The FastDay Forum

Any one got any opinions about using acupuncture for back problems please? I'm thinking of trying this after years of osteo, chiro, physio treatments, pilates, taichi and still lots of problems. Thank you.

Hi Gill..sorry to hear..back pain is horrid
Cant comment on acupuncture for a bad back but i had acupuncture to give up smoking,back in 1979
It was very effective ...my previous attempts to stop made me miserable coz of withdrawal symptoms and i would start smoking again..friends and family sometimes begged me to start smoking again coz i was so unbearable
Acupuncture took all the withdrawal pain away which made giving up practically effortless
( giving up smoking is how i ended up here..i substituted food for cigs... The cigs kept me slim!)

I think it might be worth yr while to give acupuncture a whirl...or reflexology ..which i think is also brilliant but you might have to have a few sessions before you start to get results
Hope yr daughter is ok? X

Hi Gill,
I had acupuncture recently for a shoulder problem, I can't really tell how successful it was as the physio who was doing it went on hols and I moved on to her colleague who actually sorted me out, albeit it a very much more physical way. Her main contribution was a comment about how my shoulder tilted forward which I identified when I got home as the way I held the phone cradled against my shoulder (and have obviously stopped doing now).
Not much help from me I'm afraid, but if you have tried doing everything else it can't hurt, also I was advised to eat before going, so not for a Fast day.

I had it for my sciatica and it was amazing. I went in limping and came out walking normally. Highly recommend it.

Hi Gill,

I have had it twice, for different complaints over the years and, much to my surprise, found it very effective. Ask your G.P. to refer you to your local physiotherapy department. Acupuncture cures nothing but I find it a good form of pain management so, good luck and let us know how it goes,

Ballerina x

Hi Gill!

No worries you are not alone, approximately 50% of population over the age of 30 suffer from low back pain (LBP), while 70% experience back pain at one point in their adulthood. 10-40% of patients develop chronic symptoms lasting for more than 6 months (1).

In 2007, a guideline published by the American College of Physicians and American Pain Society recommend acupuncture as an option for clinicians to consider when patients with chronic LBP do not improve with self-care (2).

Recently a large review study has been done on effectiveness of acupuncture on back pain. This review study analysed 32 high-quality clinical trial. First and the most important conclusion is that acupuncture reduces level of self-reported back pain and this reduction is large and clinically meaningful (3). Moreover, level of back function is improved when acupuncture is is used as an addition to usual care. People who have acupuncture treatment report to be more active, as well as they have less activity limitations. Previous studies found that the underlying principle fro acupuncture involved the release of neurotransmitters, usually endogenous opioids and serotonin (4). (56)
Acupuncture appears as a very useful option for patients who don't respond, are allergic to, or respond adversely to drug therapy.

As you can see, acupuncture is very effective Go for it!!


1. Lee JH, Park HJ, Lee H, Shin IH, Song MY. (2010) Acupuncture for chronic low back pain: protocol for a multicenter, randomized, sham-controlled trial. BMC Musculoskelet Disord: 11: 118.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20540806
2. Barnes P, Bloom B, Nahin R. (2012) The use of complementary ans alternative medicine in the United States: NCAM
http://nccam.nih.gov/news/camstats/2007 ... ey_fs1.htm.
3. Lam M, Curry P, Galvin R. (2013) The Effectiveness of Acupuncture for Non-Specific Chronic Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Spine (Phila Pa 1976): 2013 Sep 10.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24026151
4. Moffet HH. (2006) How might acupuncture work? A systematic review of physiologic rationales from clinical trials. BMC Complement Altern Med: 6: 25.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16824230

Yes, I'd definitely give it a go - I had a short course of acupuncture to control pain in my hip on the lead up to a hip replacement operation - it didn't take all the pain away but it certainly eased it considerably. I'd use it again myself if it was relevant to aches and pains.... so go ahead - give it a try - it certainly can't be detrimental to you.. although of course the pain can get worse for a short period of time before it gets better. Let us know what you decide and how it works out for you.

I had a lot of success with it for a shoulder issue.

Def recommend. My osteopath does it on me. I've had it for shoulder, neck and back probs and it does work. Well it does for me.

Thanks everyone, very interesting posts and you are all so kind and helpful. I need to investigate what I can find locally I think.

I have had it and was amazed at how it relaxed deep muscles I didn't realise I was walking around so tensed up. As said great for shoulder issues. I think it is a subtle modality which works well and a few sessions would probably be beneficial. My tip would be see if you can through word of mouth find someone other people recommend

I've had it for menopause and also for migraines, and it really helped for both... plus wellness in general! It really helps to get someone who is really good, so look for recommendations from friends! Best of luck with your back.

Hi,
I have had acupuncture on my back with varying degrees of success but it worked wonders on the pain in my arm coming from my neck. Worth giving it go I'd say.

I agree with the others. It can really work. I had a really bad shoulder that I was afraid a doctor would want to stick a BIG needle in. Accupunctue worked well. OH is a big sceptic but went for his back. He eventually had to acknowledge it was good. I agree also word of mouth if possible is a good way to get one if possible.

Gill, the first time I had acupuncture for my shoulder it was on the recommendation of my NHS physio and I was stunned, I never realised you could get it on the NHS. When I was referred to an orthopaedic surgeon for problems with the arches on my feet I asked him if I could try Acupuncture before I agreed to any form of surgery! he didn't realise that it was available on the NHS, I know, how could a surgeon not know but he didn't and we have a friend who is also a hospital consultant and he was also amazed when I told him that it was available on the NHS. So, do ask your G.P. first, it's what we all pay for, good luck,

Ballerina x