Herbal Treatments for Back Pain

By Bonnie Jenkins, Advanced Natural Medicine

Last Saturday, my husband decided to clean out the garage. Now we live in a house with no basement or attic, so the garage doubles as storage space for everything from holiday decorations to the kid’s old toys (you know, the ones they didn’t take with them when they left home, but can’t quite part with). So my husband had his work cut out for him. But, when he came hobbling in at the end of the day, I knew he had overdone it.

Sure enough – in his enthusiasm, my husband had forgotten the rule about lifting heavy objects with his legs. And his back was now paying the price.

According to researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, low back pain affects 80 percent of the population sometime in their lives. Whether it’s from an old sports injury or from lifting heavy objects, back pain and stiffness can make doing simple everyday tasks difficult. And while they say that misery loves company, if it’s your back that hurts you probably want relief – and fast!

Quick Fix, Big Problems

The most that conventional medicine can offer to relieve temporary back pain are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Sure they work – but they can also cause negative side effects like gastrointestinal damage. And, as I told you a few weeks ago (“The Joints Are Jumpin’” 6/30), the new breed of prescription NSAIDs called COX-2 inhibitors can cause diarrhea, headaches, respiratory infections, dizziness and skin rashes. But the most frightening thing about these new “wonder drugs” is that they can increase your risk of having a heart attack.

If your back pain entails more than just minor muscle damage, you might wind up with a prescription for a muscle relaxant like Soma or Flexeril. And while they may make you feel like you haven’t a care in the world, some muscle relaxants are narcotics and carry the risk of addiction. Others can increase the risk of depression, rapid heart rate, loss of coordination and tremors. I’d go on, but the list of possible side effects for this type of medication is insanely long.

Why gamble when there are all-natural remedies that can alleviate lower back pain as effectively as pharmaceuticals – and without risky side effects?

Banish Back Problems

When either my husband or I suffer from muscular pain, I automatically reach for the willow bark extract. Herbalists have used it for centuries to soothe all types of pain and clinical trials have shown that it’s especially useful for back pain. One study by Australian researchers found that willow bark extract is just as effective as rofecoxib, the COX-2 inhibitor better known as Vioxx.

In the four-week study, 114 patients were given 240 mg. of willow bark extract a day while another 114 took a daily dose of rofecoxib. By the end of the study, the researchers found that there was no difference between the two treatments. Better yet, the study authors noted that willow bark extract was 40 percent cheaper!

Earlier findings by Israeli scientists also give white willow bark high marks for its ability to treat back pain. In this randomized, placebo-controlled study, 210 patients took either 120 mg. of willow bark extract, 240 mg. of the herb or a placebo. After four weeks, 39 percent of those taking the higher dose of willow bark extract found that their pain had disappeared, while 21 percent of the patients on the lower dose experienced complete relief. Only 6 percent of the placebo group saw any improvement. But the best news is that side effects were almost non-existent.

Willow bark extract isn’t the only herb that goes head-to-head with rofecoxib. A brand new study of Devil’s claw, an anti-inflammatory herb from South Africa, found that it was just as effective as Vioxx in easing low back pain. In the study, researchers treated 80 patients with either 60 mg. of devil's claw or 12.5 mg. rofecoxib. For six weeks, forty-three of the patients took the herb, while 36 took the prescription medication. The patients' degree of pain was measured using standard clinical tests at baseline, 4 weeks and 6 weeks.

After six weeks, 18 of the patients taking the herb and 12 patients taking rofecoxib reported more than a 50 percent reduction in pain. By the end of the study, ten of the patients taking the herb reported that they didn’t have any pain and didn’t require any supplemental pain-reducing medication, compared with only five of the patients taking rofecoxib.

Top This

Even though willow bark extract and devil’s claw are extremely effective, sometimes oral medications, even natural remedies, are more than you really need. For mild back pain, I’ve found that topical treatments offer terrific relief right where it counts. But I’m not talking about the smelly rubs found in your local drugstore. These herbal treatments actually work – and with lightening speed!

You might only think of cayenne pepper as a fiery cooking spice. But think again. Capsaicin, the active ingredient in cayenne, is one of the most powerful anti-inflammatories in nature’s pharmacy. Used topically, capsaicin can melt away pain.

Capsaicin creams work by interrupting the formation of COX-2. And research shows that capsaicin not only reduces pain and inflammation, it significantly improves range of motion. In one study at Craigavon Hospital in Ireland, doctors found that creams containing capsaicin can even reduce shooting pain. For the most effective pain relief, use a cayenne cream containing 0.025 to 0.075 percent capsaicin one to four times a day. One tip though – and this is from experience – since this potent herb irritates mucous membranes, always wash your hands well after use.

Arnica can also soothe sore muscles while reducing pain and inflammation when applied topically. Although arnica is often included in natural sports rubs, many people rely on an arnica extract for relief. However, arnica should never be used “neat” as it can burn the skin. Dilute it in a 5:1 ratio. And don’t take arnica internally unless you are under the direct supervision of a qualified homeopath.

One Last Thing ...

If you read the e-bulletin on June 30, you might remember that I told you how acupuncture relieves chronic back pain more effectively than conventional orthopedic treatments. Since then, I’ve run across a couple of other studies that show just how effective acupuncture is for treating muscle pain.

In the first study, 50 patients with chronic low back pain were treated with either acupuncture or a placebo once a week for eight weeks. After a month, half of the people in the acupuncture group showed significant improvement compared to only two subjects in the placebo group. Three months later, the acupuncture group reported that they had experienced even more relief, pointing to the long-lasting affects of this ancient oriental healing art.

The second study, which tested 60 patients with backaches marked by shooting pain, found that 88 percent of the participants experienced a significant reduction in both types of pain after a course of acupuncture treatment.

Although some diehard doctors are resistant to natural remedies for low back pain, the evidence shows just how effective these alternatives can be. How well things work when you think outside of the box.

This Just In ...

A reader named Merryn-Lee wrote in asking if there was anything she could try to help her get a better night’s sleep. Merryn-Lee is vitamin B deficient and one of the more annoying side effects of her deficiency is insomnia.

In the e-bulletin “Catching the Zzzzz’s” (6/23), I told you of several ways to help bring on the sandman. But another reader, Stephen, may have something even more effective. He writes:

“Calcium definitely does the trick, but it must be taken with magnesium in an acid base. I drink a cup of my calcium/magnesium concoction, which consists of one tablespoon of calcium gluconate, 1/2 teaspoon of magnesium carbonate and one tablespoon apple cider vinegar (5% acidity). Put this in a cup, add 1/2 cup of boiling water, stir, then add another 1/2 cup of cold water and drink. This works as a great muscle relaxant and is known to help women during their menstrual cycle.”

We all know that the body needs adequate sleep to heal itself and remain healthy. So on those nights when nothing else works, give Stephen’s cal-mag cocktail a try. But if your sleeplessness persists, check with your doctor since, like Merryn-Lee, there might be an underlying – and potentially serious – cause.

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References:

Carlsson CP et al. “Acupuncture for chronic low back pain: a randomized placebo-controlled study with long-term follow-up.” The Clinical Journal of Pain. 2001; 17:296-305.

Chrubasik S, et al. “A randomized double-blind pilot study comparing Doloteffin and Vioxx in the treatment of low back pain.” Rheumatology. 2003; 42:141-148.

Chrubasik S, et al. “Treatment of low back pain with a herbal or synthetic anti-rheumatic: a randomized controlled study. Willow bark extract for low back pain.” Rheumatology. 2001; 40:1388-1393.