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How Can I Cure My Low Back Pain?
Low back pain is an epidemic in the U.S. and more than 80% of people worldwide will suffer from low back pain at some point in their lives. Widespread suffering from back pain is a new problem; never before in history has there been mention of millions of people suffering from the same pain syndrome. Western medicine would have us all believing that our discs are the problem, but there is no proof.
Our bodies are designed to heal without lingering pain, and our backs are no exception. Several studies of people with no symptoms have shown that spinal abnormalities, such as herniated discs and stenosis of the spinal canal are not in themselves indicative of painful conditions. Many patients, being told that their herniated discs are the source of their pain, opt for surgery as a last resort. Failed back surgeries are common; surgery on herniated discs does not necessarily eliminate the pain and many patients are finding that they are still in pain, sometimes much worse pain, after surgery.
The problem goes way back to the diagnosis – most doctors believe that low back pain is caused by herniated discs, pinched nerves, or other physical problems, however, nothing could be farther from the truth. One doctor proved that 88% of back pain patients can quickly and easily heal themselves using their minds alone. Dr. John Sarno, a back specialist, discovered that most chronic back pain is fueled not by physical injuries or malformations, but instead, by repressed emotions.
Healing from back pain, then, depends on understanding how our mind affects our pain and learning to change learned and conditional behaviors that contribute to a negative emotional state. The emotions that contribute to chronic pain tend to be hidden in the unconscious and are not readily accessible to us. The patient represses socially unacceptable emotions, such as anger, resentment, and anxiety in an attempt to protect them from addressing the emotional pain that they would otherwise cause. The unconscious, in an attempt to distract the patient from the painful emotions, creates instead physical pain. These conditions frequently have what appears to be a physical cause associated with them, but this is just a convenient ‘place’ for the mind to store the pain.
Recovering from chronic pain with caused by emotions requires the patient to
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accept that their pain is most likely caused by repressed emotions and to work to change the conditioned habit of avoiding reinjuring themselves. Additionally, patients must reduce their stress and discover the source of the repressed emotions so that they can cure themselves of the physical pain. The good news is that the prognosis for healing is extremely good for patients with chronic low back pain – almost 90% of patients recover completely and no longer suffer from pain.
By: Anne West, Ph.D.
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Anne K. West is a passionate advocate of using the mind and increased awareness to reach optimum levels of health for your body, mind, and soul. For a complete list of her resources on healing pain, including back pain, neck pain, buttock pain, and bursitis pain, please visit: www.annekwest.com/ebooks
Common Characteristics of Back Pain
Back pain, which afflicts four out of five Americans at one time or another, is second only to headache as a common disorder characterized by pain. Pain in the upper spine may accompany an injury; however, for the overwhelming majority, the pain originates in the lower back, or lumbar region.
Recent studies indicate that fewer than 15 percent of cases of lower back pain are traceable to structural defects, such as ruptured disks, arthritis or tumors. In most cases, the disability arises from weakness of the musculature surrounding the spine. Therefore, the most important aspect of treatment for muscle-based back pain involves strengthening and protecting these supporting muscles. With a doctor’s guidance, well-informed and motivated patients can carry out most of the treatment themselves.
How the Pain Originates
The spinal column is made up of 24 separate and nine fused vertebrae, held together with tough bands of tissue called ligaments. Nerve roots pass through openings at the side of each vertebra. Thus, a wrench of the back or a failure of muscular support may result in the painful “pinching” of a nerve. The sciatic nerve–which extends from the lumbar area into the buttock, leg and toes–is particularly vulnerable to pressure. (The condition known as sciatica is a frequent companion to lower back pain, usually associated with a ruptured disk.)
Pain also is generated when muscles go into spasm. While such spasms may occur as a protective reflex, they intensify discomfort by choking off circulation and setting up an inflammatory response. Stress of any kind–physical or psychological–may cause spasms in under-exercised muscles.
Basic Causes
Recurrent back pain–leading to the deterioration of the muscles supporting the spine–usually can be traced to a specific condition. These include–singly or in combination–a sedentary life style, obesity, poor posture and a general lack of muscular tone. The type of exercise taken by usually sedentary people often fails to strengthen muscles supporting the lower back. Indeed, such popular weekend sports ans tennis, golf and skiing may actually promote back problems.
Treating the Pain
Typically, acute low-back pain comes on suddenly and without apparent reason. Symptoms of sciatic nerve involvement–twinges, numbness, burning–may also be present. For such cases, a regimen of bed rest, hot baths and aspirin or a prescribed painkiller usually provides relief. A short course of muscle relaxants may be recommended. If sagging abdominal muscles need support, a girdle is helpful.
In about 90 percent of all cases, low-back pain subsides within two months. However, if the circumstances that caused it are not altered, it is likely to recur.
Preventing a Recurrence
As soon as possible after the acute pain subsides, exercises should be undertaken to strengthen muscles in the back and abdomen. A long-term weight-reducing plan may also be advised. Yoga, meditation and breathing exercises may help reduce tension and stress.
If your daily routine involves many hours of standing, check your posture in profile. Your chest should be raised, buttocks tucked in and stomach flat. Sedentary workers should have a chair with armrests,, support for the lower back, a movable upper section and an adjustment for height, so that feet can rest on the floor. When picking things up, bend at the knees only. If the object is heavy, hold it close to flexed abdominal muscles. Sports involving sudden body movements should be avoided in favor of walking, jogging, cycling and swimming.
Chronic Disabling Pain
When diagnostic tests determine that the cause of severe and unremitting back pain is nerve damage, tumor, arthritis or bone inflammation, therapy involves more extensive treatment, which may include surgery, drugs and physical therapy.
Very often, long-time sufferers from back pain of unidentifiable origin become “lower back cripples,” limiting their activities and life style for fear of provoking pain. If the back becomes an excuse for avoiding responsibilities or confronting underlying problems, professional counseling should be considered.
Summing Up
Back pain is one of our most common health problems, but it can usually be resolved by proper exercise, heat, diet and other conservative measures. While 90 percent of all back pains dissipate within a few weeks, precautions should be taken to prevent their recurrence. Less frequent causes of lower back pain include arthritis, tumors and structural or neurological defects, which require clinical treatment.
I am the owner and author of Hoodia Gordonii Side Effects. You can find the original article here: Back Pain and Exercise. If you’d like to read more of my articles, please visit my site!
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