Don’t Endure Chronic Lower Back Pain! Effective Management and Treatment

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Hello, this is Dr. Chae, director of Sunyujae Korean Medicine Clinic. Many people think, ‘If I just bear with it a little, my back pain will get better.’ However, if your back pain continues for more than 3 months, it might not be just simple muscle pain. This condition is called ‘chronic low back pain,’ and it’s a fairly common problem that significantly impacts our quality of life.

Especially if the pain is worse at night, or if you experience numbness or abnormal sensations in your legs, it’s best to seek professional help. Today, we will explain simply and in detail why chronic low back pain occurs, why it’s difficult to resolve completely with painkillers alone, and how we can help with treatment. Chronic low back pain is the pain that causes the most disability worldwide.

Chronic Low Back Pain is the Most Common Worldwide It is considered the number one cause of non-traumatic disability. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Burden of Disease study, approximately 1 in 7-8 people worldwide suffer from chronic low back pain, and in Korea, too, about 70-80% of adults are known to experience back pain at least once in their lifetime.

According to data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, over 5 million people visit hospitals for back pain annually, with the highest incidence among those aged 40-60. However, recently, there has been a surge in patients among younger individuals aged 20-30. If back pain persists for more than 3 months, it is ‘chronic low back pain.’ Suji-gu Sunyujae Korean Medicine Clinic. While back pain often improves naturally within days to weeks, if the pain persists for more than 3 months or recurs frequently, it should be considered not just simple muscle pain but

‘chronic low back pain,’ meaning pain as a disease. Professional treatment is necessary in the following cases: Suji-gu Sunyujae Korean Medicine Clinic Chronic Low Back Pain Treatment * Pain that is worse at night or severe enough to wake you from sleep * Numbness or abnormal sensations spreading to the buttocks and legs * Difficulty sitting or standing for long periods * Pain easily triggered by changes in posture

Painkillers alone have limitations. Painkillers alone have limitations. Treating chronic low back pain is not sufficient with just painkiller use. Especially, narcotic painkillers (opioids) have side effects such as dependence, tolerance, and paradoxical pain exacerbation (a phenomenon where pain actually worsens), so non-narcotic drugs and non-pharmacological treatments have recently become the focus.

– Representative Pharmacological Treatments Antidepressants, anticonvulsants: — alleviate neuropathic pain

* Auxiliary painkillers such as muscle relaxants, topical analgesic patches. Chronic pain has complex causes, requiring a multifaceted treatment approach. Accurate diagnosis is the beginning of treatment! Suji-gu Sunyujae Korean Medicine Clinic 1. Accurate Diagnosis is Necessary

Although chronic back pain may appear similar on the surface, its causes vary from person to person. Various factors such as disc herniation, joint degeneration, muscle tension, pelvic misalignment, and nervous system hypersensitivity can complexly contribute. Carefully examining the pattern and location of pain, lifestyle, and body type to make an accurate diagnosis is the starting point for treatment and key to rapid recovery.

2. Painkillers Do Not Resolve 2. Painkillers cannot resolve the underlying issue. Painkillers temporarily alleviate pain, but if the root cause is not addressed, the pain will recur.

Especially, with long-term use, there is a risk of tolerance, dependence, and side effects, so medication should be used as an auxiliary means of treatment. 3. Lifestyle Improvement is Necessary.

Poor posture, prolonged sitting, overweight, and lack of exercise put a strain on the back structure and weaken muscles and joints. Consistent stretching, core muscle strengthening, maintaining correct posture, and weight management are very important for pain improvement. 4. Hypersensitivity of the Nervous System Requires Professional Treatment

If pain persists for a long time, the nervous system can become sensitive, leading to a state of ‘central sensitization’ where even small stimuli cause excessive pain. In such cases, simple physical therapy or medication alone is insufficient, and personalized treatment focused on nervous system stabilization is required. 5. An Integrated Approach Reduces Pain

Chronic pain involves muscles, joints, nerves, posture, and lifestyle, all complexly interconnected. Since a single treatment alone makes fundamental resolution difficult, an integrated treatment based on an accurate diagnosis is necessary for sustained recovery and prevention of recurrence. Sunyujae Korean Medicine Clinic’s ‘Chronic Low Back Pain’ Treatment Methods Suji-gu Korean Medicine Clinic Sunyujae Korean Medicine Clinic 1. Acupuncture + Electroacupuncture

• Acupuncture needles are inserted along pain signal pathways, and electrical stimulation (electroacupuncture) regulates hypersensitive pain responses in the brain and spinal cord • Directly stimulates pain-modulating neural circuits to alleviate central sensitization 2. Pharmacopuncture Treatment • Herbal medicine components with anti-inflammatory and calming effects are directly injected into acupoints to enhance the effects of acupuncture treatment 3. Herbal Medicine Administration • Prescription of personalized herbal medicine to help stabilize the nervous system, improve qi and blood circulation, and enhance sleep 4. Chuna Manual Therapy / Cupping / Moxibustion

• Spinal and pelvic balance adjustment, circulation improvement • Muscle tension relief, pain alleviation. Chronic low back pain is a condition that can worsen if you merely endure it. While temporary pain relief is possible with painkillers, the pain will inevitably recur if the fundamental cause is not addressed. At our Korean medicine clinic, we combine various treatments such as acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, herbal medicine, and Chuna manual therapy, doing our best to alleviate pain and prevent recurrence.

If your back pain persists for a long time or recurs frequently, please do not worry alone; be sure to consult with a professional. We will always be with you so that you can enjoy a comfortable daily life with a healthy back. 👉 The images below are from Monthly Sunyujae, which you may find helpful.

Valuable Information for a Healthy Life We hope you will join Sunyujae Korean Medicine Clinic, which shares valuable information. Suji-gu Korean Medicine Clinic Sunyujae pursues evidence-based medicine and integrative medicine.

This post was written directly by the medical staff of Sunyujae Korean Medicine Clinic to provide medical information, in compliance with Article 56(2) and Article 57(3) of the Medical Service Act. The duration and outcome of treatment may vary from person to person, so please consult a qualified practitioner before beginning treatment.