Every now and then, you feel a painful twinge in your back. Sometimes it's stronger than a twinge, and it becomes a full-blown ache. You twist the wrong way, or forget to lift with your knees rather than your back. Either way, you know that it's not a serious injury, and you'd rather not take pharmaceutical pain relievers just to take the edge off of a little discomfort.
Back pain can affect anyone at any time, regardless of age, nationality or position. Sooner or later you will experience back pain, so it's good to know that there are truly effective methods available that can bring about natural pain relief.
A licensed naturopath physician by the name of Cathy Wong has shared fifteen natural remedies for relieving back pain. She suggests that the first step to finding a treatment when back pain strikes is to have a proper assessment by a healthcare provider.
If you choose to use natural back pain relief, you have several options to consider. Not all patients will find relief with every remedy, so be sure to seek professional advice before starting any treatment.
Here are natural back pain relief options for you to consider:
Alexander Technique
The Alexander Technique is all about choosing a healthy lifestyle. It's a school of thought that teaches people to improve posture and eliminate bad habits. An Australian actor named Frederick Matthias Alexander developed this technique after he discovered that he could correct the "croaky" quality of his voice simply by standing tall instead of slouching.
Soothing Heat with Capsaicin Cream
Capsaicin is an active ingredient in chili peppers. When applied to the skin, capsaicin cream provides an analgesic effect by reducing the substance P, a neurochemical that transmits pain. As you may know, an analgesic is one of many back pain remedies. Apply a 0.025% capsaicin cream, four times a day. Wear gloves while rubbing the cream onto your body.
Bowen Rehabilitation
Tom Bowen, an Australian osteopath, developed a method of gentle bodywork to relieve pain. Long recognized in Europe as an effective way of relieving back pain, the Bowen Rehabilitation method is now popular in North America as well. Therapists performing the Bowen Rehabilitation method will complete a series of movements using their thumbs and fingers. The specialist pulls the skin away from the muscle, applies pressure and immediately releases the tension.
Music Therapy
Music is said to be able to soothe the savage beast. Even the unruly creature known as your sciatica may be comforted by music. Always lauded for its ability to ease stress, anxiety and depression, musical therapy has immediate benefits easing sciatica discomfort, but the long-term effects are less astounding.
Vitamin D for Pain Relief
Some patients claim that Vitamin D from natural sources can bring back pain relief. This powerful vitamin is found in salmon and other small-boned fish, plus cereal grains, fortified milk and even through simple exposure to natural sunlight. Older people, however, should limit exposure to the sun. If you'd like to supplement your Vitamin D, try glucocorticoid medications which can also benefit conditions like lung diseases and allergy irritations. There are certain risks to taking Vitamin D as a source of natural back pain relief. Possible side effects include digestive disorders and a darker pigmentation of the skin.
Willow Bark for Back Pain
The bark of salix alba tree is known to be a viable source of salicin, a natural back pain reliever. The body converts salicin into salicylic acid, which is believed to be an active compound that eases pain and inflammation.
If you suffer from back pain, but you'd rather not depend on pharmaceutical medications, try one of these proven methods of finding natural relief from back pain.