65 million people have had a recent episode of back pain. For 8 percent of adults, it’s a more persistent, chronic concern, and even limits their daily activities, Georgetown University reports. (1) People in this situation have more “down” feelings, are less satisfied with retirement, are less active, and spend 2.5 times more on healthcare than others, too. And right when you want to rely on excellent sleep to transport you away from that drudgery, it flares up at night too, impacting one of the most vital functions of your overall health.
But, researchers are looking to alternative medicine with promising results. A recent study published in JAMA Network Open shows that acupuncture is effective in relieving sciatica pain, offering some hope to people struggling with herniated discs, a major source of back pain. (2) The study found that acupuncture treatments significantly reduced pain and improved mobility compared to conventional treatments, starting four weeks into treatment.
The randomized clinical trial from researchers in China posed the question: “Does acupuncture alleviate pain and improve function in patients with chronic sciatica from herniated discs?” Sciatica is a condition in which the body’s largest nerve, the sciatic nerve, causes pain, weakness, numbness, tingling, or other shooting type pains, and can sometimes indicate you have a herniated disc in your spine. For some people, this type of pain, and other types of back pain, get worse at night, and sufferers look to alternate sleep positions or even better mattresses for pain relief.
In the acupuncture study, 216 participants received 10 sessions of acupuncture or sham acupuncture (a procedure mimicking acupuncture for study purposes). People who had received “real” acupuncture felt less pain and had better function at 4 weeks, and more importantly, those benefits persisted through week 52. Therefore, the researchers concluded that those suffering from chronic sciatic from a herniated disc should consider this as a potential treatment option.
Herniated discs can cause severe pain, or can be no problem at all — some people even walk around without noticing they have one, experts say. (3) But, between 1 and 3 percent of the population will encounter this issue in their lifetime. Outside of acupuncture, physical therapy, medicine, surgery, and other pain relief options are typically considered. For some, it’s a long road, while others have a severe and emergent version in which it impacts bowel function, and they need emergency help right away.
Ironically, it’s a vicious cycle — back pain can worsen sleep, and worsened sleep can even exacerbate back pain, research shows. (4) Whether you try acupuncture or not, you can help sleep better with lower back pain with some tried and true tips:
- Sleep in a way that’s healthiest for your back based on your sleep position, using extra pillows for support.
- Select a firm to medium firm mattress so you aren’t putting pressure in the wrong places.
- Speak to your doctor if/when back pain is significantly impacting sleep for next steps and treatment. Your sleep, and therefore your health, depends on it.
The Benefits of Acupuncture for Sleep
Acupressure Points for Sleep/Insomnia
Best Mattress for Back Pain
A Guide to Better Sleep With Shoulder Pain
Sources
1. Georgetown University; “Chronic Back Pain,” McCourt School of Public Policy; https://hpi.georgetown.edu/backpain/
2. Tu JShi GYan S, et al. Acupuncture vs Sham Acupuncture for Chronic Sciatica From Herniated Disk: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Intern Med. Published online October 14, 2024. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2024.5463
3. InformedHealth.org; Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG); 2006-. Overview: Slipped disc. [Updated 2023 Jul 19]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279472/
4. Amiri S, Behnezhad S. Sleep disturbances and back pain : Systematic review and meta-analysis. Neuropsychiatr. 2020 Jun;34(2):74-84. English. doi: 10.1007/s40211-020-00339-9. Epub 2020 Mar 12. PMID: 32166629.
