Acupuncture for Back & Neck Pain

"I would definitely recommend acupuncture for back ache." Mrs S - East Carleton "Acupuncture has helped me be more confident, cleared migraine headaches, backache and general ups and downs in life." Mrs B - Norwich "I have been extremely impressed with the service I have received and the pain in my shoulder has almost been eradicated. I would have no hesitation in recommending Stephen to anyone considering using acupuncture as a form of pain relief." Mr R - Hellesdon read more

Back Pain

Upper back ache usually presents as pain located upon the spine between the shoulder blades. This usually occurs from a trapped nerve – and can cause pain locally upon the back, or in some cases can refer through the body to present as chest/oesophageal pain, which is nasty symptom.
In both cases, a weekly course of treatment is recommended – of between 4-8 visits to be successful.

Middle back ache, likewise, can occur locally upon the spine, or just adjacent to (where painful local muscle spasms may also be present) and may even refer around to cause tenderness and pain under arm, and sides and front of the rib-cage.
Again a weekly course of treatment is recommended – of between 4-8 visits to be successful.

Lower back ache may show as ‘lumbago’ – an ache across the whole lower back, or be just one sided – where it can refer into the buttock and leg as sciatica. Pain and stiffness may also be felt just locally upon the spine.
Usually, 3-4 treatments are sufficient to produce a significant improvement in symptoms – if not to alleviate them.

Neck Pain

This is characterised by stiffness and sometimes pain upon turning the head from side to side. There can also be the presence of local inflammation and pain upon the vertebrae in the upper back and neck. The pain, either dull or sharp – can also refer into the shoulder blade and/or cap, into the upper arm and/or whole arm – and sometimes into the fingers. The fingers can also be feel numb, be tingly or have episodes of pins and needles.

Pain can also refer from the back of the neck upwards into the back of the head. Or refer around to the sides of the head and even as far as the front of the head.

I also see a lot of people who have been stiff muscles in the shoulders and the neck. The cause of these symptoms can be a ‘trapped nerve’ in the neck or shoulders, wear and tear in the joints, muscular spasms, and very tight tendons in the neck.

These symptoms usually respond very favourably to a course of acupuncture, and in most cases I look to completely alleviate them during a course of 4-6 weekly treatments. Sometimes more are required, but mostly these can be spaced out at longer intervals.

In all cases of back, neck and shoulder pain if the cause is due to a chronic disease process, such as arthritis, then further ‘top-up’ treatments of monthly, 6 weekly, 8 weekly, or 12 weekly in duration may be recommended in order to maintain the improvement. Or, simply return if the pain reoccurs at a later date, which could be months or even years later.