted are quite difficult to identify, but because the acupuncturist is well-trained in finding and determining the necessary points for treating a specific condition such as back pain, these acupuncture points or acupoints are ascertained during diagnosis. The acupoints, based on Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory relate to yin/ yang energies. Western medicine, however, believes that these needles produce a stimulating response when they are pierced into the skin which leads to the relief of pain.
Scientists have found that acupuncture can produce long term benefits in the treatment of back pain and sciatica although it does not entirely cure these conditions. Acupuncture may not also work for some people but there are really good basis for thinking that this treatment is a good way to attain relief from pain caused by back-related problems. One other matter to be considered is that the alleviation of pain usually lasts longer than typical pain relieving medication prescribed by the doctor or sold over-the-counter. Prescription painkilling medications often need to be taken again within a few hours. Besides the advantage of having a much better effect than drugs, there is no also for addiction when getting acupuncture treatment in Edina.
If we are to assume that acupuncture does indeed work for the patient then, a realistic chance exists that the pain relief will in itself result in much greater mobility, which then might result in the complete and natural curing of the back pain. But if the treatment fails to lead to direct improvement of the condition, then more treatments may then be required by the patient, perhaps one to a couple of sessions each week for a few weeks. Unfortunately, for some people this may be a bit costly.
Hygiene and safety are important factors that need to be considered during an acupuncture procedure. It’s important that needles need always to be sterile and used just for a single time. A patient undergoing acupuncture treatment should expect that the needles used for his/her treatment are sterile and come from an unopened packaged prior to the start of the treatment. The extreme thinness of the needle is unlikely to generate pain in the body as they are slowly inserted into the body.
It has been asked if acupuncture does indeed have the ability to bring about relief from pain. There are claims that it does so but a lot of scientists believe that acupuncture treatments may just be producing a placebo effect. Western medical research has an incomplete understanding of how acupuncture actually works in treating conditions such as back pain. It will be to the benefit of acupuncture that more clinical tests have are performed to confirm the real effectiveness of this treatment so more and more people will be confident in taking advantage of it for the treatment of their condition; when compared with other forms of this treatment, acupuncture has a much higher rate of success.
Acupuncture is actually difficult to study as its effects are hard to explain. It is not considered a cure although it has been known to result in a cure from time to time and multiple visits are required. It may help bring about a cure but not always and repeat visits to the therapist may be required. In terms of pain relief then, acupuncture is well worth trying and it may lead to something better. When trying to alleviate back pain caused by issues such as slipped disc, acupuncture may be ineffective.
Lastly, you need to understand that acupuncture should only be performed by qualified practitioners. Unlike acupressure, acupuncture should not be performed by oneself nor should it be used by people with blood disorder and are bleeding. Also, talk first with your doctor before undertaking the treatment.