Alternative Medicine for Back Pain

What Works?

The medical establishment is wary of alternative medicine for back pain. However, alternative therapies can effectively relieve back pain. The following therapies have proved effective in treating the problem.

Chiropractic

What Is It?
Chiropractic is an alternative medicine for back pain that relieves pain by manipulation and corrects problems related to the spine without using drugs or surgery. Doctors recognize it as an effective remedy for bone and muscular problems.

Is It an Effective Alternative Medicine for Back Pain?
If you specifically need an alternative medicine for back pain, chiropractic should be your first choice. The treatment has proved effective in treating spine-related pain.

In a study at the Northwick Park Hospital, UK, chiropractic treatment was found more effective than hospital outpatient management in patients with chronic or severe back pain. 741 patients participated in the study. After two years of research, the study showed that chiropractic treatment works better on back pain than outpatient care.

Alexander Technique

What Is It?
Alexander Technique is a method used to re-learn correct posture. The technique naturally relieves pain and stress resulting from misusing the body during daily activities. Alexander Technique does not involve any external devices. It merely focuses on teaching patients how to use their body correctly.

Is It an Effective Alternative Medicine for Back Pain?
If you are looking for a long-term solution for your back pain, Alexander Technique is an excellent option. The therapy teaches you how to sit, stand and perform daily tasks using the correct posture, thereby tackling back pain at the very root. Ongoing studies at Kingston Hospital, London show that the Alexander Technique is beneficial for patients with chronic back pain.

What Is Massage Therapy?

Massage therapy is an alternative medicine technique that touches the skin and affects the muscles directly beneath it. Massage oils are often used. Massage therapy helps improve blood flow through the body. Although it is generally used to induce general relaxation, massage is also effective in treating conditions like high blood pressure, sinusitis, headache and insomnia.

Is It an Effective Alternative Medicine for Back Pain?
Researchers from the Institute for Work and Health, Canada set out to answer this question. They studied various established medical journals such as Medline, Embase and Cochrane Controlled Trials Register for evidence to support claims made by massage therapists that massage could help back pain. The researchers found that massage might be beneficial for patients with sub-acute and chronic non-specific low-back pain, especially when combined with exercises and education.

What Is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture involves the stimulation of specific points on the skin, usually through the insertion of needles. Traditional acupuncturists understand health in terms of a vital force or energy called 'Qi' (pronounced 'chee.') They believe that when this particular force is blocked, diseases occur. Although modern medicine rejects the idea of Qi, it has been found that acupuncture points influence the state of other parts of the body.

Is It an Effective Alternative Medicine for Back Pain?
Randomized controlled trials have been conducted to determine whether acupuncture helps relieve back pain. Most such trials found that acupuncture provided relief. However, the results were rejected because the quality of the trials was considered poor. (Source: National Library of Medicine)

The effectiveness of acupuncture as an alternative treatment for back pain remains unclear.