Back Pain

By Bonnie Jenkins, Advanced Natural Medicine

Back Pain.

It strikes without warning: a dull ache or a shooting pain that can last for a few days or persist for months. Maybe you lifted something heavy. Maybe you sat at your desk too long. Or maybe it seems to occur for no reason at all.

I’m talking about back pain – and chances are, sooner or later, you are going to have it. In fact, four out of five adults experience back pain at some point in their lives. And even though it is classically associated with men, gender isn’t a determining factor.

Sticking Points

Back pain can be caused by something as simple as a muscle strain or spasm, as well as by more serious degenerative conditions like osteoarthritis, spinal degeneration and bone disease. What’s more, viral infections, skeletal irregularities, obesity, smoking, stress, poor posture, fibromyalgia, and tumors can all cause or contribute to back pain.

The bad news is that if you have a sore back, there’s no magic bullet to make it feel better. In fact, some of the most historically common back-pain treatments are now thought to be largely ineffective, if not detrimental. Surgery for back pain, for example, is the third-most frequent surgical procedure in the country, yet many doctors now suggest that it is appropriate only in a small number of cases. And although doctors once told back-pain sufferers to take to their beds, studies suggest that prolonged bed rest may actually delay recovery.

The good news is that, in most cases, the body heals itself. Because the majority of back-pain episodes improve on their own, one of the most popular recommendations doctors make is self-treatment. One common home remedy is applying cold compresses several times a day for two to three days, then switching to hot pads on the sore area for brief periods to relax muscles. Gentle exercise, such as stretching, swimming, walking, yoga, and movement therapy, might also speed recovery. You can even try self-massage: Lie on the floor or lean against a wall with a tennis ball between your shoulder blades and gently rub the ball against your muscles.

If self-treatment isn’t for you, you might want to consider getting some professional help. And I’m not talking about conventional medical care.

The ancient science of acupuncture is one of the most effective treatments around for treating back pain. It’s become so widely accepted that the conservative National Institutes of Health even supports acupuncture as a useful treatment for back pain.

Traditionally, acupuncturists insert hair-thin needles into precise points in the body to access its energy system and enable innate healing processes. But new research by the University of Vienna, Austria, has found that electrical acupuncture may be even more valuable for back pain. During their clinical trial, 61 patients were treated with either traditional acupuncture or electrical acupuncture once a week for six weeks. Not only did the folks receiving the electrical stimulation have less pain than those in the traditional acupuncture group, they also reported a greater sense of wellbeing.

One reason is that acupuncture (particularly electrical acupuncture) releases endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers. So, instead of taking drugs orally, you body is producing them naturally. And, according to the Vienna trial, the effects last for months after treatment is stopped.

Another popular, noninvasive back-pain treatment is massage therapy, which helps to relieve stress and strain from muscles and connective tissues using pressure, kneading, lifting strokes, and other hand techniques. Massage therapy works by helping to loosen up tissues that may be stuck or tight. According to proponents, one of the main benefits is that massage increases the blood circulation to the area, helping to bring nutrients to the region, as well as taking away waste products. It’s also wonderfully relaxing.

Living a Pain-Free Life

While most of us think that the only way to avoid back pain is to be careful when lifting heavy objects or exercising, the truth is that adopting a healthy lifestyle can be a major defense against back pain. Eating a well-balanced diet and maintaining a healthy weight can go a long way toward preventing back injury. Quitting smoking is another important step toward prevention because smoking reduces blood flow to the lower spine and causes spinal discs to deteriorate.

Maintaining a regular schedule of low-impact exercises and stretching, such as speed walking, swimming, bike riding, yoga, and Pilates, is another way to sidestep back pain. High intensity exercise, on the other hand, can actually stress your back more if not accompanied by proper conditioning and stretching.

