If you’re struggling with back pain, you’re not alone. According to Anna Blewett, new research from the British Chiropractic Association (BCA) suggests that women wait twice as long as men to seek help, despite experiencing this chronic pain more regularly and from a younger age. The good news is, there are natural remedies for back pain that could see you feeling better in no time.
“Back pain and shoulder pain is increasingly common in modern life, but difficult to understand and treat,” says yoga teacher Mollie McClelland Morris . “Clinical and scientific studies of back pain and injuries show that there is not necessarily a direct correlation between a structural issue and pain. Some people have conditions that show up on an MRI but no pain, while others have debilitating pain but no obvious cause. Medical treatment of back pain can have life-changing side effects, so sufferers and clinicians are looking for alternative pain relief and management techniques.”
Whether your back problem manifests in backache, sciatica or joint pain, and whether you’re looking for physical therapy, pain relief or massage therapy, we’ve got you covered. So before you reach for the pain medication, have a read. There might just be a natural remedy for back pain that could work for you.
Qigong
This ancient Chinese meditation practice aims to harness qi (also known as ‘chi’ or life energy) to heal the body and achieve a state of calm and enlightenment. “It’s a very gentle form of exercise that helps manage and reduce back pain by positively retraining the muscle memory,” says Taoist monk and qigong master David James Lee . “Qigong is simple to learn, non-invasive, doesn’t require any fancy equipment and can be practised whenever you have a few minutes to spare. It’s normally performed standing, but if you have reduced mobility, the exercises can be adapted and done seated.”
Try this qigong exercies
“Stand with your shoulders relaxed, arms loose at your sides, palms facing backwards, knees slightly bent, and feet hip-width apart,” says David. “Visualise a stream of flowing energy running from the top of your head, down through the centre of your body, following a nice ‘S’-shape in your spine, and then out between your legs and into the ground. Notice any areas of tension or discomfort in your hips and lower back area. Imagine breathing deeply into, and softening the muscles in these areas. Practise this for five to 10 minutes, two or three times a day, and you’ll notice an improvement.”
Reinvention hypnosis
“How we perceive pain is directly a result of the brain interpreting signals and then delivering the unpleasant responses we feel and experience,” says Harley Street practitioner Malminder Gill . “Science has shown that there are ways to lessen these signals, and even work around them.”
Reinvention hypnosis is a new form of hypnosis that is particularly concerned with rethinking established truths to bring lasting change. “Hypnosis techniques have helped many people realise what it means to be pain-free when medication has failed to make a difference,” says Malminder. “Throbbing pain can be easily arrested and alleviated by self-hypnosis once you appreciate how you can develop control over the inner workings of your mind. Hypnotherapy is widely becoming an accepted and effective answer to managing pain. If you’re not getting any joy, and more importantly relief, from prescription painkillers, why not give hypnotherapy a try?”
The Franklin Method
“Research is beginning to suggest that the very thoughts ‘I have a stiff back’ actually create and reinforce back pain,” says Mollie. “The belief that our back is fragile and in danger creates that state in our bodies. When we talk about our bodies, especially our backs, the language is usually profoundly visceral, and overwhelmingly negative. We are creating those qualities as we move, by thinking about our body in that way.”
So what would happen if you approached your pain from the perspective of your mind, rather than your body? “Franklin Method starts there, by changing our thinking about movement,” says Millie. “It’s really a methodology for improving movement using the mind and body. Where Franklin Method differs from other modalities is that it is not just a set of exercises to do. The toolkit for creating healthy movement includes clear anatomical and biomechanical visualisation and embodiment, motivational imagery, touching and tapping for better proprioception, and even mental simulation of a movement and its desired effects. Using this detailed and varied imagery, students find new movement pathways, stimulate under- or over-used muscles, tone and relax the body and feel better.”
Try this Franklin Method exercise
“Move your shoulders up and down a few times. Check in as you do it. How do you feel? You might feel tight or stiff, or you might really enjoy moving. Now, as you move your shoulders think about how you would like your shoulders to feel, maybe smooth or light. As you move, say the following words: “My shoulders are light and smooth”. Has anything changed? Now say the opposite: “My shoulders are heavy and clunky”. You may feel that your body instantly takes on what you are thinking, and that the movement is immediately heavier and laboured. Do the same in spinal movements. Think about the qualities you want to feel as you move. Say: ‘My spine is free and strong’. Add breath to your movement. You may discover that your pain is already dissipating.”
Ayurvedic back massage
“Ayurvedic back massage (also known as pristhabhyanga) is different and unique to other massage therapy as it’s tailor-made to an individual’s body and constitution,” says practitioner Dr Deepa Apte . “The body type, oil used, the quality of massage strokes (including pressure and speed) may all differ. If someone were to come to me with lower back pain, sciatica or disc-prolapse, the use of medicated Ayurvedic oils would depend on their presentation.”
The massage routine for problems extends to the arms, neck and head, connecting with the body’s energy channels, or ‘nadis’, and draining any stagnant or used energy. “In an Ayurvedic back massage, we also place emphasis on marma points (or energy points) spread out over the back and along the spine, which relate to various organ systems of the body,” says Deepa. “For example, there is a lower back marma point that when worked on will help relieve symptoms of sciatic nerve problems or disc prolapse. The way these points are worked with will also depend on the symptoms.”
Reflexology
“People who are open to reflexology are generally those that are willing to try something other than the traditional medical model, which can deal with acute and short-term pain but doesn’t really address what’s happening for people on a long-term basis,” says freelance occupational therapist Samantha Jefferies of Harbour Farm Occupational Therapy . “They’re looking for long-term coping treatment that enables self-management.”Some people like practical, hands-on treatment, rather than a lot of talk. Reflexology is relaxing to people, so, for the 40-minute treatment they are able to enjoy it, and it activates the relaxing parasympathetic nervous system.” Try Samantha or find your local Royal College of Occupational Therapists-trained practitioner .
How to improve back pain
Try chiropractor Tim Button’s simple tips to lighten the load.
Stretch when you wake up
Stretching can be a beneficial way to keep your joints and muscles active. The British Chiropractic Association’s Straighten Up programme of simple exercises can be incorporated into your daily routine to promote movement, strength and flexibility in the spine. It is designed to improve posture and help prevent back pain by promoting balance, strength and flexibility in the spine with a combination of posture care and the strengthening of core abdominal muscles . Yoga and Pilates are also great for your back and for maintaining flexibility: try incorporating some of these Pilates exercises into your morning routine and feel the difference.
Wear a back pack
Almost a third of women cite carrying a bag as a key trigger for their back or neck pain. If you’re one of them, try choosing a bag that can be worn as a backpack or across the body to help to spread the load. Emptying out unnecessary items each day can also help to prevent excess weight
Stand up and move at work
In a study, 47 percent of female respondents said sitting still for a long time is a key trigger for pain. If you sit for extended periods of time at work or on a long drive, for example, take breaks to walk around, stretch, and move your joints every 30 to 60 minutes.
The Alexander Technique
The Alexander technique is often hailed as the gold standard in improving posture, with recent research showing that it’s more effective than conventional medicine in relieving back pain intensity. “It re-educates people about the way they use their bodies, changing bad habits,” explains Shelagh Aitken of The Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique . “Rather than manipulation, we use guided movements that help people learn new ways of using their bodies.”
The technique, best learnt one-to-one, helps you to combat stiffness and strain and move with minimum effort. “One good exercise is to lie on your back with books under your head, which lets the spine lengthen and release stress,” says Shelagh. “It also gives you an opportunity for physical relaxation, and time to think about how your daily life affects your body.”
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