Is Acupuncture Helpful For Back Pain?

Acupuncture is an effective and safe approach to help reduce back pain—when performed by a qualified and certified acupuncturist. It's worth talking to your doctor about trying it for your back pain issues.

Common Causes of Back Pain

The lower back is prone to strain due to its weight-bearing function and connection in actions like twisting and bending. A muscle strain occurs when muscle fibers get overstretched or torn. Inflammation is frequent at the damaged site, usually accompanied by pain when moving. Muscle cramps or spasms may develop, as well as reduced function and range of motion.

How Acupuncture Treats Back Pain

Acupuncture has been used in Chinese medicine for almost 4,000 years, but its benefits have only recently become known in the West. As individuals become increasingly aware of alternative treatments and seek non-medication pain management options, acupuncture appears to have risen to the top of many people's radars.

While over-the-counter or prescription pain drugs may provide temporary relief, they do not address the underlying issue(s) or cause of the pain. Medication may disguise the discomfort to the point that a person continues to engage in an activity that may exacerbate their physical condition. 

Acupuncture As a Complementary Treatment for Back Pain

Researchers in China, the United States, and other nations have researched to acupuncture, how it works, and its usefulness in treating back pain and other forms of physical discomfort. Some acupuncturists think that it unblocks and moves the body's energy (Qi, pronounced "chee") through its functional systems, including the neurological, respiratory, circulatory, muscular, and digestive systems.

According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), "several studies suggest that acupuncture may help relieve chronic low back pain, neck pain, and osteoarthritis/knee pain." It may also help lessen the occurrence of tension headaches and avoid migraine headaches.

In 2016, a group of Chinese researchers reported the results of a study of 751 people with low back pain. The researchers concluded that acupuncture could have "a favorable effect on self-report pain and functional limitations in LBP [low back pain] patients."

How Acupuncture Works

Needling acupuncture points activates the neurological system, causing chemicals to be released in the muscles, spinal cord, and brain, including endorphins, encephalin (a form of endorphin), and other neurochemicals. These natural substances may alter the sensation of pain or cause the release of additional chemicals and hormones, influencing the body's internal regulating system.

This can have a normalizing influence on neuroendocrine (nerve and hormonal) function. Acupuncture improves energy and metabolic equilibrium, encouraging the body's innate healing capacity and improving physical and emotional well-being.

Acupuncture for Back Pain - Effectiveness and Risk

In recent years, experts have looked through the scientific literature to see how beneficial acupuncture is for back pain.

A 2020 analysis of articles in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, which included data from over 8,200 people, indicated that additional and higher quality research on acupuncture for back pain is required before it can be definitively regarded as effective for back pain. The available evidence, however, suggests that acupuncture is superior to no treatment or a placebo ("sham" acupuncture or dry needling), at least in the short term. Furthermore, this review reveals that adverse effects in acupuncture are no more common than in other forms of treatment.

Acupuncture has few adverse effects, which are typically moderate. The US Food and Drug Administration requires that acupuncture needles be sterile and single-use only. Acupuncture side effects can include muscle discomfort and bleeding.

A thorough analysis of research published in 2021 in BMJ Open reveals that significant adverse effects (SAEs) are uncommon and can include pneumothorax (collapsed lung), fainting, and falls. The authors of the review state that there are one to three SAEs per million acupuncture treatments.

Should You Try Acupuncture for Back Pain?

If your doctor believes you have a form of back pain that could benefit from acupuncture pain relief you can find a trained acupuncturist near you at a reasonable cost, give it a try.

However, acupuncture alone does not constitute a back pain therapy regimen. Follow other professional suggestions, such as exercise/physical therapy, ice and/or heat, and lifestyle modifications, to treat the underlying cause of your pain.