Complementary health approaches to back pain – are they helpful or harmful?
Traditionally western medicine looks at treating the body, often relying on pharmaceuticals or surgery to ease and treat pain. Alternatively, complementary health is known for focusing on the mind-body connection. These non-invasive, so-called ‘alternative’ therapies can be perceived by patients to be just as or even more effective than prescribed pain-killers at easing back pain.
So are these complementary health options helpful, or harmful?
There is a perpetual debate over which complementary therapies are effective in the scientific community, and global interest in the topic has surged again because the influential NIH (National Institutes of Health) in the US published an article in September 2016 declaring “What the Science Says” on the contentious matter.
But at Bad Backs’, we’re here simply to provide you with the information and the tools to work with your preferred medical practitioner to get the best results for you. Here is a quick look at what the research says about complementary health treatment options for your back pain.
Acupuncture
The NIH supports acupuncture as a method for treating chronic back pain. The NIH cites a 2007 study that found acupuncture produced “fair” results when used specifically for helping chronic back pain (but not for acute back pain). This study was actually a review of over 100 randomized trials that occurred in the US over the past several decades. While the US is happy to advise patients to seek acupuncture based on this study it is interesting to note that the NHS in the UK takes the complete opposite view when it comes to acupuncture.
It was only earlier this year that the NHS determined that acupuncture was no more effective than a placebo and have instructed doctors to no longer suggest it as a treatment option. An eminent British professor responded to the NIH article outlining why the US study could be wrong and it is definitely worth reading if you are interested in pursuing the practice. However, even if acupuncture fails to produce the desired results, provided it is done by a trained professional with sterile needles, there is small risk of incurring harm.
Cognitive-behavioural therapy
It isn’t surprising to see the NIH support psychological therapy to assist healing for back pain. Cognitive behavioural therapy (or CBT) is a term that describes how psychologists can work with a patient to change how their brain thinks and responds in specific situations. Because pain is actually processed in the brain, not the body, and is inextricably linked to our emotions we can treat physical pain through CBT. Dr Josie Znidarsic, an osteopathic physician at the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute says that “emotional issues and stress can lead to increased inflammation in the body, which prevents proper healing from occurring,” thus by reducing the heightened emotional states the body can likewise find respite. The Victorian Government also encourages using CBT for back pain on the BetterHealth website.
Yoga
Yoga is given the green light for treating low back pain by the NIH, in the form of stretching and gentle exercise. Any doctor will encourage you to move, despite suffering from back pain because it increases muscle tone, strength and flexibility. The NIH noted that good results were cumulative which meant that commitment to about two sessions weekly for several months were required for pain management results to be recorded.
Yoga also has a meditative or mindfulness aspect to the practice, engaging the mind with the body through breath, movement and sustaining poses. Provided you discuss with your doctor and yoga instructor about what your body can and can’t do, yoga is relatively safe for improving health in the mind and body.
Spinal manipulation and Massage
The NIH support spinal manipulation. They say it is “good” where massage is only rated as “fair” for helping with chronic back pain. A massage therapist relaxes the muscles through pressure and rubbing but an osteopath or even a chiropractor will manipulate the spine itself with jolts of pressure that “crack” the back.” In Australia, a physiotherapist is generally trusted to apply joint manipulations if necessary for patients with back pain.
Check out the Bad Backs’ range of massage products to use from home
