Acupuncture Davis and Disk Herniation

Disk herniations do not usually occur due to injuries or accidents.  They degenerate through time due to biomechanical factors and to stress.  A disk herniation does not necessitate back surgery as it may not be a permanent solution for this disorder.  A disk herniation can cause other disks to misplace and so it is important to address this problem at once.  Biomechanical causes of disk herniation are poor posture and gait, sitting for long periods and heavy lifting.  Stress is another factor often overlooked but is just as damaging as the biomechanical causes.  Many patients suffering from a herniated disk would recall stressful moments in their lives and the development of back pain shortly thereafter.  Continued emotional stress causes a depressive state in the nervous system causing blood flow to decrease, which tends to under nourish many body organs, muscles and peripheral tissues.  A decrease in blood supply to the lumbar muscles makes the muscles contract and become stiff causing them to fatigue quickly.  Moreover, long bouts of emotional stress increase the amount of granulocytes, which causes swelling and degenerative aberrations to the spine and disks.  Acupuncture Davis treatment to the concerned muscles corrects these anomalies and activates the depressed state of the nervous system.  The latter is done by relaxing the body and mind to take away emotional stress.  Once the person is freed from the state of emotional stress, positive physiological changes take place.

Non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can help relieve the pain and discomfort associated with disk hernation.  It does cause, however, gastric problems and prolonged use can result in liver damage.  Acupuncture carries no such effects to the body.  Pain medications also inhibit chemicals called prostaglandins that are important for good blood circulation.  This effect therefore stifles nourishment of the muscles and prevents other areas of the body from functioning properly.  Acupuncture works in contrast to these medications since enhanced blood flow is always experienced by the body especially in the areas were pain and soreness is felt.  Acupuncture regulates and optimizes the function of the autonomic nervous system, which controls the flow of blood in the body.  When proper circulation in the body happens, the organs, tissues and muscles all benefit and begin to function better.  Furthermore, the increased blood flow causes the body to relax and feel revitalized.  This is likened to a car given a new engine tune up.

Good blood circulation in the tissue (especially the muscle tissues) is vital to take away muscle fatigue and pain-inducing chemicals such as lactic acid.  This results in better muscle function and strength and in the elimination of pain in the area of concern.  Acupuncture is a superior form of treatment compared to drug medications and a non-invasive way to treat the symptoms of disk herniation.