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Dr. Jared Hanson ND, LAc is a naturopathic doctor and licensed acupuncturist in New York City specializing in difficult cases of chronic conditions.To schedule an appointment with Dr. Hanson at his New York City location, e-mail drjaredhanson@gmail.com or call 917-607-5035.

Natural Treatment for Back Pain

Acupuncture for Back Pain

Acupuncture, together with its associated therapies such as gua sha, moxibustion and cupping, is one of the best treatments available, natural or otherwise, for back pain, whether acute or chronic. A recent-onset back pain such as a sprain or strain is described in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as a “Stagnation of Qi and Blood”. The goal of acupuncture in this case is to move Qi and Blood along the meridians (energetic channels) that run through the back.

In TCM, chronic cases of back pain are associated with a Kidney deficiency and the acupuncture points chosen for these patients will focus on strengthening the Kidneys. Kidney here is capitalized to denote the broader conception of an organ’s function in TCM than in conventional medicine. A Kidney deficiency in TCM does not imply a disease of the kidneys according to Western pathology.

When undergoing an acupuncture treatment for back pain, it is not unusual for acupuncture needles to be placed in points other than the back. A typical treatment may include points on the knees, feet, hands or head.

Homeopathy for Back Pain

A properly chosen homeopathic remedy is an integral part of the natural treatment for back pain. The homeopathic remedy is a special preparation of a single herb or mineral. In order to determine which remedy is right for you, a host of considerations need to be taken into account. These include the character of the pain, factors that may make the pain better or worse such as position or motion, constitutional aspects about you such as sleep habits or appetite, and other health issues you may be experiencing. Using this information, the appropriate remedy is chosen. Because remedies are chosen based on the whole person, there is no one remedy for back pain and different patients will usually get different remedies despite having a similar diagnosis.

Diet and Back Pain

One of the simplest, most overlooked, and often surprisingly effective things you can do to treat back pain naturally is to drink enough water. The easiest formula for proper hydration is to drink half of your body weight in ounces. If you weigh 150 pounds, you should be drinking 75 ounces of water per day. For someone who isn’t used to drinking water this will seem like a lot at first. The easiest thing to do is to buy water bottles, fill them in the morning and drink them throughout the day. Food allergies often play a role in chronic pain cases and should be explored.

Nutritional Supplements for Back Pain

Supplementation should be directed towards the cause of the back pain. Vitamin C is one useful nutrient in back pain, especially if there has been disc degeneration. It should be taken in relatively high doses and for an extended period of time. If arthritis is a cause, glucosamine and SAMe should be considered.