
Why Acupuncture Could Be the Missing Piece in Back Pain Treatment for Over-50s
Back pain is one of the biggest reasons people lose independence as they age. Here’s how acupuncture is proving to be a safe, effective option for over-50s.

⚡ Pain, Fatigue & Mitochondrial Crosstalk
Low-grade chronic inflammation in ageing patients quietly sensitises pain receptors and disrupts mitochondrial energy production. This results in a clinical constellation often seen in older adults:
Persistent, nonspecific muscle or joint pain
Reduced physical resilience and easy fatigability
Non-restorative sleep and heightened sensory sensitivity
“Idiopathic” fatigue that doesn’t respond to conventional therapies
Emerging biomedical evidence highlights a bidirectional relationship: inflammation impairs mitochondrial function → lower ATP output → more reactive oxygen species (ROS) → further inflammation → more mitochondrial damage. This vicious cycle underpins syndromes like fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, and frailty.