| This article is about a very simple, yet remarkably | | | | UB 60, GB 44 or extra points Ling Ku + Zong Bai |
| effective method to help your patients who are | | | | on the back of the hand opposite the painful side |
| suffering with low back pain (or yourself). This | | | | of the back. Apply strong stimulation on distal |
| technique is an example of how acupuncture, | | | | points for about 10 minutes with needles, or 12 - |
| microcurrent stimulation and physical therapy can | | | | 30 seconds per set of points with microcurrent |
| be combined advantageously to treat a difficult | | | | probes. |
| condition. | | | | When polarized probe stimulation is utilized, the + |
| It is estimated by the National Institutes of Health | | | | probe can be placed on painful local points on the |
| (N.I.H.) that 70-85% of all people have back pain | | | | back, and the - probe used to treat sequences of |
| at some time in their lives, and that it is the most | | | | distal points. Appropriate settings are 75 |
| frequent cause of activity limitation in people | | | | ¼A, 10 Hz, square waveform, negative |
| younger than 45 years old. As people age, it is | | | | polarity. |
| natural for the intervertebral disks to lose some | | | | 2) After acupuncture or microcurrent probes are |
| of their flexibility and fullness, making people more | | | | applied, place 4 electrode pads on the patient's |
| prone to back pain. Postural stresses such as | | | | lower back in an "X" pattern. This requires two |
| sitting at desks, extended driving and using sofas | | | | channels (circuits) on the Acutron Mentor, or |
| and beds that are too soft can aggravate pain. | | | | other devices that offer microcurrent |
| There are also many Internal physical and | | | | interferential therapy. This means that the two |
| emotional causations or predisposing factors for | | | | leads from Channel A connect to the upper right |
| back pain. | | | | and lower left pads, and the leads from Channel B |
| Sciatica is back pain with radiculopathy (radiation | | | | connect to upper left and lower right pads, in a |
| of pain or numbness down a limb). The protocol | | | | criss-cross pattern (see photo). The pads should |
| described in this article is appropriate for back pain | | | | be placed so that the current between them will |
| with or without radiation. | | | | flow directly through the painful area of the lower |
| In his famous paperback book "Treat Your Own | | | | back. |
| Back", physiotherapist Robin Mackenzie details | | | | 3) To yield the best results, use a sequence of |
| exercises that patients with back pain can | | | | milliamp and microamp interferential. Interferential |
| perform that will gradually heal pain from most | | | | is an electro-therapy treatment that utilizes four |
| herniated disk conditions. The beauty of these | | | | electrodes through two separate output channels, |
| exercises is that almost anyone can perform | | | | each set to different out-of-phase frequencies. |
| them, even those experiencing severe, acute | | | | This generates a deeply penetrating complex |
| symptoms. I highly recommend this book to my | | | | current pattern in the body with good pain |
| acupuncture colleagues and their patients as well | | | | relieving and muscle relaxing effects. |
| as its companion volume "Treat Your Own Neck". | | | | Milliamp is a higher intensity current that can cause |
| These are inexpensively available on | | | | muscle contractions and has strong analgesic |
| In 1998 I experienced severe back pain with | | | | effects. Microamp, or microcurrent, is |
| radiation down my right leg. MRI scans revealed | | | | subsensational, and works more on an energetic |
| herniated disks at the L3-L4 and L5-S1 junctures. | | | | and regenerative level than milliamps. I suggest 8 |
| On one the disk material had extruded into the | | | | minutes of milliamp I.F. followed by 15 minutes of |
| epidural space and was compressing the nerve. I | | | | microcurrent. The Acutron Mentor I.F. preset #5 |
| was in frequent pain, and could not sit for more | | | | works well for this purpose, as it sequences |
| than a few minutes at a time. After receiving | | | | through both steps automatically. |
| chiropractic work, acupuncture sessions and a | | | | 4) After current flow is started through the pads, |
| series of medical epidural injections, the condition | | | | the patient can perform the Cobra exercise as |
