Back Pain and Home Remedy For Back Pain

Athokpam Rightkumari Devi *

Introduction

Back pain is one of the most common medical problems. Back pain can range from a dull, constant ache to a sudden, sharp pain. Acute back pain comes on suddenly and usually lasts from a few days to a few weeks. Back pain is called chronic if it lasts for more than three months.

Definition

Back pain is pain felt in the back that usually originates from the muscles, nerves, bones, joints or other structures in the spine.

Classification

a. Back pain can be divided anatomically:

1. Neck pain,
2. Middle back pain,
3. Lower back pain or tailbone pain.

b. By its duration:

1. Acute (less than 4 weeks),
2. Sub acute (4 – 12 weeks),
3. Chronic (greater than 12 weeks).

Causes of Back Pain

The various causes for backache include

• Improper diet
• poor posture
• Back strain
• Back muscle injury
• lack of exercise/ No physical activities
• Excess lifting of heavy objects
• Wearing high heel shoes
• Sleeping in a wrong posture
• Pregnancy
• Excess mental stress
• Disc disorders
• Chronic diseases like Arthritis, Abdominal disorders, Peptic ulcers, Tuberculosis, Meningitis, Dysmenorrhoea in women, Bone cancer, Osteoporosis. etc.

Symptoms of Back Pain

• People with back pain cannot sleep the whole night
• Others will find that it is very hard to pass urine
• Lose the ability to control urination or bowel movements.
• Pain in the lower and middle portion of the back
• Pain around hips and waist
• Reduced flexibility of spine

Diagnosis

• Medical history
• Physical examination
• Imaging
• Plain x-rays
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans
• CT scan
• Nerve tests

MANAGEMENT

Back pain treatment is available in many forms. Back pain can be cured through medications or just by self-treatment. Most low back pain can be treated without surgery. Treatment involves using over-the-counter pain relievers to reduce discomfort and anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce inflammation under the guidance of physician.

Pain management

* Pain is managed by local application of heat / ice packs, massage, anti-inflammatory drugs, corsets, physiotherapy, acupuncture / acupressure or local injections. However these provide only temporary relief.

Conservative treatment:

* Stretching and strengthening (with specific focus on the muscles which support the spine) are also important but should be started under supervision of an expert, preferably a physiotherapist.

Manipulation:

* As provided by an appropriately trained and qualified chiropractor, osteopath, physical therapist.

Acupuncture:

* A correct choice for needling among the 361 classical acupuncture points located on these meridians is believed to restore the balance in the body.

Education:

* Education about back pain and how to manage it is another proven treatment and hence a very important component of management.

Surgical Management

• Discectomy
• Microdiscectomy
• Endoscopic disc removal
• Laser disc decompression
• Spinal fusion
• Laminectomy

Home Remedy for Backache

• If overweight, the first thing should do is lose excess weight because then back won't have to bear extra pressure.
• Ask someone massage the affected area with herbal oils using knuckles and increasing pressure slowly.
• Every time you lift something, remember to bend your knees first, this will prevent your lower back from getting tense causing damage to your spine and back muscles.
• Mix 1 tbsp glucose or honey in warm water and have it in the morning, on an empty stomach. It is a simple, yet effective way to get relief from backache.
• Eat two to three cloves of garlic in a day. Garlic oil can also be effective in curing backache. To prepare garlic oil, fry ten cloves of garlic in 60 ml of oil (mustard oil, sesame oil or coconut oil). Strain the oil, let it cool down a bit and massage the back with it.
• Mint oil has been found effective in curing backache. Lightly massage your back using some mint oil. It will give relief from the pain.
• Do not sit in couches; always sit in firm chairs supporting the lumbar area with a pillow. This will help you keep your waist and lower back in the proper position.
• Basil leaves can also cure a person suffering from backache. Take a cup of water and boil ten basil leaves in it. Let the water boil till only half the quantity is left. Cool down the water and add 1/4 tsp salt. Drink this decoction once a day.
• For tea drinkers, an easy remedy would be to add 5 black pepper corns, 5 cloves and 1 gram dry ginger powder to the tea. Have such a tea twice every day.
• Include foods that have rich Vitamin C content, such as citrus fruit, tomatoes, blueberries and strawberries, in your diet.
• The most effective method to backpain treatment is exercise which improves the supply of nutrients to spinal discs, and helps in the delaying of deterioration that takes place, as one gets older.
• Proper rest is very important for backpain cure. Rest flat on your back for at least 2-4 hours.
• The people doing sedentary occupations should get up once or stand from their seats after every hour.
• Persons with back problems should sleep on a firm mattress on their sides with knees bent at right angles.
• Preliminary research has shown that massage alone helps people with low back pain. Rub the painful area of the back with Arthcare oil. This is very effective for relieving the pain. Arthcare penetrates the body tissues faster because of its strong anti-inflammatory action.
• Yogic asanas that are beneficial in the back pain treatment are bhujangasana, shalabhasana, halasana, uttarpadasana, and shavasana.
• Heat may be applied with hot water bottle or infrared lamp for temporary back pain relief in the area.
• Lemon is useful natural remedy for back pain. The juice of one lemon should be mixed with common salt and given to the patient two times as daily routine. It will give back pain relief.
• An effective home remedy for backache would comprise of a combination of wheat, Cuscus grass and coriander. Soak 60 grams wheat in water, overnight. The next morning, add 30 grams each of Cuscus grass and coriander to it. Add 250 ml milk. Put the mixture in a pan and boil it, until only 2/3rd of the quantity is left. Drink this concoction to get relief from backache.

Conclusion

Even though the incidence of back pain has reached epidemic proportions, it can often be managed easily. . Actions can be taken to prevent back pain. Lifestyle changes are important to prevent back pain and to reduce the chances of recurrence.

References

• http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/backpain.html
• http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/backpain/backpain.htm
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_back_pain
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Back_pain
• http://www.backpain.health-sehat.com/
• http://health.indiamart.com/ayurveda/home-remedies/home-remedies-back-pain.html
• http://www.home-remedies-for-you.com/remedy/Backache.html
• http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-06-25/health/29354098_1_home-remedies-backache-vitamin
• http://www.home-remedies-world.com/homeremedies-backpain.html
• http://www.ayurvediccure.com/homeremedies_backpain.htm
• http://www.herbalcureindia.com/backache.htm
• http://www.natural-homeremedies.com/homeremedies_backache.htm
• http://healthism.blogspot.in/2011/09/home-remedies-for-back-pain.html
• http://www.treatmentforbackpain.org/
• http://www.bigbackpain.com/back_pain_treatment.html
• http://health.howstuffworks.com/diseases-conditions/pain/back/how-to-relieve-back-pain.htm
• www.AyurvedicCure.com

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* Athokpam Rightkumari Devi wrote this article for e-pao.net
The writer is Lecturer, M. M. College of Nursing, M. M. University, Mullana, Ambala, Haryana and can be contacted at athokpamrightkumaridevi(at)gmail(dot)com
This article was posted on March 29, 2012.

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