Slight improvements in your home and workplace can help your back, too. For example, reorganizing your work setup to reduce repetitive movements and uncomfortable postures can be beneficial. When seated, keep your shoulders back, avoid slouching, rest your feet on a low stool, and place a pillow in the small of your back. Take at least 30 seconds every 15 minutes to stretch and move around. And if your job involves lifting heavy objects, bend with your knees and keep your head forward. Of course, if something is too heavy, don’t lift it. “Increase your body awareness,” advises certified massage therapist Rick Halle-Podell, owner of Massage Therapy of Oak Park in Illinois. “Start noticing when your back hurts, and try and figure out if certain activities are causing that back pain.”

One Last Thing ...

There are also a host of supplements that can help speed your recovery from back pain. Bromelain, the enzyme derived from pineapple, is a potent anti-inflammatory and most holistic practitioners recommend taking 1,000 mg. three times a day between meals for back pain. The omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil can also reduce swelling.

If you’re suffering from acute pain, nature has also provided fast relief in the form of white willow bark. In one double-blind study of the herb in 210 patients with chronic low back pain, 39 percent found complete pain relief after taking the willow bark. The reason is salicin, the active compound in both white willow bark and aspirin. Although white willow bark has a good safety record, long-term use can bring on the same gastrointestinal problems associated with aspirin, so it’s best to avoid this herb if you have an ulcer or gastritis.

Of course, preventing back pain in the first place is always your best bet. Along with practicing a healthy lifestyle, certain supplements can help your back become stronger and more resistant to injury. First and foremost are calcium and magnesium. Taken together in a ratio of 2:1, these two essential minerals can strengthen your spine. Glucosamine is another important supplement, even if you don’t suffer from arthritis. Glucosamine helps build the cartilage and tissue that supports spinal discs and most naturopaths suggest taking 1,500 mg. a day in divide doses.

Since most common back pain is caused by muscular injury, it’s also important to make sure you’re taking 1,000 to 2,000 mg. of vitamin C a day. Vitamin C helps to build collagen and is essential to keep the ligaments, tendons and connective tissue strong and healthy.

This Just In ...

You probably already know that I’m a big fan of green tea. It’s a tasty way to get your antioxidants and it stimulates the immune system – so it’s no wonder studies have found it useful for preventing heart disease and cancer.

But, as good as green tea is, a new study by researchers at Pace University found that its white cousin may be even better. According to the findings, white tea extract can actually destroy the organisms that cause disease. It even held its own against staph infections and antibiotic-resistant pneumonia!

But you don’t need to be exposed to a life-threatening bacteria to get the benefits from white tea. The Pace team also added white tea to some popular brands of toothpaste and found that the tea significantly boosted the anti-microbial effects of these products. The result? Fewer cavities and better oral health.

No doubt this means that your favorite brand of toothpaste will soon be boasting white tea. But, why wait? Try a cup of white tea – and swish it around in your mouth before swallowing. But keep in mind that the study used a more concentrated white tea extract, so a cup of brewed tea a day may not be enough to keep dental bacteria at bay. It’s probably best to follow the guidelines used for green tea and shoot for four to six cups a day.

Who knows, tea time just might keep the doctor – and the dentist – away!

***

References:

Chrubasik S, et al. “Treatment of low back pain exacerbations with willow bark extract: a randomized double-blind study.” American Journal of Medicine. 2000;109:9-14.

Hagen KB, et al. “The Cochrane review of bed rest for acute low back pain and sciatica.” Spine. 2000;25:2932-2939.

Malmivaara A, et al. “The treatment of acute low back pain--bed rest, exercises, or ordinary activity?” New England Journal of Medicine. 1995;332:351-355.

Schiffenbauer M, et al. “The Anti-Bacterial, Anti-Fungal, and Anti-Viral Effect of White Tea.” Presented at the 104th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology. 2004.

Sator-Katzenschlager SM, et al. “The short- and long-term benefit in chronic low back pain through adjuvant electrical versus manual auricular acupuncture.” Anesthesia and Analgesics. 2004;98:1359-1364.

To learn more about back pain treatments, sign up for ANM.