| was not improving, and I started getting | | | | described above. Thus she is receiving the benefit |
| symptoms of drop foot. To my physician, this | | | | of simultaneous stimulation and exercise. McKenzie |
| indicated a dangerous level of nerve damage, and | | | | suggests 10 - 30 repetitions per session, with the |
| he suggested back surgery. | | | | upper body held up off the floor for about 30 - |
| I opted instead to practice the exercises in | | | | 60 seconds each time before gradually lowering |
| Mackenzie's book, and to give myself acupuncture | | | | down. The patient should rest and totally relax for |
| and microcurrent interferential treatments with | | | | about 30 - 60 seconds in between raises. The |
| the Acutron Mentor device. After about a month | | | | patient should raise her upper body as far as |
| of this regimen, the condition started improving, | | | | possible without pain, leaving her lower body |
| and was completely cleared up within 3 months. | | | | completely relaxed on the floor. Only the arms |
| Since then I have done frequent intense physical | | | | and shoulders should be used to raise the body. |
| exertion, including two treks in the Himalayas, | | | | 5) For the initial higher intensity milliamp portion of |
| without a recurrence. Many other patients have | | | | the stimulation, start the treatment and then turn |
| also significantly benefited from this combination | | | | the intensity up to a tingling level that the patient |
| therapy. | | | | reports is comfortable. As long as there are no |
| There are several valuable exercises in the "Treat | | | | noticeable muscle contractions under the pads, it |
| Your Own Back" book, but the most essential | | | | is OK to exercise during this phase. After |
| one is a variation of the Cobra pose from Hatha | | | | switching the current to microcurrent, the Cobra |
| Yoga. The patient is instructed to lie prone on the | | | | repetitions can continue. |
| floor (face down). She then raises her upper body | | | | 6) At the end of the set detach the pads and |
| off the floor, resting on her elbows, and notes if | | | | allow the patient to relax for a few minutes |
| this aggravates the back pain or sciatica. If not, | | | | before getting up. |
| the exercise can be continued. If aggravation is | | | | 7) A variation of pad placement is |
| noted, the patient is instructed to experiment with | | | | anterior-posterior microcurrent stimulation through |
| moving her hips slightly to the right or left until | | | | the torso. To do this place one pad of Channel A |
| she can find a position that allows the Cobra pose | | | | on the left lower belly and the other pad on the |
| to be done without aggravation. When it is | | | | right lower back. Place Channel B pads inversely - |
| necessary, this slight shifting of the hips takes | | | | right belly and left low back. I recommend |
| pressure off the sciatic nerve during the exercise. | | | | microcurrent only for this variation, as milliamp can |
| This exercise is so valuable because most of the | | | | be uncomfortable when applied to the front |
| time we are biasing our bodies in the direction of | | | | abdomen. Acutron preset I.F. #2 is appropriate. |
| leaning forward -toward computers, in chairs, | | | | Place pads directly over points found to be tender |
| listening to others, etc. The Cobra pose helps | | | | on palpation. |
| stabilize the torso through balancing muscular | | | | It is best if the patient performs the repetitions |
| action of the torso. It can also help move a | | | | of Cobra exercise 2 - 3 times a day, at least |
| herniated disk back into more normal positioning. | | | | once with simultaneous microcurrent. The two |
| I have experimented with adding acupuncture and | | | | variations of pad placement can be alternated for |
| electrical stimulation to this exercise with excellent | | | | best results. |
| results. Here is a suggested protocol: | | | | Other therapeutic exercises should be added to |
| 1) Apply acupuncture needles or microcurrent | | | | the regimen as the patient's condition improves. |
| polarized probe treatment to distal acu-points that | | | | Please refer to McKenzie's book, or a qualified |
| are known to relieve low back pain and sciatica. | | | | therapist, for more information on appropriate |
| These include UB 10 + 40, Kid 3, SI 3 + UB 62, | | | | back exercises. |