Most people will suffer back pain at some point in their lives and it can affect anyone. According to The British Acupuncture Council, back pain ‘affects more than 1.1 million people in the UK, with 95% of patients suffering from problems affecting the lower back.

‘Most lower back pain is caused not by serious damage or disease, but by sprains, muscle strains, minor injuries, or a pinched or irritated nerve. It can also occur during pregnancy, or because of stress, viral infection or a kidney infection’.

Many studies have shown that acupuncture is ‘significantly better than no treatment and at least as good as (if not better than) standard medical care for back pain’.

Acupuncture can provide pain relief through stimulation of the nerves located in muscles and other tissues, and the release of endorphins which change the way the brain processes pain. It can also reduce inflammation, helping relieve stiffness in the muscles and joints, bringing greater benefit to physical rehabilitation exercise and therapy.

In 2008, a study into Alexander Technique and back pain, which involved over 500 people with chronic back pain from general practices across the UK, found that ‘people who received one-to-one instruction in the Alexander Technique, along with exercise, had reduced back pain and improved disability after one year compared to those receiving standard care’.