If you’re bored of back pain, try one of these alternative treatments.
Back pain is one of the great mysteries of our health. The lower back is extremely complex, and understanding what the problem is and developing a treatment plan can be tricky.
Well, more than 20 million Americans suffer from chronic or ongoing back pain, and surgery is often considered the best option. But then, the vast majority of people won’t actually benefit from surgery or any other traditional medical treatment. What are the alternatives?
Acupuncture
One of the most prominent alternative therapies for back pain is acupuncture, an alternative therapy based on ancient Chinese medicine that involves stimulating nerves in the muscles with small, fine needles. This stimulates the body to produce endorphins, which relieve pain. We don’t really know why it works, but it seems to work just fine for many people.
Yoga and Pilates
These are both body-strengthening exercises that focus on building strength, suppleness, flexibility, and alignment; all of which will make you less likely to develop problems with your back. However, if your back problem is disk-related, avoid these treatments. They could potentially make it worse.
The reason why a lot of people have difficulty with their lower back is that humans, as creatures walking upright, have a center of gravity around the hips and abdomen. This puts a lot of strain on the lower back, so improving the core strength of that entire area through yoga and Pilates (both work equally well, so whatever you prefer) is a great way to avoid problems.
Massage
Another popular option, massage is excellent for general back maintenance. It works by physically manipulating knots and tight spots out of your back muscles, stretching them out and improving suppleness and flexibility. Also, it helps to remove lactic acid from the muscle and promote drainage. Essentially, it helps to get rid of waste substances that can build up in the muscles and cause pain and other problems. Check out Viga Massage Adelaide for more on how massage might help you.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is essential for maintaining strong, healthy bones, especially as we get older. As many as 1 billion people around the world are believed to be deficient in this essential vitamin, most often associated with exposure to the sun. However, needing to get more vitamin D isn’t a reason to bake yourself. Just ten minutes will suffice. You can also get vitamin D from cod liver oil and certain types of fish, and multivitamins are of course, always an option if you’re stuck.
Aerobics
More for maintenance and strengthening than as a treatment for acute injury, aerobics improves overall muscle efficiency and strength. You can do exercise classes, swim, cycle, or even just take a brisk walk every day – whatever your overall health will allow. Doing a small amount of exercise is fine. But then, be aware that if you’re in pain, exercise may aggravate whatever is causing it. See your doctor before you do anything. They can advise you on the best thing to do for your situation.
