For a number of years I’ve felt niggles and twinges all over, and a number of times have felt my back ‘go’ which has then rendered me incapacitated for a few days. I have thankfully been able to relieve lower back pain by using a number or combination of natural treatments.
I am not alone. 80% of people will experience back pain at some time in their lives, but there are a variety of natural ways to find relief.
Why do we get lower back pain?
Age is often the culprit but not exclusively. As people enter middle age, they are more likely to experience bouts of low back pain. Men equally as likely as women.
Over time, the bones and joints in your lower back begin to change. The discs (the soft cushions between the vertebrae) can often begin to wear out and sometimes become fragmented. These structural alterations can cause pain and discomfort
Yet, most cases of low back pain stem from strain or sprain due to simple overuse. Exertion, unfamiliar activity, excessive lifting, or accidentally. Sometimes a simple twist picking up a heavy toddler or wrangling an over-excited child into a car seat can be all it takes to send my back into spasm.
In most cases, the best move is to wait and see if the pain resolves on its own. If the pain does not improve after three to four days, then it’s time to see your healthcare provider.
Chronic Pain
It is common for people to feel pain in their lower back. When the cause of pain is unknown, we say that the pain is ‘non-specific’. Pain that lasts for more than three months is considered to be ‘chronic’.
Chronic non-specific low back pain can be disabling. It can cause people to miss work. Often, people with chronic non-specific back pain seek medical care.
However, depending on the source of your back pain and its severity, you might try a few home remedies, or natural treatments to relieve lower back pain until you feel your back has returned to normal. Here are several options to consider
Cold and heat therapies
Immediately following a back injury, It’s best to use cold compresses or an ice pack, not heat. This can alleviate pain by numbing the area and prevent or reduce swelling.
About 48 hours after the onset of back pain, though, it may be helpful to apply heating pads or a hot-water bottle to your back. The warmth works to soothe and relax aching muscles and increase blood flow to the area, which helps the healing process. Bear in mind that heat therapy is only really helpful for the first week or so.
Physical activity
While regular exercise helps build strong, flexible muscles that will be less prone to injury. It can also help the healing process for an aching back as well as helping to prevent problems in the future, and improve function.
A good program typically includes a combination the 3 forms of exercise: aerobic activity, strength training, and flexibility exercises (like yoga)
Limited bed rest
What was once the standard treatment for back pain, bed rest has become a less popular treatment. Healthcare providers now know it’s better to keep moving, so that your muscles don’t become stiff.
Bed rest can still be useful to relieve lower back pain, particularly if your pain is so severe that it hurts to sit or stand. But try to limit it to a few hours at a time and for no more than one or two days.
Sleep Position
It is important to maintain the natural curve of the spine when lying in bed. To do this, make sure that the head, shoulders, and hips are aligned and that the back is properly supported.
There are a number of sleep positions that will support your spine, relieve lower back pain, and may also help improve the quality of sleep.
Anyone with lower back pain might try the following sleeping positions:
On the back with knee support
Lying on the back evenly distributes the body’s weight, helping to minimize pressure and ensure a good alignment of the head, neck, and spine. Placing a small pillow under the knees will help maintain the natural curve of the spine and may provide additional support.
On the side with a pillow between the knees
Lying on the side can be comfortable, but it can pull the spine out of alignment, straining the lower back.
It can be easy to correct this issue by placing a firm pillow between the knees. This raises the upper leg, restoring the natural alignment of the hips, pelvis, and spine.
Anyone who usually moves from their side to their front may also want to try hugging a large pillow against their chest and stomach to help keep their back aligned.
In the fetal position
For anyone with a herniated disc, or a slipped disc sleeping in the fetal position may help. This is because lying on the side with the knees tucked into the chest reduces bending of the spine and helps open up the joints.
Natural Balms & Ointments
Using a balm or ointment rub to relieve lower back pain is beneficial in a few ways, the gentle rubbing can warm the area which stimulates blood flow and helps to relieve pain, while the actual ingredients of a natural balm or ointment can be effective for pain relief.
