How Acupuncture Can Help With Back Pain

1. How Acupuncture Can Help With Back Pain Healing your back naturally. Scot Somes,LAc. Center for Integrated Eastern Medicine 303-810-9255 www.easternacucenter.com

2. Back Pain in the U.S. • 80% of the population has had back pain at one time or another • 50% of Americans have some form of chronic back pain • Second most common reason to visit a doctor • One of the most common reasons for missing work • Most prevalent cause of disability under the age of 35

3. Types of Back Pain • Upper back pain • Middle back pain • Low back pain • Sciatica

4. Western causes of Back Pain • Muscular strain • Ligamentous sprains • Herniated disks • Spinal stenosis • Osteoporoisis • Arthritis • Trauma • Fibromyalgia • Spinal subluxation

5. What you can do Worst Option Doesn’t resolve root cause, can help Can help, but can cover-up root issues Short term, possible last resort Natural, addresses root cause, can take time • Ignore it • Bed rest • Pain killers • Surgery • Acupuncture • Chiropractic • Massage

6. How can acupuncture help? • Uncovers the “root cause” of back pain • Focuses upon correcting the problem and strengthening the body • Unblocks the body’s internal flow of healing energies • Facilitates the free-flow of healing energies throughout the meridian networks • Reduces inflammation • Expedites the healing process • Alleviates pain

7. Acupuncture and Back Pain “Meridians not only feed vital energies to their related organs, they also reflect any pathological disturbance in those organs, thus providing a convenient and highly accurate tool for diagnosis as well as therapy.”

8. Acupuncture and Meridians Meridians are river networks inside our body

9. An Ancient View of Back Pain • Qi travels through our meridian system • Qi provides nourishment for every cell, tissue, muscle, gland and organ • When Qi becomes blocked and imbalanced, pain and disease result • As water flows through river networks nourishing our planet, Qi flows through our meridian networks nourishing our body

10. Acupuncture and Back Pain Flow of Qi Stagnation = Pain Meridians are the river network inside Water flows in rivers, Qi flows in meridians

11. Back Pain and Bi Syndrome How TCM views back pain • Back pain = Bi syndrome • Bi syndrome is caused by: • Obstruction of Qi and Blood • Sluggishness of Qi and Blood • Invasion of external influences

12. What is Bi Syndrome? Bi syndrome is the most common condition acupuncture treats. It can either be acute or chronic. Bi syndrome manifests as pain, soreness, or numbness of muscles, tendons and joints. It is the result of the body being "invaded" by external environmental factors such as Wind, Damp, Cold and Heat. Bi syndrome symptoms reflect which factor has invaded the body, affecting the flow of Qi and Blood.

13. Diagnosing Pain with TCM Characteristics of Bi Syndrome? • Pain • Numbness • Heaviness • Swelling • Soreness • Aching • Throbbing

14. Eastern Causes of Back Pain • Environmental conditions influence our health • Wind • Damp • Cold • Heat • Phlegm • Stasis • Trauma

15. Diagnosing Pain with TCM • Wind Bi Syndrome • Classified as wandering pain • Caused by invasion of Wind • Pain moves from joint to joint • Sore and painful muscles and joints • Limited range of motion (ROM)

16. Diagnosing Pain with TCM • Damp Bi Syndrome • Classified as fixed pain • Caused by invasion of Dampness • Aggravated by damp weather • Does not radiate • Soreness • Swelling of joints and muscles • Feeling of heaviness • Numbness of limbs

17. Diagnosing Pain with TCM • Cold Bi Syndrome • Classified as aching pain • Caused by invasion of Cold • Usually fixed location • May be worse at night and better during the day • Severe joint or muscle pain • Limited ROM

18. Diagnosing Pain with TCM • Heat Bi Syndrome • Classified as hot/inflamed pain • Caused when Wind, Damp and/or Cold linger too long, stagnating Qi and turning into heat • Can be caused by underlying weakness in body • Painful, hot joints • Radiating • Throbbing • Red and swollen joints • Severe pain • Limited ROM

