This post is about Chiropractor West Palm Beach: Acupuncture for Low Back Pain from a Femoral Nerve Injury. You may have pain that radiates from the back and hip into the legs. And walking and moving may be difficult. Also, it may present as buttock pain radiating to the groin and knee. Moreover, do you have a “loss of sensation” over the superior (top) and anterior (front) part of the same knee?
The National Institutes’ of Health (NIH)-funded study supports acupuncture as a safe and effective pain treatment. According to the study, “older Americans with chronic low back pain who received acupuncture had greater improvement in physical function and reduced pain. This was in comparison to those who received usual medical care only, generally prescribed medications or physical therapy. Chronic low back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide and affects over one-third of older adults in the United States. Treatment options range from pain-relieving drugs to complementary therapies, including acupuncture. The NIH concluded there is an urgent need for safe, effective, and non-addictive pain management approaches”.
If you have pain due to a femoral nerve injury or dysfunction, acupuncture treatment may be your best choice for relief!
How is the Femoral Nerve Injured?
The femoral nerve can be injured by “mechanical stressors”, pathological (abnormal), traumatic and metabolic mechanisms.
Firstly, entrapment between muscles in athletes participating in certain sports (e.g. horse back riding) along with hyperextension (excessive backward motion) of the hip joint are mechanical stressors. So entrapment of the femoral nerve happens during long periods of hyperextension or stretching of the nerve as it exits the lumbar plexus (web of nerves). Additionally, it can happen from sudden flexion and extension of the lumbar spine.
Secondly, child birth can cause a femoral neuropathy (nerve problem that causes pain, numbness, tingling, swelling).
Thirdly, traumatic femoral injuries can be from a fall.
Fourthly, post-surgical scar/adhesions or a soft tissue congenital (born with it) anatomical variant may be the issue (e.g. iliopsoas variant).
Lastly, metabolic disorders such as diabetes, shingles (Post-Herpetic Neuralgia) or drug abuse can also, through biochemical interactions, alter nerve function and result in neuropathies.
Femoral Nerve Anatomy
The femoral nerve innervates (supplies) the muscles and skin of the hip and thigh. It originates from the lumbar plexus. The lumbar plexus is a complex neural network formed by the lower thoracic (T12) and lumbar (L1-L4) nerve roots. The femoral nerve is formed from the anterior (front) division of spinal nerves L2-L4. In fact, the femoral nerve is the longest branch of the lumbar plexus.
Entrapment of the Femoral Nerve
Femoral nerve entrapment may occur due to compression under the inguinal ligament. The inguinal ligament is the thickened lower border of the aponeurosis (fibrous collagenous connective tissue) of the external oblique muscle of the abdomen.
As with all peripheral (reside outside your brain and spinal cord) neuropathies, it must be distinguished between a proximal (center of body) or a peripheral nerve problem in order to treat it properly. In other words, distinguishing between the L2-L3 nerve root or a peripheral entrapment of the femoral nerve is important. This diagnosis will be made by your doctor.
Electromyography can usually confirm whether the tissue damage is a lumbar root, plexus, or femoral nerve involvement. However, electromyographic study is unnecessary to start treatment. Electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction studies (NCS) are tests that check how well your muscles and the nerves that control them are working. Both NCS and EMG record electrical activity in the peripheral nerves and muscles.
Chiropractor West Palm Beach: Acupuncture for Low Back Pain from a Femoral Nerve Injury: Research
Firstly, in one case study, A “35-year-old woman visited the university acupuncture clinic because of severe difficulties in hip flexion, extension of knee, and sensory loss on the medial side of leg on the right side. The diagnosis of femoral nerve injury was confirmed by physical examination and nerve conduction study (NCS). Acupuncture treatment was done three times a week for 12 sessions”. A post-treatment physical examination and NCS showed improvement in the patient’s motor and sensory symptoms. The patient continued to improve at the follow-up physical examination 7 months after treatment.
Secondly, in conclusion, this case report provides clinical and NCS evidence that acupuncture may effectively treat a chronic severe femoral nerve injury. Indeed Acupuncture, with its unique benefits, including anti-inflammation, analgesia, and speeding up nerve repair, could be a safe, effective, and less painful alternative for repairing peripheral nerve injury”.
Chiropractor West Palm Beach: Acupuncture for Low Back Pain from a Femoral Nerve Injury: Another Case Study
First, the next report describes the use of acupuncture for a patient with prolonged pain, numbness, weakness and stiffness on her right leg. It started after gynecological surgery. The surgery was due to a stage 3 ovarian cancer. The patient received twice a week acupuncture treatment for 5 months. Subsequently, they were able to regain the leg strength.
Second, improvement showed in her daily activities. For example, she no longer experienced buckling while walking. She didn’t need a walker. Also, she could drive 48 miles pain-free. And finally she was able to engage in relatively low impact exercises.
Chiropractor West Palm Beach: Acupuncture for Low Back Pain from a Femoral Nerve Injury
Acupuncture has been used for over 4000 years to treat pain and other health problems. Acupuncture effects what the ancient chinese practitioners called Meridians (energy channels) in your body under the skin. Traditional acupuncture is based on the belief that an energy, or “life force”, flows through the body in these channels called meridians.
Today, Researchers believe when an acupuncture needle is inserted, nerves are stimulated. This sends a message to your brain and nervous system. Ultimately, Acupuncture improves blood flow and calms the nervous system. This triggers nerve signaling that affects the function of other parts of the body, including organs.
Dr. Natalie Meiri is a chiropractic physician, board certified in acupuncture with over 20 years of experience. Call 561-253-8984 today! Ask to make an appointment or find out more about: Chiropractor West Palm Beach: Acupuncture for Low Back Pain from a Femoral Nerve Injury.