This generation did not invent back pain. Back pain has been around probably since man began walking upright, or maybe before. Back pain sometimes starts when we bend over at an odd angle. There have been treatments for back pain long before what we know today as Western medicine was even a glimmer in the eye of the first med student. The AMA (American Medical Association) considers all medical disciplines other than their own as alternative medicine. It doesn't matter that most of what they refer to as alternative medicine has been around many centuries longer than they have. Alternative medicine for treating back pain includes such practices as acupuncture. Acupuncture has been practiced for over 5,000 years now. Acupressure is closely related to acupuncture but without the needles. The idea of acupressure is to put pressure on specific points in the body, using only hands and fingers to restore the balance of Qi and thus relieve pain. Herbs have been used to relieve pain for thousands of years. Today's pain-relieving medications are mostly synthetic reproductions of these long-used and natural herbs. The main difference is that the synthetic reproductions often produce a lot of side effects, but the natural herbs they are based upon do not. Chiropractors have been manipulating spines for many years. Hippocrates said, "Get knowledge of the spine, for this is the requisite for many diseases." Chiropractic medicine as we recognize it today wasn't actually established until 1895. The AMA was established in 1847, so they do have a jump on chiropractors as such. To relieve back pain, try alternating heat and cold on the sorest spot. Use a heating pad for about five minutes. Heat helps to improve blood circulation, and the increased blood circulation will relieve pain. Then use an ice pack on the same spot for about five minutes. The ice will help to prevent or reduce swelling. Swelling causes pain, and if it can be reduced, so will the pain. Draw a nice warm bath and add about a cup of Epsom salt to the water. Soak in the tub and add additional warm water as needed. The body will absorb magnesium from the Epsom salt, and magnesium is a natural muscle relaxant. Relaxing the muscles that are involved in the pain will help to reduce the pain as well. Back pain has been around as long as man himself and so has seeking relief of that pain. When your back hurts, you simply want to relieve the pain, and if alternative medicine can do that for you without using synthetic drugs or scalpels, then it might be a very good choice, indeed. The one thing that every sufferer of back pain wants is help. He or she wants relief and they want it sooner rather than later. Dont talk to them about any healing process. They want help. They want relief. And they want both NOW! Those who suffer with back pain can be a tad short-tempered and more than a little irritable. They want relief and those who must live with them want them to get relief as quickly as possible. It is no comfort at all to those who are suffering with back pain, but you really aren't alone. About 90 percent of adults will suffer from back pain in their lifetimes. It is also important to know that your back pain is most likely NOT being caused by a slipped disc. Slipped discs are the cause of only about 3% of all back pain and there is only a 1-in-1,000 chance that your back pain will result in surgery. The odds are greatly in your favor.