Wednesday Wellness:Back and Neck Pain

by Geno Diveley L.Ac

I don’t think I've ever met anyone who hasn't suffered from some sort of back or neck muscle pain at some point. In fact, 90% of my patients come to me specifically to treat this condition.

Sitting or standing long hours at work causes the majority of it. Other factors can cause back pain as well: obesity, congenital conditions or accidents.

Lack of proper movement causes the body to become stagnant. This creates tight muscles, which become trigger points for back pain, neck pain, and headaches.  Even digestive issues can be attributed to sitting too long or standing too long  There is a Chinese proverb: “a running stream does not become stagnant”. In other words, you have to be moving and exercising to keep your body healthy.

Despite all the technology that attempts to help us with being more ergonomically sound at our work stations, humans are not built to just sit around for 8 hours a day.  Our ancestors ran around hunting, taking long walks and playing more. Our modern-day lifestyle is literally causing us to live with
back and neck pain.

Most people will reach for some sort of painkiller before actually having this problem addressed.  We are brought up to believe if something is wrong to take a pill or have it cut out. This may help in the short term, but it isn't really taking care of your problem.

Since I am an acupuncturist, when I address the back I look for these tight areas or trigger points and stimulate muscle release by addressing these tight trigger points with acupuncture. Why needles over massage? I have found doing acupuncture on an active trigger point to be more beneficial in causing a bigger release of these points than with any other modality.

Ignoring back and neck pain for long periods can cause more extensive problems, as we get older.  Many of my patients come to see me after many years of being in pain. They show me x-rays of slipped discs, degenerative discs, spondylitis, stenosis, arthritis etc.-- all kinds of problems ending in ~itis and ~osis.  Most of these problems could have been prevented if addressed early on.

Be active in your own health!  Do yoga, stretch, see a chiropractor, get regular acupuncture and/or massage treatments and definitely stay hydrated.   Most insurance cover Chiropractic and Acupuncture services these days, so take advantage of it.


Geno Diveley L.Ac is co-owner of Acujin Holistic Therapies, at 3670 Clairemont Dr. If you have been feeling back and neck pain we invite you to call our office for an appointmen: 858-272-4627. We believe in working with our patients to find the right solutions and helping them live a healthier life through Acupuncture, Massage and Education.