THE FOLLOWING ARE SYMPTOMS AND CONDITIONS COMMONLY TREATED BY THE WASHINGTON ACUPUNCTURE CENTER. BACKACHE Backaches which are extremely painful or last more than a few days may be caused by a condition that requires prompt medical or surgical treatment, such as tumors, fractures, kidney or gall bladder disease. Tumors of the spinal cord may cause severe backache but are often benign, and it is important to diagnose and remove them surgically as early as possible. Acupuncture will not give lasting relief from backaches caused by such conditions, but is every effective for backaches from other causes. Spinal disc pathology (slipped or degenerative discs) may produce severe pain in the neck or lumbar area and radiate down the arms or legs. Cervical disc pathology is often from 'whiplash" injuries in automobile accidents. Lumbar disc symptoms may come on suddenly when a person bends over. Bed rest with traction is considered conservative treatment but is often unsuccessful and may lead to thrombosis of the leg veins. Surgery is hazardous and may increase pain or cause leg paralysis. Even if disc surgery relieves the pain, the relief may last only two years and then have to be followed by spinal fusion. Surgery on the spine also encourages the development of arthritis there. Increasing doses of narcotics may give temporary relief of pain but can cause addiction and indigestion. Any injury to the back from automobile accidents, falls or other trauma may result in osteoarthritis of the spine with pinching of spinal nerves. Surgery for this condition may give temporary relief but may lead to more arthritis with increased Dam later. Rheumatoid arthritis of the spine, spondylitis or Marie Strumpel's disease may begin spontaneously and be crippling as well as painful. It is generally aggravated by surgery but may be considerably relieved by acupuncture. Any of the drugs which relieve the symptoms of arthritis may have dangerous and even fatal side effects. Osteoporosis is decalcification of the bones including the spinal vertebrae and is usually found in people past 40. This condition may cause compression fractures of vertebrae with a loss of height and pain from pressure on the spinal nerves. It has been treated with sex hormones without much success in proportion to the undesirable side effects of such therapy. Acupuncture can relieve the pain from this condition and can be given along with nutritional therapy. Multiple myeloma is a malignant plasmocytoma which should be diagnosed and given appropriate anticancer treatment as promptly as possible. Cancer of any part of the body can metastasize to the spine and cause severe pain. Acupuncture should not be used to treat any type of cancer or malignancy, but it can be used to relieve severe pain from cancer while other appropriate treatment is being given. Lasting relief of pain from muscle strain or sprain, disc pathology, scoliosis, kyphosis, spina bifuda or any type of arthritis is usually obtained by the time 6 - 10 treatments have been given. Many patients experience relief of pain during their first treatment. More acupuncture treatments may be required to control the pain from malignancies or progressive disorders. next