Low back pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal complaints and can affect people of many different ages and activity levels.

For some people, the discomfort is mild and improves within a short period of time. For others, pain and stiffness can interfere with sitting, standing, walking, working, exercising, or sleeping.

Because low back pain can have many different causes and patterns, understanding your symptoms and how they affect your movement is an important first step in determining an appropriate approach to care.

What Is Low Back Pain?

Low back pain refers to pain or discomfort in the area between the lower ribs and the buttocks.

Symptoms may be localized to the lower back, or they may sometimes spread into the hip, buttock, or leg.

Low back pain may be acute, developing suddenly and lasting for a relatively short period of time, or it may become persistent or chronic.

In many cases, there is no single structural problem that fully explains the pain. This is often referred to as non-specific low back pain.

Common Symptoms of Low Back Pain

Low back pain can present in different ways depending on the individual.

Symptoms may include:

• Aching or soreness in the lower back

• Sharp pain with certain movements

• Stiffness, especially after prolonged sitting or inactivity

• Difficulty bending or straightening the back

• Pain when standing or walking for long periods

• Muscle tightness or tension around the lower back or hips

• Pain spreading into the buttock or leg

If pain travels farther down the leg and is associated with tingling, numbness, or weakness, nerve irritation may also be involved.

You can also read my article, “Sciatica: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Options in Moncton,” for more information about symptoms that travel into the leg.

What Can Cause Low Back Pain?

Low back pain does not always have one clearly identifiable cause.

Possible contributing factors may include:

• Muscle or soft-tissue strain

• Irritation of joints in the lower back

• Disc-related changes

• Repetitive lifting or physical activity

• Prolonged sitting or reduced movement

• Changes in strength, mobility, or movement patterns

• Age-related changes in the spine

• Irritation of a spinal nerve root

Sometimes imaging may show changes in the spine that are not necessarily responsible for the symptoms. This is why imaging findings should be considered together with the person’s symptoms, health history, and clinical assessment.

Should I Get an MRI or X-ray for Low Back Pain?

An MRI or X-ray is not always necessary for uncomplicated low back pain.

Many people have changes visible on imaging even when they do not have pain. For this reason, imaging findings alone do not always identify the source of symptoms.

If you already have an MRI, X-ray, CT scan, or radiology report, you are welcome to bring it to your appointment. It can provide useful background information when considered together with your symptoms and clinical findings.

If there are concerning symptoms, significant trauma, progressive neurological changes, or another reason to suspect a more serious condition, medical assessment and further investigation may be appropriate.

When Should You Seek Medical Attention?

Most episodes of low back pain are not medical emergencies.

However, some symptoms should be assessed promptly by a physician or other appropriate healthcare provider.

Seek medical attention if you experience:

• New or worsening weakness in one or both legs

• Severe or rapidly increasing numbness

• Loss of bladder or bowel control

• Numbness around the groin or saddle area

• Severe pain following a significant fall, accident, or injury

• Fever or feeling significantly unwell together with new back pain

• Unexplained weight loss or a history of cancer together with new or unusual back pain

If you are uncertain whether your symptoms require medical investigation, it is appropriate to speak with your physician or another qualified healthcare provider.

Treatment and Management Options

The appropriate approach to low back pain depends on the individual, the duration of symptoms, and how the condition affects daily activities.

Conservative management may include:

• Staying appropriately active

• Gradual return to normal movement and activity

• Exercise or rehabilitation

• Physical or manual therapy when appropriate

• Education about movement and symptom management

• Medication when recommended by an appropriate healthcare provider

• Acupuncture as one possible part of conservative care

For persistent low back pain, treatment is often more effective when it focuses not only on pain but also on maintaining movement, function, and confidence with daily activity.

Can Acupuncture Help With Low Back Pain?

Acupuncture may be considered as one option for people experiencing low back pain.

Research suggests that acupuncture may provide some benefit for certain people with low back pain, particularly chronic low back pain. However, individual responses vary, and improvement cannot be guaranteed.

In my practice, treatment is individualized rather than using the same approach for every person with back pain.

The assessment may consider:

• Where the pain is located

• Which movements increase or reduce symptoms

• Whether symptoms spread into the hip or leg

• Muscle tension and tenderness

• Previous injuries or episodes of back pain

• Relevant MRI or X-ray findings, when available

• How the condition affects work, exercise, sleep, and daily activities

Depending on the assessment, treatment may include acupuncture and hands-on manual techniques where appropriate.

The frequency and number of visits depend on the individual response to care and are reassessed as treatment progresses.

What to Expect at Your First Appointment

Your first appointment begins with a discussion of your symptoms, health history, previous injuries, and how your back pain is affecting your daily activities.

A clinical assessment is then performed to better understand the location and pattern of your symptoms and to determine whether acupuncture may be appropriate.

If you have previous MRI or X-ray images, radiology reports, or other relevant medical records, you are welcome to bring them with you. Imaging is not required before every acupuncture appointment.

If acupuncture is appropriate, an individualized treatment plan will be discussed based on your assessment and response to care.

Low Back Pain and Sciatica

Low back pain and sciatica can occur together, but they are not the same condition.

Low back pain may remain localized to the back, while sciatica typically involves symptoms that travel from the lower back or buttock into the leg.

If you are experiencing pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness that travels down the leg, you may find my article “Sciatica: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Options in Moncton” helpful.

Acupuncture Care for Low Back Pain in Moncton

If low back pain is affecting your movement, work, exercise, or daily activities, an individualized assessment can help identify the pattern of your symptoms and determine whether acupuncture may be an appropriate part of your care.

Learn more about my acupuncture and manual therapy services.

Acupuncture appointments are available in Moncton, New Brunswick.

Book an acupuncture appointment in Moncton.

Written by Jung Dae Kwon, R.Ac.

Registered Acupuncturist in New Brunswick

Doctor of Korean Medicine — Licensed in the Republic of Korea

This article is provided for general educational purposes and is not a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment. Individual results and treatment needs may vary.