Chiropractor In Abington Pa | Back Pain Remedies: How To Find Relief

What is back pain? If you live long enough chances are you will at some point in your life experience back pain. Ranging from a dull ache to a wave of shooting pain, back pain can result in slightly limited range of motion or the inability to stand upright without searing pain.

How can I treat my back pain? -

The good news is that with such a common ailment there are lots of ways to find relief from the pain that you can try at home.

Ice/ heat -

Ice therapy will give relief from pain from sprains or muscle strains within the initial 48 hours after the injury. Ice both decreases the pain and causes the body to increase circulation to the area where it's applied. Wrap the ice pack in a towel - never apply ice directly on the skin. Limit the use of ice therapy to less than 20 minutes at a time.

Heat also increases circulation when used after the first 48 hours to muscular injuries. Apply heat directly to the injured area with a damp, heated towel or a heating pad.

Aromatherapy -

The essential oils used in aromatherapy can be helpful in relieving muscle pain. There are several recipes for combinations of herbal extracts such as rosemary, thyme, sage, eucalyptus, black pepper and lavender essential oils. These oils can be combined with a bit of carrier oil and massaged directly into the skin, or added to a hot bath that you soak in allowing the oils to soak into the skin as you breathe in the healing aromas of the herbs.

Capsaicin Cream -

Made using the substance that makes chili peppers taste hot, capsaicin cream reduces the pain caused by muscle strain. It should never be used on broken skin, and be sure not to get any of it into your eyes, nose or mouth.

Vitamin D -

This vitamin is essential to the body for the absorption of calcium to keep bones healthy and strong. If you don't take in enough vitamin D your bones may not be as strong as they could be. Vitamin D can be readily absorbed from direct sunlight, fish, fish oils and supplements.

Vitamin B12 -

This vitamin has been shown in studies to relieve certain types of back pain. You can get it from red meats and in supplements.

Yoga -

This ancient form of exercise is a great way to relieve nagging, muscular back pain. It relieves the built up stress and muscle tension, while also strengthening and lengthening the muscles that support the back, making it stronger and less prone to pain. However, you must work with a certified yoga instructor to lessen the risk of injury. If not performed properly, certain poses may even aggravate your pain further, so listen carefully to your yoga instructor. Poses such as the corpse pose, cat and cow, forward bend, child's pose, down dog, wall plank among many others can give you relief and relaxation.

What if my back pain continues? -

If you have tried some of these common remedies and don't find the relief you seek there are more alternative therapies such as chiropractic, massage or acupuncture and other forms of body work.