
Acupuncture on the back
Acupuncture has been used for thousands of years for back problems including back pain. Back pain can come about because of an injury such as a sprain and in New Zealand, acupuncture treatment is covered by The Accident Acompensation Corporation (ACC). Problems with the back can also come about with the general aging process and wear and tear. Disc degeneration and arthritic changes in the spine can contribute to back pain and decreased range of movement. More people take time off work from back pain than any other ailment and it is estimated that 95% of Americans will experience back pain at some stage in their life.
Is acupuncture covered by insurance?
Not only is acupuncture covered by insurance companies in New Zealand but it is also covered in Germany, Australia, Canada and The USA. Acupuncture was however, removed from The UK’s National Health Scheme in 2016 because of advice given to them that there was no evidence that it helped.
Research and Acupuncture
Alan Jansson, a well known traditional acupuncturist practising on Queensland Gold Coast said of the UK decision “There have been over 8000 published clinical trials of acupuncture, nearly double that of physiotherapy. Hospitals in Germany and the USA have wards that offer traditional acupuncture from trained acupuncturists for pain relief. Someone looked at the research avaialable to make decisions like this. And I am really gob smacked that the National Health Scheme in the UK actually recommend Ibuprofin instead“.
A recent research analysis by Australians Dr John McDonald and Stephen Janz confirmed that acupuncture had clear positive pain relieving effects on lower back pain.
Research finds pain killer drugs dangerous
Researchers have now found that Ibuprofin is extremely dangerous. In a study involving 56,000 people, it was found that one in 330 people will have a heart attack or stroke within one month of taking the medication.
Do people in the United Kingom still opt for acupuncture for their back pain?
In 2017, Ikeda Sensei presented a workshop and seminar on traditional acupuncture in London. There are over 4000 practising acupuncturists in the UK. Alan Jansson attended in London and said of the event “I spoke with a lot of practitioners in London and all them still see lots of patients with back pain, be it now that their patients choose to pay for their treatment instead of it being subsidized by their NHS“.
The treatment of lower back pain is a major component of the Acupuncture Bachelor Degree programs taught in Australia and New Zealand. In addition, there are regular seminars and workshops keeping acupuncture pratcitioners up to date with the latest (and oldest) techniques to treat the back.
Are you an acupunctuist and keen to upskill your techniques to treat back pain?
Ikeda Sensei, a master practioner with over 50 years experience will be presenting in the Gold Coast in August 2018.