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Alternative medicine
By Mayo Clinic staffMany alternative therapies are being studied intensely, and some have proved to help alleviate back pain.
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Acupuncture. In acupuncture, the practitioner inserts sterilized stainless steel needles into your skin at specific points associated with the flow of a vital energy called qi (chee). It's believed that these fine needles can loosen blocked qi and restore balance. In most cases, you won't feel the needles — in fact, many people find the treatments extremely relaxing.
Some studies have suggested that acupuncture can help back pain, while others have found no benefit. If you decide you'd like to try acupuncture, choose a licensed practitioner to ensure that he or she has had extensive training.
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Chiropractic. Chiropractic treatment is based on the philosophy that restricted movement in the spine may lead to reduced function and pain. Spinal adjustment (manipulation) is one form of therapy chiropractors use to treat restricted spinal mobility. The goal is to restore spinal movement and, as a result, improve function and decrease pain.
Some studies done on spinal manipulation have found it to be as effective and safe as standard treatments, especially for initial pain relief, though the optimal number of treatments is unknown.
- Massage. It's difficult to conduct objective clinical trials in massage due to variances in practitioners and in massage types. However, studies that have been conducted suggest that massage may ease low back pain symptoms.
- Hypnosis. Hypnosis produces an induced state of deep relaxation in which your mind stays narrowly focused and open to suggestion. During hypnosis, you can receive suggestions designed to decrease your perception of pain and increase your ability to cope with it. No one knows exactly how hypnosis works, but it may alter your brain wave patterns in much the same way as other relaxation techniques.
- Lin M. Musculoskeletal back pain. In: Marx JA, et al., eds. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 6th ed. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2006. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05472-0..00051-7--s0045&displayedEid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05472-0..00051-7--s0060&uniq=184337872&isbn=978-0-323-05472-0&sid=955285604. Accessed March 1, 2010.
- Rosenbaum RB, et al. Degenerative disease of the spine. In: Bradley WG. Neurology in Clinical Practice. 5th ed. Burlington, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7506-7525-3..50115-1--cesec38&displayedEid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7506-7525-3..50115-1--cesec55&uniq=184337872&isbn=978-0-7506-7525-3&sid=955285604. Accessed March 1, 2010.
- Gregory DS, et al. Acute lumbar disk pain: Navigating evaluation and treatment choices. American Family Physician. 2008;78:835.
- Aminoff MJ. Mechanical and other lesions of the spine, nerve roots, and spinal cord. In: Goldman L, et al., eds. Goldman: Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/184337872-18/0/1492/1420.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2805-5..50428-6--cesec37_17875. Accessed March 1, 2010.
- Devereaux M. Low back pain. Medical Clinics of North America. 2009;93:477.
- Low back pain fact sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/backpain/detail_backpain.htm#119483102. Accessed March 1, 2010.
- Wheeler SG, et al. Approach to the diagnosis and evaluation of low back pain in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 1, 2010.
- Knight CL, et al. Treatment of acute low back pain. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 1, 2010.
- Ernst E. Complementary treatments in rheumatic diseases. Rheumatic Disease Clinics of North America. 2008;34:455.
- Chronic pain: Hope through research. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/chronic_pain/detail_chronic_pain.htm. Accessed March 1, 2010.
- Laskowski ER (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 4, 2010.
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