Treating low back pain with Acupuncture always benefits the body in more ways than just alleviating pain. The adrenals that are the power pack of the hormone system become run down from stress and agitation. They directly affect the nerves of the back, making it susceptible to stiffness and pain. The low back is a vulnerable spot where our two bendable halves are linked by the narrow spine alone and its adjoining muscles & fascia. This area gets both overworked and under used. The muscles become board-like, losing their flexibility. Like the new supple garden hose they eventually become brittle and easily cracked. When I treat the back I address the muscles and the electrical conduits that run the entire length of the back. So I start with a vibrating massage tool to relax the body from head to toe and "wake it up"-get those cells vibrating. The patient LOVES this part and can sink into a relaxed state of "letting go." The infra-red heat lamp gives luxurious heat to the area.

Painless fine needles are inserted so quickly that, in most cases, the brain does not have time to register any sensation at all. The heat from moxa or the lamp is penetrates the tissue and is also conducted down the shaft of the needle to reach the core of the tight muscle or the pinched nerve. This even applies to the joints deep in the thicker section of the buttock, addressing the sciatic nerve and inflammatory arthritis of the hip joint. The heat and the electric effect of the needle cause the muscle fibers to relax around the nerve, discharge the charge, and turn off the pain nerves.

Additional massage brings renewed circulation of blood and lymph, to deliver nutrients to the cells and remove toxins. By treating the back, we are also tonifying the adrenals, as well as the other organs that are connected by nerve plexi along the spine, including the liver, gall bladder, large and small intestines, kidney and bladder, all interrelated to the low back. Thus the patient enjoys release of pain, restored movement, regenerated organs and hormones and a basic five thousand-mile tune-up!