A new study might point out what we all already knew, but it bears reiterating anyway: This generation is creating pain for itself simply by sitting.

A study performed by the British Acupuncture Council shows that today’s “couch potato culture” encourages people to spend more time sitting down, thus putting more strain on the back muscles. The study was done to mark Britain’s acupuncture awareness week, which was March 3rd to 10th of this year.

The study surveyed 5,000 adults in Britain. Out of the 5,000 participants, 40% complained of having to sit at a desk all day. About half of the participants admitted to regularly eating on their lap, which encourages poor posture. Over a third of the participants admitted to watching movies and television while in bed.

In addition, a whopping 74% of the participants said that they regularly use painkillers to cope with their back pain. Rhiannon Griffiths, a member of the British Acupuncture Council, commented that “Painkillers often numb the end symptom and mask the problem, but do not address many of the combined underlying causes of back pain. By stimulating different points of the body, traditional acupuncture can be extremely beneficial for back pain, providing long term pain relief and reducing inflammation.”

Acupuncturists use acupuncture supplies in order to trigger a healing response. Ironically, many laypeople would rather avoid acupuncture because of the pain it could possible induce. However, by educating potential clients about how the benefits of acupuncture outweigh the drawbacks, acupuncture therapists can effectively put their clients at ease.

Furthermore, Griffiths states “I find that many patients opt for the painkiller route with limited success before turning to acupuncture. Simple lifestyle changes alongside acupuncture could save millions of people taking medication every day. It’s important to recognize the impact our behavior has on our bodies and to make sure we are fully informed about all treatment options to promote long term health and well-being.” Thus the acupuncture therapist should not only take on the role of the healer, but also as the educator. Provide examples and studies for the client to think about. This also provides an opportunity for the client to tell you about his or her needs. Having this dialogue will make everyone happier and more knowledgeable at the end of the day.

The study performed by the British Acupuncture Council highlights a problem that many modern adults face today. Because of our typically sedentary lifestyles, we’re prone to behaviors that aren’t necessarily healthy for our spines. Frequent sitting at work, sitting in traffic, poor posture, and bad bed hygiene practices can create numerous health problems. Furthermore, rather than address the root cause of the problem, many people take painkillers or apply heat to the hurting area, which temporarily alleviates or masks the pain. This presents a significant challenge and opportunity for acupuncture therapists to educate the public about acupuncture and its usefulness in relieving pain. Purchase high quality acupuncture needles Edmonton to provide your clients with the best possible acupuncture experience.