"Chronic low back pain has a way of creeping into your day-to-day life - it affects how far you walk, how long you sit, even whether you say yes to plans. For older adults, those limits can make them feel as if they're slowly losing their independence. In 2020, low back pain impacted 619 million individuals, making it the single cause of disability worldwide."
"Unfortunately, while the problem is common worldwide, so is the mistreatment of it. Chronic back pain is also a leading cause of opioid addiction. Studies show that individuals prescribed opioids for musculoskeletal issues, particularly spinal and lower back pain, have higher rates of opioid misuse and addiction compared to other pain categories. This reality leaves people asking: Is there a safer, drug-free alternative that works?"
"Acupuncture has been recognized as helpful for chronic back pain in peer-reviewed Western medical literature since at least the late 1990s, with institutional endorsement steadily growing since then. Ancient Chinese medical texts documented acupuncture use for pain, including back pain, over 2,000 years ago, but modern clinical studies and guidelines supporting its effectiveness for chronic low back pain appeared after the 1997 National Institutes of Health (NIH) consensus statement recognized the evidence base for pain management, including chronic back pain."
Chronic low back pain limits daily activities, reduces mobility, and threatens independence for older adults, affecting 619 million people in 2020 and constituting the leading global cause of disability. Chronic back pain commonly receives inappropriate treatment and is a major driver of opioid misuse and addiction, especially when opioids are prescribed for spinal and lower back conditions. Acupuncture has recognition in Western peer-reviewed literature since the late 1990s and has roots in Chinese medical texts dating back over 2,000 years. Modern clinical studies and guidelines emerged after the 1997 NIH consensus statement. A large-scale randomized clinical trial funded by the NIH HEAL initiative evaluated acupuncture's long-term effectiveness and safety to inform Medicare coverage.
Read at Natural Health News
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