10 Sources of Relief from Back Pain

Source of Relief from Back Pain

Acute and chronic back pain effects over 100 million people in the United States each year. While pain is best known and characterized as subjective, meaning only the person who is experiencing it can explain what it feels like, pain is often called the Universal equalizer. Pain affects people differently. What may be perceived as only a minor nuisance to one person, may be completely debilitating to someone else. Pain is a warning that something isn’t quite right. Pain is not a disease in itself but the result of an underlying condition or due to injury. Pain is not just a physical sensation or psychological event, but a combination of these and other components.

10 Sources of Relief from Back Pain

1. Cold Applications: This application often feels best on acute injuries, where the pain is often hot to the touch or has a feeling of heat radiating from it. Ice numbs the area, reducing pain. It also constricts blood vessels, limiting blood supply to the injured site. This action decreases swelling. Ice can also decrease muscle spasms. If an area is painful to move or swells after exercise, use ice. Apply ice or a frozen object, such as a bag of corn from the freezer, to the injury. Be sure the area is protected from the cold application and not applied directly to the skin. The cold will reduce swelling and pain at the injured site. This step should be done as soon as possible. Apply the frozen object to the area for 20 minutes, every two to three hours for the first 48 hours.

2. Hot Applications: This application is often most effective for chronic injuries or pain that is cold to the touch or has cold radiating from it. It is very useful with injuries agitate by cold or damp weather. Heat increases local blood supply, bringing healing cells to the area and potentially relaxing tight muscles. Use moist, hot towels or microwavable heat packs for no more than 10 to 15 minutes several times a day. Never sleep on a heating pad.

3. Anti-inflammatories from aspirin to herbal compresses, anti-inflammatory applications can reduce the recovery time by half if done within the first 24-48 hours of an injury or painful attack.

4. Acupuncture has been proven to decrease pain, reduce swelling and increase blood circulation in order to speed the healing process. Electro-stimulation acupuncture is also recommended for sciatica, piriformis syndrome, and pain after surgery, whiplash or accidents. In Chinese Medicine, cupping is done in order to move blood from the injured area which may be stagnant resulting in pain. This is a very effective method used to decrease the amount of time it takes for the area to heal.

5. Rest: This can be the best medicine for any condition from a cold to a broken bone. Rest rejuvenates, repairs and reassembles. For acute injury, rest and protect the injured area. If it hurts to bear weight on the injury, use crutches, if it hurts to move the area immobilize it with a splint.

6. Compression and elevation tend to go hand in hand. Compress the injured site by applying an Ace bandage. This will decreases swelling of the injured region. Although the wrap should be snug, make sure it is not too tight as this can cause numbness, tingling, or increased pain.

7. Elevation of the injured area above the level of the heart as much as possible. This technique will also assist in reducing the amount of swelling to the injured site.

8. Exercise conditioning and stretching certain pains can improve from stretching such as painful stiff muscles and joints by increasing blood flow to these areas. Weight baring exercises are beneficial for improving strength and bone density. Restoring movement and normal function to an injured area is critical. Learn to stretch to improve your flexibility.

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9. Dietary Changes: So many aches and pains can be eliminated by the proper foods we choose to eat. Weight gain affects our joints, heart, circulation and blood pressure among other conditions. Change your diet and change your life.

10. Root Cause Treatment: Pain is the result of injury or disease. With acute pain, the cause is often obvious. A fall resulting in a painful scrape or twisted ankle. In chronic pain, often the pain has been with you for so long, it is hard to pinpoint the real cause or root cause of the disorder. Most alternative health therapies see the occurrence of disease as the results from an imbalance. The treating of the root of primary cause of disease is what makes a root cause treatment very affective in the long term. It does not just treat the symptoms of that disease.

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