BACKACHE / BACK PAIN
Backache is one of the most common ailments prevalent today. Sedentary living
habits, hazardous work patterns and psychological conditions associated with
emotional stress, which bring about spasm of the muscles, cause backaches. As
the back bears the weight of the entire body, overweight persons feel the
strain on the back when they have to carry an extra load.
Symptoms of Backache or Back pain
Pain in the middle of back or lower down
In most cases of backache, the pain is usually felt either in the middle of the
back or lower down. It may spread to both sides of the waist and the hips. In a
condition of acute pain, the patient is unable to move and is bedridden.
People suffer from cervical and lumbar spondylosis
About ninety per cent of backache patients suffer from what is called cervical
and lumbar spondylosis. It is a degenerative disorder in which the different
vertebrae adhere to each other through bony unions. As a result of this, the
spine loses its flexibility.
Causes of Backache
Muscular tension, straining of the joints, poor posture
The main causes of backache and spondylosis are muscular tension, straining of
the joints, poor posture, and incorrect nutrition resulting from dietetic
errors and lack of exercise.
Kidney or prostate problems, female disorders, influenza
Acute or chronic illnesses like kidney or prostate problems, female disorders,
Influenza, and arthritis, may also lead to backache.
Sitting for a long time, high heels
Other causes include stress and strain resulting from sitting for a long time,
improper lifting of weights, high heels, and emotional problems which may cause
painful muscle cramping.
Home Remedies for Backache
Backache treatment using Garlic
The most important home remedy for backache is the use of garlic. Two or three
cloves should be taken every morning to get results. An oil prepared from
garlic and rubbed on the back will give great relief. This oil is prepared by
frying ten cloves of garlic in 60 ml of oil in a frying pan. Any of the oils
which are used as rubefacients, such as mustard oil. sesame oil, and coconut
oil can be used according to one's choice. They should be fried on a slow fire
till they are brown. After the oil has cooled, it should be applied vigorously
on the back, and allowed to remain there for three hours. The patient may,
thereafter, take a warm-water bath. This treatment should be continued for at
least fifteen days.
Backache treatment using Lemon
Lemon is another useful remedy for backache. The juice of one lemon should be
mixed with common salt and taken by the patient twice daily. It will give
relief.
Backache treatment using Chebulic Myroblan
The use of chebulic myroblan is beneficial in the treatment of backache. A
small piece of this fruit should be eaten after meals. This will give quick
relief.
Backache treatment using Vitamin C
Vitamin C has proved valuable in case of severe backaches. About 2,000 mg of
this vitamin should be taken daily for treating this condition. Considerable
improvement will be noticeable within two days.
Backache treatment using Potato
Raw potato is an ancient home remedy for backache, characterised by
incapacitating pain in the lumbar region, especially in the lower part of the
back. Application of raw potato in the fom of a poultice has been found very
effective in this condition.
Dietaries for Backache
Salad of raw vegetables, plenty of fruits
The diet of those suffering from backache should consist of a salad of raw
vegetables such as tomato, carrot, cabbage, cucumber, radish, lettuce, and, at
least two steamed or lightly cooked vegetables such as cauliflower, cabbage,
carrot, spinach, and plenty of fruits, except bananas. The patient should have
four meals daily. Fruit and milk are advised for breakfast, steamed vegetables
and wholewheat chapatis for lunch; fresh fruit or fruit juice in the evening;
and a bowl of raw salad and sprouts during dinner.
Avoid fatty, spicy fried foods and processed foods
The patient should avoid fatty, spicy, and fried foods; curd, sweetmeats and
sugar; condiments; and tea and coffee. Foods that have been processed for
preservation have few nutrients and should also be eliminated from the diet.
Other Backache treatments for back pains
Avoid smoking and tobacco intake
Smoking or taking tobacco in any from should be given up completely.
Hot fomentation and alternate sponging
Hot fomentation, alternate sponging, or application of heat to the back will
also give immediate relief.
Yogic asanas are also useful
Yogic asanas which are beneficial in the treatment of backache are
bhujangasana, shalabhasana, halasana, uttanpadasana and shavasana.
.........................................
Raise your fitness level. "If you have a back injury that does not require
surgery, studies indicate your aerobic capacity level is the single most
important predictor of getting better," Dr. Lovejoy says. In other words, if
you're physically fit, you're much more likely to recover.
That's why daily aerobic exercise is the "treatment of choice" in the view of
Dr. Lovejoy and many other doctors. "For the construction workers I treat, I
recommend brisk walking with hand weights and strength training with free
weights," Dr. Lovejoy says. Adds Dr. Haldeman: "Do anything and everything that
you can do comfortably and continuously."
Cushion your dogs. The pounding stress that running, and even just walking,
normally produces is transmitted right up your back. And for a weak back, that
can mean pain.
"Shoes designed specifically to absorb shock, such as running shoes, or special
shock-absorbing inserts available at sporting goods stores may reduce back
pain," says researcher Arkady Voloshin, Ph.D., professor of engineering in the
Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics at Lehigh University in
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. In one study, Dr. Voloshin found that 80 percent of
back pain sufferers reported rapid and significant relief when they switched
from basic street shoes to lightweight, flexible-soled shoes with simple
shock-absorbing cushions.
