Natural Remedies for Chronic Back Pain Relief

Anyone who suffers from chronic back pain will tell you that it can be excruciating and truly affect the quality of life. Some choose to turn to medication to alleviate symptoms of chronic back pain, while others prefer to use natural remedies. With many pain relievers, including common OTC's, having numerous bad side effects, I advocate for using natural remedies as your first course of action for relieving common back pain. The following are five natural pain methods which may help to reduce or eliminate back pain.

Heat Followed by Stretching

Muscle spasms and tight muscles, which are usually the result of some prior injury, generally respond well to heat therapy. Applying heat helps to relax tight muscles, which can help ease muscle pain. Some common forms of heat therapy include taking a hot shower, soaking in a hot bath or tub or using a heating pad.

Gently stretching these same muscles after applying heat can further help to relax them, easing back pain. If your back pain is due to an acute injury you will want to wait 48 hours before applying heat and stretching. The recommended method is to heat sore muscles for fifteen minutes and then to stretch. You can reapply the method as needed to ease back pain.

Massage Can Help Ease Back Pain

A massage by a trained massage professional or by a chiropractor can be a useful natural method for easing back pain. Massage, similar to heat therapy relaxes muscles by helping in opening blood vessels and flushing out waste products. You can further enhance the benefits of massage by applying a heating agent like mentholyptus.

Practicing Posture Can Help with Chronic Back Pain

Sitting slouched over at a desk all day is terrible for your back. Bad posture can lead to back pain in itself or aggravate an existing back condition. Try to practice good posture and avoid slouching. If you do need to sit for hours at a time, take periodic breaks, roll your shoulders a few times keeping them down and back. Take a few minutes several times a day to stretch your back muscles.

Sources:

http://www.solveyourproblem.com/back-pain-relief/severe_back_pain_treatment_vitamins.shtml

Gentle Yoga or Hot Yoga

If you have chronic back pain, you will definitely want to speak with your doctor before beginning any fitness routine. Yoga can be a wonderful way to relieve stress and to ease chronic back pain. Hot yoga or Bikram is my favorite method for alleviating back pain, since it combines both heat and stretching. You do need to be careful though, to make sure that you are in physically good enough shape before trying this challenging form of yoga. Gentle or restorative yoga may be best for those whose overall physical condition is not up to par. Many restorative yoga classes are designed to provide relief for back and other muscle pains.

Natural Supplements and Vitamins for Relief of Back Pain

There are many vitamins and other health supplements that have been publicized to have some benefits in relieving back pain. Before you go out and purchase any of these natural supplements I would recommend speaking with your physician. Some may have harmful side effects. Here is the list that I found of vitamins and supplements that may be helpful to those suffering chronic back pain. They are: Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Zinc, Calcium, Boron, Magnesium, Copper, Glucosamine Sulfate and Niacinamide.

Chronic back pain can lessen the overall quality of life. Speak to a medical professional to find the best method of care for your chronic back pain. You may find that a natural method is best for treating your chronic back pain.