Acupuncture for Back Pain in Dallas, TX

Acupuncture & Back Pain

Back pain can take over your life. It makes sitting at your desk, sleeping and picking up your kids harder than they should be. If pills, injections or rest have not given you lasting relief, acupuncture for back pain in Dallas, TX at Hawken Acupuncture offers a gentle, drug-free way forward.

Dr. Elijah Hawken, DACM, LAc, has treated back pain in Dallas since 2005 and helped bring acupuncture into Parkland Hospital’s Integrated Pain Healing Center. Every treatment plan is built around you: your history, your daily life and the way your pain behaves.

How Acupuncture Helps Back Pain

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, pain is a sign that the flow of qi and blood through the body has been blocked, whether by injury, strain, stress or long-term wear. Acupuncture uses fine, sterile, single-use needles at carefully chosen points to restore that flow, relax tight muscles and calm the nervous system.

Acupuncture is also one of the best-studied non-drug treatments for back pain. The American College of Physicians recommends it among first-line treatments for chronic low back pain, and Medicare added coverage for acupuncture for chronic low back pain in 2020.

Back Pain We Treat

• Acute low back pain and muscle spasm
• Chronic low back pain
• Sciatica and radiating leg pain
• Pain from a bulging or herniated disc
• Upper back and neck pain, including desk-related strain
• Back pain during pregnancy
• Back pain after surgery or injury
• Sports-related back injuries

Your First Visit

Your first visit lasts about 90 minutes. Dr. Hawken will go over your health history, ask detailed questions about your pain, and do any relevant physical exams. As in all Chinese medicine, she will also look at your tongue and feel your pulse, which helps reveal what is driving your symptoms.

You then rest comfortably on the treatment table with the needles in place for 15–30 minutes. Most people find this deeply relaxing, and some fall asleep. Depending on your needs, treatment may also include:

• Gentle electrical stimulation through the needles
• Cupping to increase circulation and loosen tight muscles
• Gua sha, a gentle scraping of the skin to move circulation
• Moxibustion or far-infrared heat to speed tissue healing
• Chinese massage and herbal liniments

Follow-up visits last 45 minutes to an hour. Wear loose clothing that can be rolled up past your elbows and knees.

How Many Treatments Will You Need?

Most patients notice some change after the first visit. Acute back pain may ease in three treatments or fewer, while chronic pain usually needs a longer course. We generally reassess after about four treatments, and we will give you an honest picture of what to expect.

Between Visits

Gentle movement usually helps more than bed rest. Short walks, light stretching and changing position often during the day can keep stiffness from building. Dr. Hawken may also suggest heat, changes to your desk setup or specific stretches, so the benefits of each treatment last longer.

Does Medicare Cover Acupuncture for Back Pain?

Medicare covers acupuncture for chronic low back pain, but licensed acupuncturists are not yet recognized as Medicare providers, so services in private practice cannot currently be billed to Medicare. Our Medicare article explains the details and what is changing.

When to See a Doctor First

Acupuncture is safe for most people, but some back pain needs urgent medical care. See a doctor right away if your pain follows a serious fall or accident, or comes with fever, unexplained weight loss, new weakness in your legs, numbness in the groin, or loss of bladder or bowel control.

Looking for Acupuncture for Back Pain Near Me?

Hawken Acupuncture is in White Rock Tower, 6510 Abrams Road, Suite 401, Dallas, near Abrams Road and Skillman Street. We are 2 miles east of Central Expressway and 3.5 miles south of LBJ Freeway, with free parking on site. That makes us an easy drive from Lake Highlands, Lakewood, Richardson and across Dallas.

If you have been searching for “acupuncture back pain Dallas TX,” you have probably found plenty of options. What sets us apart is unhurried 90-minute first visits, doctoral-level training and a plan built around you.

Ready to get back to moving freely? Call (972) 804-9113, book online, or ask for a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation to see whether acupuncture for back pain in Dallas is right for you.