6 Natural Cures for Back Pain

Almost everyone has some degree of back pain, ranging from the occasional over-exertion related to the chronic. Regardless of what degree of pain you experience, these natural cures can help relieve (in some cases eliminate) back pain.

Wear Shoes that Support the Back

If footwear lacks a strong arch support (think flip-flops) it throws off the body's center of gravity, which forces the lower back muscles to work harder to hold you upright. The harder those lower back muscles work, the more they will ache. Wear athletic style shoes that have build in arch supports or use arch support insoles in other types of shoes to support the back.

Stand Up Every Hour

Sitting for prolonged periods of time places strain on the back, and the worse the posture, the worse the strain on the back. Stand up for a few minutes every hour to relieve the back strain and stretch the back muscles.

Take a Walk

Walking is the best exercise to relieve back pain. A recent study indicates that walking for 30 minutes every day reduces the level of back pain better than specific exercises for the back. Walking will also help you loose any excess weight which will also be conducive to relieving back pain.

Mattress Change

The age old advice to those who suffer with back pain is to sleep on a extra firm mattress to provide solid support to the spine during the night. If this is not working for you and you awaken with back pain in the morning, it ma be time for a mattress change. The new advice is to back pain suffers is to sleep on a medium-firm mattress so the mattress will conform to the back and support all points of the body during sleep.

Use a Knee Pillow

Take some pressure off the back by aligning the spine and pelvis at night with a knee pillow. If you sleep on your back, tuck a fluffy pillow under your knees at night, if you sleep on you side, tuck a thin pillow between your knees.

Take This Herb Extract

Devil's claw is an herb that contains a safe and powerful pain killer and anti-inflammatory called Harpagoside. Taking a low dose (2g-4g) of devil's claw root extract daily relieves moderate to severe back pain for many people. Devil's claw will take approximately four weeks to show results in back pain relief. Check with your doctor first before taking any type of herbal supplement.