This Won’t Hurt A Bit
Lower back pain is one of the most prevalent medical conditions in the U.S. The good news? There are many forms of therapy to help relieve symptoms. The bad news? You will most-likely be gaslit the hell out of since it’s so common. This convalescent would know; I have 3+ years of experience with it.
At its worst, I couldn’t sit for more than 30 minutes, fully bend over, or lift objects over 10 pounds without experiencing lower back pain. I went to my primary care doctor who suggested physical therapy, which I underwent for about 6 months without finding any relief. I was then referred to an orthopedic surgeon who took an X-ray, didn’t find any broken bones, and refused to perform an MRI, despite my constant insistence, because I didn’t experience numbness or tingling. I’m still not fully convinced I don’t have a tumor growing on my lumbar spine, but, as we know, doctors always know best.
At least I can sue for damages if this intrusive thought eventually comes to fruition.
My doctor recommended a cortisol shot into my spine, which seemed rather alarming, so I luckily declined. He then suggested acupuncture. This is something that I would have rolled my eyes at a few years ago, but I was desperate to try anything at that point, so I figured, why the hell not? Let’s fucking do it.
I barely felt the needles enter my lower back and was instantly doubtful that I would receive any type of relief from this whatsoever. However, around five minutes into the treatment, something magical happened. I felt a burning sensation in my lower back comparable to lemon juice getting into a cut. While it sounds unpleasant, it targeted the exact muscles that had been aching for years, and turned out to be one of the most satisfying experiences I’ve had in a while.
I was a little nervous that it might have been doing more damage, but I was curious to see it through.
When I stood up, I was amazed by the fact that the pain in my lower back was gone. It’s hard to describe the exact feeling, but it was similar to a numbing effect. The pain went away for around a week until it slowly started to creep back in. My insurance would only cover visits every three weeks so I would experience a week of total relief with a subsequential two weeks of increasing pain. However, a win is a win and I was elated that I had relief for the first time in over 2 years.
Since then, I found an incredible acupuncturist who accepts my insurance and whom I can see once a week. I am literally in awe with how much it has improved my quality of life.
If you know me, I am terrified of needles. I have full-on passed out a few times after drawing blood. However, I never even flinch anymore when they insert the needles. While you can sometimes feel the initial entry into your skin, it’s typically just a pinch and goes away almost immediately.
I won't even pretend to know how acupuncture works but from the research, it is believed to stimulate the nervous system by releasing chemicals into the muscles, brain and spinal cord. However, there does not seem to be a precise scientific answer as to how it works. Some believe that it helps to balance a person's energy, while others believe it has distinct neurological effects. There are also many naysayers who say that acupuncture is some form of voodoo or pseudoscience. I was in this camp due to my ignorance before experiencing the transformative benefits I received from it.
Based on my year-long experience with acupuncture, I believe it has been instrumental in my healing journey. If you experience chronic pain, I would implore you to give it a try. Best case scenario, you experience relief. Worst case scenario, you can prove me wrong. In the end, it’s a win/win no matter how you slice it.
Disclaimer: I wrote this blog post in December of 2023. I ended up testing positive for a tick-borne illness and was prescribed doxycycline. In my quest for full transparency, the antibiotics DRASTICALLY improved my overall pain. Since I finished my full dosage in January, my lower back pain has been completely eliminated. Unfortunately, it has worked its way up to my upper back and neck, but at least I am on the path to finding answers. I'll take everything I can get at this point. Tick-borne illnesses are such insidious infections that it's impossible to pinpoint (no pun intended) the definite cause of the back pain. However, through deductive reasoning, I truly believe it's from the inflammation causes by the tick-borne illness due to the significant improvement from the antibiotics. Regardless of the cause, it felt extraordinary to experience complete relief for the first time in years.
