Mechanical back pain

What you need to know

Mechanical back pain, backache or Lumbago - Few of us get through life without at least one episode of unpleasant backache. Lack of exercise, poor posture, badly designed work stations, sitting on chairs not appropriate to the job you’re doing, appalling furniture in schools, high heeled shoes, shoulder bags and, probably worst of all, car seats are all to blame.

Today there are very few jobs, which are officially classified as heavy manual labour, and there are legal restrictions on the weights allowed to be handled by one person. But those don’t count, of course, when you’re doing DIY, moving your own furniture or getting into a spot of heavy gardening.

All these activities can lead to back problems and it’s tempting to just take to your bed - or the sofa in front of the telly - and demand to be waited on hand and foot. Sorry, but that’s worst thing to do. If you’ve got back ache, 24, or at the most, 48 hours of bed rest is more than enough. After that, the joints get stiffer and the muscles weaker. Many studies now show that manipulative treatment is far more effective. In fact a regular abdominal exercise programme can reduce the risk of lower back problems.

If you’ve got backache see a registered osteopath or chiropractor as soon as possible. The longer you wait before having treatment, the longer it’s likely to be before you’re back to normal.

Luckily, there are dietary changes and certain remedies and therapies that help reduce inflammation and pain.

The most useful Supplements:

B-complex	High potency 1 to 2 tablets per day- nerve function
Bromelain	2,000G.D.U to 4,000G.D.U per day - anti-inflammatory
DLPA	3 to 4 times per day on an empty stomach - helps to cope with pain
Green-lipped mussel	As directed on the label - anti-inflammatory
Magnesium	300mg to 600mg per day - to reduce spasms
Quercetin	500mg to 1,500mg per day - anti-inflammatory

A good hi-potency multi-nutrient (a strong multivitamin) formula taken daily is useful to assist in correcting dietary deficiencies caused by a poor or restricted diet.

The most useful Supplements:

Digestive Enzymes
Fish-oil
Cod Liver Oil
Glucosamine
Pine bark extract
Vitamin C

The most useful Herbs:

Black Cohosh	500mg to 1,500mg per day
Curcumin from Turmeric	1,000mg to 1,500mg per day
Devils claw	1,000mg to 2,000mg per day
Ginger	1,000mg to 1,500mg per day
White Willow	500mg to 1,000mg per day

Other herbs that could help include:

Birch
Boswellia
Cats claw
Evening primrose oil
Flaxseed oil
Meadowsweet
Poplar
Valerian (to reduce spasm and pain)

Topical Herbal Preparations include:

Comfrey - use as a cream or infused oil
Cayenne cream
Devils claw gel or Green-lipped mussel gel may be bring relief

Homoeopathy

Homoeopaths often use the following remedies to treat this condition, but is best to consult a professional to assess your individual needs. A topical application of Arnica cream or Balm may give some relief.

Arnica
Byronia
Rhus toxicodhendron

Aromatherapy

Can be enormously relieving and there are several oils which can soothe pain. Use them, properly diluted in a foot bath if your feet are affected, in an ordinary bath or added to a carrier oil for massage. But don’t massage any oils into areas which are inflamed or where skin is broken.

Black pepper	Marjoram
Eucalyptus	Peppermint
Ginger	Roman chamomile
Juniper	Rosemary
Lavender

Dietary changes that may be beneficial:

You should also be eating more Ginger, Pineapples and chilli or vegetable curries flavoured with Turmeric - they all have anti-inflammatory action.
Also eat more oily Fish for the anti-inflammatory omega 3 fatty acids.
Avoid excessive consumption of caffeine and refined sugars as they deplete the body of key nutrients, which help the body to cope with pain.

Traditional remedies

To help reduce immediate pain and muscle spasm, wrap some ice cubes or a bag of frozen peas in a towel and place on the painful area for 10 minutes every hour.

Cabbage poultices. This old country remedy really does work. Take two or three outside leaves from a dark green cabbage, bruise them with a wooden spoon, warm in a microwave, steamer, oven or on a hot radiator. When they’re still warm, but cool enough to handle, put them on the painful joints and hold in place with a tea towel or large bandage. Bran and mustard poultices can also help

Other useful advice

Important - if you get back pain you must call the GP if:

You have no control when you pass urine or open your bowels.
You have numbness in a limb or difficulty moving it.
You have pain passing down your leg.
You cannot control the pain.
There is no improvement after 4-6 weeks.

Massage and Aromatherapy combined with very gentle osteopathic or chiropractic manipulation can also be helpful in back pain.

The best exercise to prevent a recurrence of back pain is Pilates, and taking up regular Yoga will improve and maintain mobility.
Bowen Technique and Acupuncture are also very useful.
Regular exercise and proper lifting techniques are crucial to prevention and treatment of all back problems.
If you are already taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, it is important to know that some may cause you to loose certain nutrients. A general multivitamin and mineral supplement will help to offset these loses.
It may be useful to take either DGL Liquorice to help protect stomach lining from the damaging effects of certain types of these drugs, especially aspirin. slippery elm or marshmallow is also protective to the digestive system.

The herbs, Milk thistle and Artichoke will also protect the liver from the burden of certain medicines, in particular the painkiller, paracetemol.

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The information provided by WIS is for guidance only. Whilst it is based upon the expert advice of leading professionals, and extensive research, it is not a substitute for diagnosis by a qualified professional. Always consult your doctor, pharmacist or qualified practitioner before making any changes or additions to prescribed medication.