Lower Back Pain Treatment NYC by Marc Bystock L.Ac.

What is Low Back Pain?

Low back pain is called Lumbago. To understand what could be happening to you when you experience low back pain, it is first necessary to understand a little bit about the local anatomy.

• First, there is a spine. The sections of the spine involved include the lumbar and the sacral regions. Most of the dysfunction and pain in the lower back comes from the lumbar region, which has five vertebrae. Each vertebra is a small bone with muscle attachment and a space for the nerve cord. Discs fill in the spaces between the vertebrae, providing cushion and shock absorption. 

• The lumbar vertebrae stack on top of the sacral region, which meets the iliac bone of the pelvis, forming the sacroiliac joints.

• Finally, there are various ligaments, muscles, and nerves, including the sciatic nerve, which originates between the 4th and 5th lumbar regions. The nerves in this region are responsible for sensation and stimulation in the lower back, upper legs, lower legs, and feet.

• The discs may herniate, causing protrusions, inflammation, and pain to the adjacent nerve tissue and sciatic nerve.

• The lower back supports the upper body. It provides structure for movement and protects the lower spinal cord and surrounding organs.

• Every time we bend, extend, or rotate our waist, we are using the lower back vertebrae and muscles.

• Any injury to the structures in this area can be severe.
  

• Nerve irritation and lumbar radiculopathy: This can occur when mechanical forces from tissue, vertebrae, or the disc protrude to impinge on an adjacent nerve. The result may be local pain or pain that radiates distally. An example of radiculopathy is sciatic pain. Even though the nerve impingement may happen at the lumbar 5th nerve root, the pain may be felt across the buttocks and shoot down to the toes.

• Congenital bone injuries: These are genetic or present at birth. Scoliosis is medically defined as a sideways curvature of the spine.

• Degenerative bone conditions: These usually occur with age, wear and tear, cartilage changes due to a lack of protein and water, and arthritis.

• Tumors: Either benign or malignant tumors can cause pain if located on the spine or spinal cord. Tumors may either originate on the spinal cord or the spine, or they could metastasize from other areas of the body. Symptoms may appear as local pain or as radiating pain.

It may be necessary to perform a physical examination to determine the cause of low back pain. A physical exam should include palpation, a neurological exam, a reflex test, a range-of-motion test, and a leg raise test.

X-rays look at the bony structures of the spine. They can detect arthritis, tumors, and bony spurs. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) can scan soft tissues, muscles, ligaments, and discs and detect tissue tears, tumors, or other abnormalities.

How Does Conventional Medicine Treat Low Back Pain?

Ice can be used to lower pain and local inflammation. Over-the-counter analgesics, both topical and oral, such as Tylenol, may be used. Your physician may prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) to lower inflammation and pain. 

Physical therapy is commonly prescribed for strengthening weak muscle fibers that have become dysfunctional. Opioids and muscle relaxants like Baclofen are prescribed to relieve pain and discomfort.

Finally, surgery may be prescribed in cases where physical therapy and medications fail. A microdiscectomy is a surgical procedure to remove a small portion of a disc that may be pressing on a nerve and causing pain. A laminectomy is a spinal surgery that is sometimes called a decompression surgery. It enlarges the spinal canal to give additional room for the nerve root.

How My Acupuncture Treatments Provide Low Back Pain Relief

The facts are that almost everyone will experience low back pain at some point in their lifetime. Low back pain is the highest requested reason for acupuncture web searches. Many studies have been performed, showing that acupuncture works successfully for low back pain. The conclusion: Acupuncture is an excellent medical modality to relieve low back pain. When performed by an experienced acupuncturist, the risk of side effects is minimal, and pain can be reduced quickly.

Often, acupuncture points overlap with nerve motor points and trigger points. When stimulated properly with acupuncture needles, these locations increase blood, oxygen, and nutrient flow in the local tissue. This action lowers oxidation and inflammation. Acupuncture helps to dampen down and shut off the pain by boosting important natural opioid neurotransmitters like endorphins, enkephalins, and endocannabinoids.

Many of my lower back patients will be treated using electro-acupuncture, which uses a low-voltage electrical charge to stimulate the acupuncture needles. Electrical stimulation is attached directly to the needles from an external device. The stimulating current travels deep into the tissue, making a powerful clinical response that can sometimes stop the pain in minutes. Electro-acupuncture stimulation works quickly and may help you feel better.