Lower back pain is the number one complaint that people come to see us for at Evergreen Medical Acupuncture. It's one of the most common ailments in America, and one that responds very well to acupuncture therapy. Scientific research supports its efficacy based on multiple studies and comprehensive systematic reviews—so much so that the National Institutes of Health recommend acupuncture as an effective modality to treat lower back conditions, improving both functionality and quality of life, and measurably reducing the intensity of pain.

Research shows that medical acupuncture speeds up the healing process by promoting circulation to the site of trauma, increasing the presence of nutrients and healing factors like platelets, white blood cells, and other cells that help regulate inflammation and mobilize the immune system.

At the same time, acupuncture influences neurotransmitters that control how we process pain at the injury site, in the spinal cord, and in multiple regions of the brain. A 2016 systematic review and meta-analysis of three well-known medical research databases concluded that patients who received acupuncture tended to rely less on opioids while recovering from surgery. Medical acupuncture stimulates endorphins and other natural analgesics and helps alter the way the brain responds to pain. By affecting the vagus nerve and parasympathetic nervous system, each medical acupuncture treatment helps guide the body out of "fight, flight or freeze" into a "rest and digest" state of relaxation.

Electroacupuncture has been studied extensively by the medical community as an amazing treatment for pain. By running a light electrical current close to nerve junctions at the injury site and the spinal cord, medical acupuncture downregulates signals headed toward regions of the brain that process these signals as pain. These effects can last for several days after a treatment and are reinforced with each follow-up session. A 2020 study published in the scientific journal, Neuron, identified specific neurological pathways that are activated by electroacupuncture, beginning with sensory nerves in specific regions of the body and affecting the vagal-adrenal axis, releasing dopamine and reducing cytokine activity with analgesic effects.

Sciatic pain—caused by injury or inflammation to the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lumbar spine through the hip and leg—is a very common cause of electrical or jolting pain that originates in the central lower back and may travel down the back of one or both legs. Sometimes trauma or degeneration to the vertebrae or discs can cause impingements to this nerve, in which case acupuncture can help reduce inflammation and pain signaling in the local area over time. If a tight muscle or group of muscles is impinging the nerve itself, acupuncture can trigger the spasming muscle to release, relieving the pressure that was causing the irritation and pain. Piriformis syndrome is a common cause of pain that replicates sciatica. This muscle runs deep across the hips atop the sciatic nerve and can be injured from activities such as sitting and running for long periods of time.

Tension and muscle spasms in the hip abductors, hip rotators, and core stabilizing muscles also frequently cause pain in the lower back and hips. Depending on the problem area, you might experience pain predominantly on one side, central to the lumbar spine, as a band across the lower back, wrapping around the hips, or traveling down the legs. Tailbone pain might originate from dysfunction of the long muscles, longissimus or iliocostalis, that run along the spine.

These conditions respond phenomenally to medical acupuncture treatment of the affected muscle. This includes trigger point release and dry needling. Dry needling, also known as trigger point acupuncture, relieves pain at the site of injury by targeting muscles in spasm. This technique uses a needle at specific sore spots to induce a muscle to relax. These spots lie near nerves that control muscle contraction; when those nerves are overstimulated past a specific threshold, they will "trigger" the muscle to release. Tight muscles impair range of motion and circulation, and over time cause complications. From mild discomfort to intense pain, medical acupuncture includes dry needling and can offer great relief.

When someone "throws out their back," causing intense pain and difficulty walking or standing up comfortably, this often results from overexertion of the Quadratus Lumborum, the large lower back muscle that stabilizes the core and assists with side bending. Patients with this condition often report having done some intense activity with twisting and lateral core movement—shoveling snow, chopping wood, playing pickleball, skiing—and then later experience a strong low back spasm while doing something more mild like picking up a sock.

Gluteus Medius is another frequent culprit behind lower back spasms. This hip abductor nests under the iliac crest and can refer pain sensations to the tailbone, lumbar spine, or deep into the hip. Sitting for long periods of time or sudden bursts of activity like running or rock climbing without adequate stretching can cause this type of pain. Tight hip flexors in the anterior pelvis can also cause lower back pain from sitting too long or from a weak or unstable core.

If you're suffering from lower back pain, medical acupuncture is a phenomenal therapy that's been recognized by the scientific community for its efficacy. If you're looking for relief that gets to the root of the problem without the side effects of pharmaceuticals that only mask pain, schedule your first appointment with us today.