Get horizontal--then get going. Rest, not exercise, is what most doctors
recommend initially for acute back pain. "But we tell people that in order to
get their circulation going, they need to be up and walking around for 45
minutes of every three hours," Dr. Lovejoy says. "Otherwise, they stiffen up
like a board, and everything they do hurts."
Don't overdo a rest stop. More than two days' bed rest may not be, helpful,
according to Richard A. Deyo, M.D., D.P.H., professor in the Departments of
Medicine and Health Services at the University of Washington in Seattle.
He found that back pain sufferers who were advised to stay in bed just two days
missed 45 percent fewer days of work during the following three months than
patients advised to rest for a full week. Muscles may weaken quickly with bed
rest, and weak muscles can perpetuate an aching back.
Turn to aspirin, Advil or Tylenol. Any over-the-counter painkiller that
contains aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) could ease your
back pain, according to Dr. Haldeman. But don't use painkillers before the
fact. "If you know you are going to have back pain if you do something such as
running, it's better not to do the activity than to mask your pain with drugs,"
says Dr. Haldeman. And do not give aspirin to children because of the risk of
Reye's syndrome.
Get a posture check. Neither a fence post nor a spaghetti noodle be. An erect
but relaxed stance, both standing and sitting, puts the least stress on back
muscles, experts say.
Find your most restful position. Is your lower back acting up? Try this
relaxation tactic: Lie on the floor with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle
and your calves resting on the seat of a chair. "This position reduces pressure
in your back more than anything else," Dr. Haldeman says. "Most people find it
very comfortable."
Warm up your muscles before you hit high gear. Like old rubber bands, stiff
muscles can fray when they're stretched by sudden movement. So warm up first
with a few minutes of relaxed walking. Swing your hips and arms as you walk,
then try a few slow side-to-side twists. If you're planning a specific
activity, such as a golf swing, go through the motion several times, slowly,
before you add speed and force.
Try some aqua- and yoga-laxation. Water exercises, especially an arthritis
range-of-motion program, are a safe and effective way to knock the rust off
back muscles that haven't been stretched for a while, says Dr. Haldeman. Check
with your doctor, hospital or health center to find out where these programs
are offered. Many people with back problems benefit from yoga, too, according
to Dr. Haldeman--provided they begin slowly and advance according to their
tolerance and ability.
When to See the Doctor
Seventy to 90 percent of back pain goes away by itself or with some minor home
treatment," says Scott Haldeman, M.D., D.C., Ph.D., associate clinical
professor in the Department of Neurology at the University of California,
Irvine, and adjunct professor at the Los Angeles Chiropractic College.
See a doctor if your back pain doesn't improve after three days--or if the pain
is so bad you can't budge from the bed. You'll also need a doctor's advice if
your legs are weak or numb or if back pain is accompanied by fever. Other
call-the-doctor symptoms include stomach cramps, chest pain and difficulty
breathing.
In some cases, back pain may be associated with loss of bowel or bladder
control. This demands immediate attention: It may indicate a severely herniated
disk or spinal cord or nerve damage.
Roll on a tennis ball. It's possible to relieve pain with "acupressure'' or
"trigger point" treatment using a tennis ball, says Robert King, co-director of
the Chicago School of Massage Therapy and a nationally certified massage
therapist. (He also recommends some of the wooden "pain relievers" designed for
people who have aches and pains--such as a Backnobber.)
For the tennis ball treatment: Lie on a hard surface and position the tennis
ball under you so that it is pressing against a tender spot. Roll onto the ball
gradually, utilizing your body weight until the pain and tenderness subside.
To decrease back pain, don't smoke. Experimental work has shown that smoking
reduces the amount of oxygen that travels, via osmosis, to spinal disks at
night while you sleep. "If you smoke a pack of cigarettes a day, you'll
probably double the amount of back pain you would have if you didn't smoke,"
Dr. Lovejoy says.
Ice it up. To get ready for a gentle icing, first freeze some water in a small
paper cup. When you're ready to use it, Dr. Haldeman says, peel back the side
of the cup to expose about 1/2 inch or so of ice. Lie on your stomach with a
towel on your back, and have a friend or spouse massage your aching spots with
the ice. (The ice should not be applied directly to the skin.) You can also lie
down on your back with your knees bent and slide a bag of crushed ice (wrapped
in a wet towel) under the sore spot, Dr. Lovejoy says.
Warm up the ache. A heating pad or hot water bottle can help. Or simply curl up
in front of a hot wood stove to ease your aches. How do you decide whether your
aching back needs heat or cold? "You pick one or the other, try it for a while
and see if it helps," Dr. Haldeman says.
http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Bookshelf/Books/48/9.cfm
Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures
while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid
using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies
with the reader and not with the site or the writer.
The service is provided as general information only, and should not be treated
as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor.
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