Back Pain Treatment in Greenville, SC
Suffering from back pain in Greenville, SC? Dr. William Hendry combines acupuncture, dry needling, and functional medicine to address the root cause. Call (864) 365-6156.
"Excellent. I was a skeptic and informed Dr. Hendry of such. I have a broken neck from a racing accident over 40 plus years ago. The results have been remarkable and I am a believer in acupuncture."
— Michael F. McLeod · April 2015 · Google Review
What Is Back Pain?
Four out of five adults will have back pain severe enough to limit daily function at some point in their lives. That statistic is real, and it's not particularly useful if you're currently one of them. Back pain ranges from a dull, persistent ache to sharp, debilitating pain that radiates down the leg. It can originate in muscles, ligaments, discs, or nerves — and in most chronic cases, involves several of these in combination. The question that matters isn't what structure is involved. It's why the pain hasn't resolved, and what's driving it beyond the obvious mechanical explanation.
Common Symptoms
Root Causes: A Functional Medicine Perspective
Conventional medicine often treats back pain as a structural problem — a herniated disc, strained muscle, or degenerative joint disease — and responds with anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxants, or surgery. Functional medicine takes a broader view, recognizing that systemic inflammation, nutritional deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, and lifestyle factors all contribute to how pain is experienced and maintained.
Chronically elevated cortisol from stress compromises tissue repair and sensitizes pain pathways. Deficiencies in magnesium, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids increase inflammatory signaling in the muscles and joints. Gut dysbiosis generates inflammatory cytokines that amplify pain throughout the body. Fascia, the connective tissue web surrounding every muscle and organ, can develop adhesions and restrictions that perpetuate pain long after the original injury heals.
Dr. Hendry evaluates all of these contributing factors to understand why your back pain persists and what is preventing natural healing — not just where it hurts.
How We Treat Back Pain at IHP
At Integrative Health Partners, back pain treatment is personalized and multi-modal. Acupuncture reduces central and peripheral sensitization by modulating pain-signaling neurotransmitters including endorphins, serotonin, and adenosine. Research published in peer-reviewed journals, including the British Medical Journal and JAMA Internal Medicine, consistently shows acupuncture outperforms sham treatment for chronic back pain.
Dry needling targets myofascial trigger points — tight, hypersensitive bands within the muscle that are a primary source of referred pain in the back. By deactivating these points, normal muscle tone is restored and pain often resolves rapidly. Cupping therapy promotes circulation in stagnant tissue, reduces fascial restrictions, and accelerates recovery.
For patients with chronic back pain, Dr. Hendry incorporates functional medicine testing to identify systemic inflammation, nutritional deficiencies, or hormonal contributors, then builds a comprehensive treatment plan that addresses both structural and systemic factors.
Dr. Hendry's Approach
I spent nine years on staff at Prisma Health, where I co-led a three-year study on acupuncture as an alternative to opioids in the Emergency Department — back pain being one of the primary presentations. Five publications, 52 citations. That research informs how I approach every back pain patient: precise anatomical assessment, mechanism-based point selection, and a realistic, evidence-grounded expectation of what needling can achieve versus what requires functional medicine investigation to address the systemic drivers keeping the pain active.