Living with a condition like a herniated disc, which causes chronic pain, can severely affect your quality of life. Learn more about how acupuncture can provide safe and effective pain relief.

Living with a herniated disc can be challenging. It causes significant pain and severely curtails your ability to live a fully functioning life.  

Herniated discs are a leading cause of neck and back pain. In mild cases, its symptoms may resolve on their own. However, in moderate to severe cases, medical intervention is required.  

Treatment for a herniated disc typically involves a combination of medication and therapy. However, this isn’t always effective for everyone, and Michael Beys, LAc, DACm, and his team at Acupuncture Health Services in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, understand that. 

For more than 20 years, Dr. Beys, an experienced acupuncturist, has harnessed acupuncture’s wondrous and healing properties to treat many conditions, including pain management.  

Read on to learn more about how acupuncture can help manage pain in people with herniated discs.  

What is a herniated disc?

A herniated or slipped disc is caused by the soft-gel-like material in the middle of a spinal disc, rupturing and tearing through the disc’s outer layer. When this happens, it results in significant pain alongside other symptoms, such as weakness, numbness, and tingling in your arms and neck. 

What causes a herniated disc?

The leading cause of herniated discs is the typical wear-and-tear that happens with our spinal column as we age. Your spinal discs dry out as you age, making them prone to slipping, rupturing, or tearing.  

A herniated disc could also be caused by physical injury or jobs and exercises that cause recurring strain to your spine. 

What are the symptoms of herniated disc pain?

The most telling symptom of a herniated disc is a sharp chronic pain that may originate in your neck and could radiate down to your hands and arms. A herniated disc may also cause other symptoms like weakness, numbness, or tingling around your neck, arms, and hands. 

How can acupuncture help with herniated disc pain?

While several traditional treatment options are available for treating herniated disc pain, acupuncture is a popular and effective alternative treatment for people who have either failed to benefit from conventional treatment options or prefer to explore alternative therapy options.  

Acupuncture is an ancient form of Chinese medicine therapy. It involves placing thin specialized needles into specific points on your body. Acupuncture is based on the belief that life energy flows through your body along channels called meridians.  

Pain and many conditions are brought on when the flow of your life energy is blocked. Acupuncture seeks to unblock these channels restoring good health and well-being.   

Research shows that acupuncture can stimulate your body’s natural healing functions, encouraging it to heal and relieve pain. Acupuncture has also been shown to increase blood flow to areas causing you pain, stimulating your recovery. 

In a 2018 review, researchers observed that acupuncture was more effective for treating lumbar disc herniation than an over-the-counter painkiller and other specific treatment options.  

Another study conducted in 2020 showed that acupuncture held a lot of promise for treating lumbar disc herniation.  

If you are on the fence about using acupuncture to treat your herniated disc, it’s important to remember that it’s a safe and well-tolerated therapy. It’s also noninvasive and results in few to no side effects.  

However, visiting an experienced and licensed acupuncturist like Dr. Beys is crucial to reduce the likelihood of complications or adverse effects. If you are looking for alternative treatment for your herniated disc, acupuncture is an excellent option. Get started today by booking an appointment online or calling us at 732-898-2284. 

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