Pressure Applied to Acupuncture Points Brings Long-Lasting Low Back Pain Relief
When a person complains of low back pain, physical therapy is often included in the treatment. Now, based on the results of a recent study, simply applying Acupressure to a troubled area may bring very favorable results. Acupressure is the applying of pressure to the body with the thumbs or the forefingers to the same points that are stimulated in Acupuncture.
Low back pain is a common health problem that is experienced by a considerable percentage of the population worldwide. In previous studies, Acupressure had been shown to be effective in alleviating various types of pain, but little was known about its effect on low back pain.
In a recent survey published online by the British Medical Journal, Acupressure was found to be considerably more effective in bringing relief for low back pain than did physical therapy.
The study was conducted in Taiwan where 129 patients with chronic low back pain were recruited from an orthopedic clinic. Each of the participants completed a standard disability questionnaire prior to beginning treatment. Of the patients, 64 received 64Acupressure treatment for six sessions. The remaining 65 patients received physical therapy. The results of their treatments were measured immediately after the treatment program and again 6 months later.
Researchers found that the average disability score for the group receiving Acupressure was significantly lower than in the group that received physical therapy. In fact, Acupressure provided an 89% reduction in disability compared with the physical therapy group. Researchers found that this improvement continued on through 6 months. It was also noted in the study results that the benefits of Acupressure were also greater for such variables as “leg pain,” “pain interferes with normal work” and “days off from work or school.”
This study supports the conclusions of earlier studies involving the benefits of Acupressure for a variety of other health concerns. Acupressure may be useful for reducing pain, improving body function and reducing the level of disability from low back pain. Additionally, they found it important that it was not only a short-term benefit. Acupressure as applied to low back pain brought long-lasting relief.