Nettle Balm is particularly popular for joint pain relief as it’s made with nettle seed-infused oil. Nettle is well known for its anti-inflammatory properties, relieving stiffness and pain in joints and muscles. Nettle balm also has added frankincense and peppermint essential oils which are soothing and effective for pain relief.
The beauty of natural balms and ointments is that because there are no drugs or chemicals in the ingredients, they can be used without limitation, so you can apply to a painful area as needed.
Complementary Therapies
Several types of complementary therapy may be helpful to relieve lower back pain. These include:
Acupuncture
According to Paula Wilson-Young of Health Rediscovered, Acupuncture is a form of treatment that uses tiny needles (and other techniques such as cupping, moxibustion) to help to regulate our systems.
It has long been used to treat pain, with over 3000 years of development & refinement. It helps to not only reduce the inflammation that often goes with pain, it relaxes the tense muscles, tones the weak ones, helps to but regulates our nervous system helping to encourage our bodies to heal – to forget the past trauma(s) that caused the initial pain.
The mechanisms for HOW it works are little understood from a biomedical stance, but you can read more of what we are discovering here. (https://www.healthrediscovered.co.uk/how-does-acupuncture-work/ incase the link doesn’t work)
Paula is a degree qualified Accredited Acupuncturist who uses a combination of different styles of acupuncture to help you get free from what ails you, she offers both in person and online sessions and offers health coaching to help you create the vitality you desire in life. Health Rediscovered is a clinic based in Glasgow overing holistic services including Traditional Acupuncture, a variety of body work therapies, massage, Reiki, and cupping.
Personally, I’m a huge fan of acupuncture, having used the needling treatment effectively over the last almost 20 years for a variety of injuries, from the rehabilitation of a dislocated shoulder, pregnancy lower back pain, and running injuries & strains.
Spinal Manipulation
Alaine Skerrett, a holistic chiropractor at King Street Chiropractic and Natural Health Centre, using the McTimoney chiropractic treatment.
Chiropractic is a hands-on therapy that uses different techniques to help ease mechanical back pain and may include spinal manipulation and quick sharp movements. These safe techniques are designed to improve mobility and alignment.
Back pain is a common ailment, especially when concerned with:
- Physical sports and energetic activities
- Sedentary lifestyle or working environment
- The aging process
- Poor posture
King Street Chiropractic and Natural Health Centre located on the border of Newcastle-under-Lyme and Stoke-on-Trent uses the McTimoney chiropractic treatment and offer a variety of complementary therapies to suit your individual needs including Core Postural Alignment, Targeted and Indan Head Massage, Epley Manoeuvre, Counselling & Psychotherapy, Hypnotherapy, and Homeopathy
Therapeutic Massage
Michelle Wilson-Young of Health Rediscovered says massage comes in many forms and is considered one of the oldest forms of medicine.
It is not just about a chilled-out pamper but does also help your body function better. A ‘good’ massage will include a variety of techniques, tailored to exactly what you and your body needs.
Michelle, as a sports & soft tissue therapist, uses a combination of techniques including taking your joints through their range of movement (articulation), active stretching (muscle energy technique) as well as classic massage moves to help alleviate muscular tension, and gently realigns the body.
Michelle is a level 4 massage therapist, giving her a great wealth of knowledge, and techniques to help you feel light, free, and flexible.
Movement Therapies
Movement therapies such as yoga, pilates and tai chi, which can help stretch and strengthen back muscles.
Pilates is an ideal complement to chiropractic to improve your core muscle strength and flexibility.
UK NICE guidance recommends including exercise as part of a manual therapy treatment package for non invasive treatment of low back pain with or without sciatica.
Pilates exercises can help with spinal stability, posture and balance by training the para-spinal and abdominal muscles. Movement therapy exercises can help with the recovery of back and neck injuries and are a great way to build core strength.
These treatments are often most effective when they are combined with the other home remedies I mentioned.
Where to go from here?
So that’s quite a detailed summary of what natural and holistic treatments are available to help relieve lower back pain, however, I’ll repeat that if your pain persists for more than a week, seek advice from your healthcare professional.
Follow the links to the various practitioners I featured to get some more information from them if that is something that appeals to you.
If you enjoyed this post, you may also like How To Reduce Inflammation in the Body Fast
xx
Bronwyn
