Acupuncture For
Low Back Pain & Sciatica
Low back pain, sciatica, a disc injury, or a back that seizes up out of nowhere: we see all of these at our clinics in Waimea and Kona. And back pain rarely looks the same from one person to the next. Some people walk in looking fine and say their back hurts. Others come in bent over, wincing with every step. We treat them very differently, and that difference is often what makes treatment work.
Using Japanese structural acupuncture, moxa, and gentle craniosacral work, we release the tension in the back and hips that pulls the body out of balance, at a pace your body can accept.
What We See
Three Kinds of Back Pain
Over the years, most of the back pain that comes through our doors falls into one of three patterns.
The Strained Muscle
Too many hours pulling weeds, lifting, or working in the yard. You can walk, lie down, and move around, but your back hurts.
In our experience this kind usually settles within a few treatments.
The Disc
Bent over, sweating, every step hurts. This is often a herniated or bulging disc, and it is the trickiest of the three.
We can often ease the pain to some degree, but results depend on how severe the injury is, and some cases need medical care as well. We start gently, usually with moxa, which many people find deeply soothing.
The Circuit Breaker
It comes on suddenly and can be just as painful. There is usually a physical trigger, but almost always a larger stress in the background too. It is as if the body flips its circuit breaker and shuts down in pain.
This kind often responds within several treatments over about two weeks, and it can leave as quickly as it came.
When It Travels
Sciatica
Sciatica sometimes comes with back pain and sometimes shows up on its own. It may sit deep in the glute, sit just under it, or travel down the leg, and each of these behaves a little differently.
All of them can be treated in whatever position is most comfortable for you. Many cases improve within one to five treatments. Some are more stubborn, and while we can't help every case, we can help many.
Often the nerve is being squeezed by tight muscles deep in the hip and glute, which lights it up all the way down the leg. When tight muscles are the cause, treatment often gives good results. When it comes from another condition, such as stenosis, a narrowing of the spine, care is much more long term and relief tends to be more partial.
How We Treat It
Just the Right Amount
We check first
We gently press along the spine and on either side of it, feeling for tender, reactive spots. If even light pressure makes you jump, that usually points to a more severe injury. Moxa is often the best place to start, and in some cases it tells us you should also be seen by a doctor.
In people carrying a lot of stress, much of the spine can be tender at once. That's a different picture, and it tells us stress is playing a big part.
We don't overtreat
This is the most important thing we've learned. When muscles release, the hips and spine shift. One long, strong treatment can leave you feeling great on the way out, only to have the hips shift too far overnight and the pain come back worse the next morning.
So for more severe pain we use shorter, more frequent visits. You may not notice a big change after the first or second treatment, and that's fine. As long as the pain isn't increasing, we keep going and lengthen treatments as your body settles into each one. The goal is to shift the body just the right amount for you, that day.
You stay comfortable
For milder back pain we start with you face-up, then turn to face-down. For more severe pain we treat you in whatever position hurts least: sitting, standing and leaning on the table, or lying on your side. We don't ask you to lie on your stomach until the pain has eased at least a third to a half.
Moxa to soothe
We use moxa in two ways. With direct moxa, small amounts are burned right on specific points. First we apply shiunko, a traditional herbal ointment that holds the moxa in place and helps protect the skin. We carefully control the heat, so it feels like a deep, spreading warmth rather than a sharp burn. We generally use this for tight muscles.
With indirect moxa, a moxa stick is held just above the skin to warm the whole area. Traditional moxa sticks are smoky and have a strong smell, so we use smokeless moxa instead. It has a very mild scent and gives off a deep, penetrating heat, and patients often tell us how good it feels.
Indirect moxa is generally our choice for disc injuries and more severe pain, where it is often the gentlest and most soothing way to begin.
You're always in control. Moxa is never required, and if you'd rather not have it, just let us know.
The Bigger Picture
More Than Muscles
Back pain doesn't always start in the back. Stress plays a bigger role than most people expect, and sometimes the body seems to call a pause when something in life needs attention.
Food matters too. Some people notice their pain flares with sugar and eases when they cut back. We'll talk through what might be feeding your pain, not just where it hurts.
Find Relief
Don't Wait It Out
Whether it's a strained muscle from the yard or pain that stops you in your tracks, call or text either of us.
New patient? Download the intake forms (PDF)
Print them and bring them to your first visit.