Grandma's Back Pain Relief Guide

Understanding back pain relief is really pretty simple as long as you're determined to be persistent and pay attention to the warning signals from your body. There are many causes of back pain but the main causes are weak core muscles, muscle spasms, poor posture, inactivity, drafts, stress, poor nutrition, obesity and pinched nerves.

In most cases of back pain, the cause is either weak back or abdominal muscles or degeneration of the disks the cushion the vertebrae. The first signs of a weak back are aching shoulders, tense neck muscles, and a heavy feeling in the head.

If the muscles are truly overloaded, they will go into spasm. Painful as it may be, a spasm is actually helpful because it forces you to stop what you're doing and so prevents you from causing more damage.

With age, the disks lose moisture and elasticity. This may leave them vulnerable to herniation (prolapse), which puts pressure on the nerves that extend from the spinal cord. Depending on the location of the prolapse, the result may be numbness, tingling and pain in the arms or legs, as well as back pain. See herniated disk for more information and helpful remedies for relief.

Exercises to stretch and strengthen muscles are the key to preventing back problems.

The Spinal Anatomy: consists of Vertebras and Disks.

Spinal Column consists of:

• Cervical vertebrae (neck)
• Thoracic vertebrae(between shoulder blades)
• Upper lumbar vertebrae (low back)
• Sacrum (between hips and tailbone area)

Exercises for Back Pain Relief

An Excellent Back Stretch: The cat stretch is on of the most effective exercises you can do to keep your back flexible.

Kneel on all fours with your hands shoulder-width apart. Slowly arch your back, placing your chin on your chest. You should feel a gently stretch in your back muscles; stop if you feel any pain! Hold for 5 seconds.

Next, raise your head and press your stomach down toward the floor, making the small of your back concave. Hold for 5 seconds. Repeat the sequence. Perform this exercise for 5 minutes each day.

Swimming:

Swimming is probably the best form of exercise for back pain relief. The water supports your weight, so you do not put stress on your muscles. In addition, this activity uses back muscles, arms, abdomen, and legs, thus providing overall conditioning.

However, avoid the breaststroke and the butterfly, which require arching your back.

Dry Swimming: If you can't get to a pool, resort to "dry swimming."

Lie down on your back on a towel or exercise mat. Alternately raise your left arm and your right leg, making swimming movements for 2 seconds. Rest for the same length of time and repeat the same movement with your right arm and left leg.

Perform this exercise for up to 10 minutes a day.

Natural Medicine & Herbal Relief for Back Muscle Pain What You Can Do: Apply ice or a cold compress immediately after an injury to reduce pain and muscle inflammation. After a day or two, switch to heat to enhance circulation, further ease of pain and relax tense muscles. Warm baths, particularly whirlpool baths, hot water bottle and massage are also helpful in keeping muscles supple. Ice Massage for Pain and Swelling: Cold reduces pain sensitivity and ensures fast reduction of the swelling. Place a few ice cubes in a linen back and ask our spouse or a friend to massage the painful areas. An Herb Compress: Herb compresses are great for a back pain relief. Soak a towel in hot laurel or lavender tea. Place it on the affected area and cover with a linen cloth. To intensify the hat treatment, place on hot water bottle on top of the compress. This is extremely comforting and an easy way to relax the sore back muscles. Sleeping Comfort: To keep your spine aligned when you're sleeping, lie on your side and place one pillow under your head. Bed your knees and place another pillow between them. Acupuncture: When performed by an experienced acupuncturist, this ancient Chinese healing method can help reduce back muscles tension by making adjustments in the flow of Qi (energy) throughout the body. Chiropractic: Misaligned vertebrae frequently trigger back pain due to pinched-nerves. After a diagnosis is confirmed by X-rays, a Chiropractor's skillful manipulation can realign the spine and alleviate the pain. I worked as a Chiropractic assistant for over 15 years, I believe in Chiropractic, I've seen many miracles that medicine gave up on. So if you're at your wits end with chronic back pain give Chiropractic a try, you just might see your own miracle and suddenly notice a natural way to back pain relief. DISCLAIMER: The statement's made here have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure or prevent any disease. This notice is required by the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Enter your search terms Submit search form   Web www.grandmas-wisdom.com Return from Back Pain Relief to Grandma's Ailments & Treatments Guide Return to Grandma's Wisdom Home Share this page: What’s this? Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how... Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it? Click on the HTML link code below. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable. Build a Home Business - A New Life - Dare to Dream! If I Can Do It, So Can You! Copywrite ©2006 - 2015 www.grandmas-wisdom.com SBI!