19. Diagnosing Pain with TCM • Phlegm Bi Syndrome • Classified as deep joint pain • Caused when previous 4 types linger • Chronic • Muscular atrophy and weakness • Swollen and deformed joints

20. Diagnosing Pain with TCM • Stasis Bi Syndrome • Classified as stagnant pain • Usually caused by Qi and Blood stagnation • Fixed location • Stabbing sensation • May be throbbing

21. Diagnosing Pain with TCM Bi syndrome can be related to: • All painful conditions • Arthritis • Rheumatoid Arthritis • Osteoarthritis • Muscular sprain/strain • Sciatica • Gout

22. Treating Pain with TCM • Make correct diagnosis • If Cold diagnosis, use warming methods • If Damp diagnosis, use drying and dampness elimination methods • If Heat diagnosis, use cooling methods • Choose most effective acupuncture points • Local points • Distal points • Ear and hand points • Choose adjunct therapies • Determine treatment schedule

23. Treating Pain with TCM • Choose adjunct therapies • Electro-stim • GwaSha • Tui Na • Cupping • Moxibustion • Infra-red heat lamp • Herbs • Topical oils and/or patches

24. Treating Pain with TCM • Provide self-care education • Movement rehabilitation • Home-care point stimulation • Exercise and stretching

25. What You Can Do • Movement rehabilitation • Lift smart • Let your legs do the work. • Move straight up and down. • Keep your back straight and bend with your knees. • Avoid twisting. • Sit smart • Choose a seat with good low back support that has arm rests and a swivel base. • Keep your hips and knees level. • Stand smart • Maintain a neutral pelvis.

26. What You Can Do • Home-care point stimulation Bladder 40 – Located in the depression at the back of the knee. Bladder 62 – In the depression directly below the outer ankle. Bladder 60 – In the depression between the tip of the outer ankle and Achilles tendon. Small Intestine 3 – When a loose fist is made, the point is on the outside of the palm, where the skin protrudes. Large Intestine 4 – On top of the hand, in between the thumb and first finger. Gallbladder 39 – Approximately three inches above the outer ankle, just posterior to the bone. Local points

27. What You Can Do • Exercise and stretching – back pain Forward Bend – Stretches and opens up the Bladder meridian. Bicycle Pedal Leg Press – Stretches and opens up the Bladder meridian. Embrace the Sun Forward Bend – Stretches and opens up the Bladder meridian.

28. Treating Pain with TCM • Tips to remain healthy • Remain active • Avoid prolonged bed rest • Warm up and stretch before physical activities • Maintain proper posture • Sleep on a supportive mattress • Work with your acupuncturist

29. What Else Acupuncture Treats The NIH and WHO acknowledge acupuncture can be helpful for: • Addiction - alcohol, drug, smoking • Anxiety • Arthritis • Asthma • Bronchitis • Carpal tunnel syndrome • Chronic fatigue • Colitis • Common cold • Constipation • Dental pain • Depression • Diarrhea • Digestive trouble • Dizziness • Dysentery • Emotional problems • Eye problems  • Facial palsy/tics • Fatigue • Fertility • Fibromyalgia • Gingivitis • Headache • Hiccough • Incontinence • Indigestion • Irritable bowel syndrome • Low back pain • Menopause • Menstrual irregularities • Migraine • Morning sickness • Nausea • Osteoarthritis • Pain • PMS • Pneumonia • Reproductive problems • Rhinitis • Sciatica • Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) • Shoulder pain • Sinusitis • Sleep disturbances • Smoking cessation • Sore throat • Stress • Tennis elbow • Tonsillitis • Tooth pain • Trigeminal neuralgia • Urinary tract Infections • Vomiting • Wrist pain

30. Most of All… Acupuncture Works And has treated billions of people over the past 5,000 years.

31. Thank You! Scot Somes, LAc., MSTCM Center for Integrated Eastern Medicine, LLC 303-810-9255 www.easternacucenter.com