Holistic Treatments for Back Pain

Back pain has slowly become a common health problem in today’s world. Studies have shown that only two out of ten people are free of back pain. Statistics also suggest that at least 31 million Americans suffer from lower back pain on a daily basis. One can only imagine how much money is spent daily on treating back pain, especially chronic back pain, considering these statistics.

Luckily, most back pains can be prevented or treated without having to use any medications. You only need to figure out the root cause of the back pain and make the necessary changes in your lifestyle. A number of traditional medical approaches are often overlooked or underestimated when they could, if employed, do an amazing job in keeping back pain away. Let us share some of them with you:

Get enough sleep

Getting enough sleep has turned out to be very effective in keeping away many health issues. Actually, insufficient sleep or insomnia is a root cause of many health problems. Studies have shown that two out of three people who suffer from back pain also suffer from certain sleep disorders. If you have sleep problems, you first need to deal with them, regardless of whether or not you already have back pain. This will go a long way in preventing back pains or just making the pain go away, as well as helping prevent a number of other health issues related to lack of sleep.

Release your inner endorphins

Endorphins are hormones that have a lot of health benefits and are naturally released by the body. They can be very effective in relieving pain. They can also help in controlling stress, fighting depression, and alleviating anxiety as well as other mental and psychological disorders that are often associated with chronic back pain. A release of enough endorphins does wonders in blocking pain signals that are sent to the brain. Activities such as massage therapy, meditation, and aerobic or any other form of exercise increase the release of endorphins in the body.

Physical exercise

Muscles in your back and abdomen play a major role in supporting your spine. Our daily activities alone are not enough to strengthen these muscles, and exercises that specifically target them are critical to keeping back pain at bay. Most of these exercises take only about 30 minutes of your time and can easily be fitted into any schedule however tight it is. You should consult your trainer or do research on different platforms for more information on these exercises, as doing them will be a big investment towards your personal health.

Stretching your hamstrings twice daily

Hamstring muscles are located in the backs of your thighs and when they are tight, they apply stress on your sacroiliac joints and lower back, leading to lower back pain. Stretching your hamstrings can relieve or prevent back pain. There are a lot of safe stretching exercises that, if done correctly, should make sure your hamstrings are stretched, which will keep away back pain.

Make yourself happy

Pain can be destructive and may affect your daily life in many ways, mostly negative. It can distract you from the things that matter most in your life, like relationships and work. It can also affect your moods and interrupt your sleep, leading to other medical conditions. However, studies have shown that involving yourself with simple activities that make you happy can go a long way in relieving pain. Simple things like calling an old friend, making yourself a cup of coffee or tea, or just getting a warm hug from a loved one can make a big difference by adding some brightness to your day. Being happy is a natural antidepressant and can act as a distraction and relief from back pain. Therefore, it is always advisable to involve yourself in things that make you happy, especially when undergoing pain or extensive medical treatment.

Engage your brain

Pain is more of a mental than physical thing, as it mostly involves the brain. Pain specialists have always stated that engaging your brain while you are undergoing pain helps relieve the pain a great deal. When you encounter physical pain, pain signals are automatically sent to the brain to be processed and interpreted. Engaging your brain will reduce the attention given to these pain signals by the brain, which will, in turn, reduce the pain. Distract yourself from the pain by engaging in a book, movie, speaking with another person, etc. 

Give your back a break

This is very important to the population that is experiencing back pain. Giving your back a break can mean a lot of things in the practical sense. It has been proven that people who rush to extreme medical treatments like surgery, MRIs, epidural injections, or x-rays after having just a few episodes of back pain tend to have more complications compared with those who take their time to find out what really is the matter. However, this does not necessarily mean one should ignore the back pain and act like everything is normal.

Most back pains tend to be temporary and often go away on their own after a short period of time or with ordinary pain killers. Giving them some time to heal on their own may end up saving you the trouble of going through an extreme medical procedure and the usually expensive cost of such. However, you can finally decide to visit a doctor if you feel like it is a serious case, such as when the pain is severe or you are experiencing more serious symptoms.

Get on up

Becoming lazy or too inactive is the enemy here. This is for the people who tend to abuse the advice of taking a rest, and take it to another level altogether. Going for walks, doing gentle stretches, or just standing up from your desk at work once or twice goes a long way in loosening up your spine and back muscles. This can work in your favor and help you avoid back pain.

Acupuncture

This is a procedure that involves the insertion of needles into your skin at specific locations to help in relieving the pain. It is a very effective method of relieving low back pain, nerve-related pain, or muscle spasms. The relief that comes after each session is undeniable and can last for a few hours or even weeks. It is recommended, however, that you find a qualified acupuncturist for a safe and effective session.

Prolotherapy

This is a procedure whereby a slightly irritating solution is injected into weakened tendons, ligaments, disks, and fibrous capsules of joints. This solution causes an incendiary reaction that triggers the body to release new collagen to fix the affected area. The collagen pulls and tightens the weak ligaments, making them stronger. This ends up relieving pain and improving the range of motion and functionality of the affected parts.

However, as effective as these treatment methods are, there comes a time when accurate medical attention is necessary. It is safe to say that some severe cases of back pain require the kind of attention that traditional treatment might not be able to offer. That said, holistic forms of treatment are very efficient in providing the required solutions in most health conditions. Following the above modes of treatments will not only help patients heal completely, but also help them resume their normal lives. 

When suffering from back pain, the above remedies are highly likely to help relieve your pain. If pain continues, consult with a doctor on further treatment and solutions.