Back pain is the most common complaint
among adults under 45. Back pain brings
their activities to a complete halt and
intervenes in the progress of their
career. Researchers say that it is really
a challenge to a physician to find out
the true cause of back pain.
Here is a quick take on the anatomy of the
human back. Our body depends on the spinal
column for structural stability and
mobility. We twist, bend and flex with the
help of spinal column. The spinal column
is made up of 24 vertebrae, 7 in the neck
(the cervical vertebrae), 12 in the thorax
(the thoracic vertebrae), and 5 in the
lower back (the lumbar vertebrae). The
sacrum, located just below the lumbar
vertebrae, consists of 5 fused vertebrae.
The tailbone, or coccyx, with its 3 to 5
fused vertebrae, lies just beneath the
sacrum. These vertebrae are placed one on
another from skull to pelvis. Spongy discs
are present in between vertebrae .The
spinal column is tightly wrapped by
muscles and ligaments.
The spinal cord is enclosed within
vertebral canal which is formed by
alignment of vertebrae.
Acharya sushruta describes anatomy of
spinal column as follows.
Prushte trimshat - The number of back
bones are 30 (Cervical-7 , Thoracic %u2013
12, Lumbar- 5, vertebrae fused in sacrum
-5 , coccyx -1 ). While describing the
joints in spinal column it has been said
as %u201C Chaturvimshatihi prishta vamshe
%u201C. This means there are 24 joints in
spinal column.
The ligaments and tendons hold the bones
and muscles together.
Causes for back ache
1. Back ache usually arises from spasm of
muscles that support our spine. The
muscles supporting spine go into spasm
when we lift things unwisely, bending over
too sharply, sitting in a unsuitable
chair, etc.
These type of movements are called as
%u201CMithyaa yoga of karma or action
%u201D in ayurveda.
2. Back pain can be triggered when we
sneeze, climb into a car, or bend down to
pick up the newspaper.
3. Osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, viral
infection, bladder or kidney infection,
gynecological problems in women, tumors
and trauma may also cause back pain.
4. Lack of motion or hina yoga of karma
and bad posture may affect us when we sit
or stand for long periods of time. On the
other hand repetitive motion or Ati yoga
of karma like too much of bending, lifting
or twisting also affects our back.
5. Other potential causes for back ache
are:
%u2022 Overweight
%u2022 Wearing high heeled shoes
%u2022 Carrying heavy weight
The vitiated vata causes stiffness of
joints, pain and limits the movements of
back.
Solutions for back pain
1. Stay calm.
2. A complete bed rest for 24 - 48 hrs
relieves back pain in most of the
instances. Walk a little every few hours
to keep the blood flowing and the muscles
toned.
3. Applying vata balancing oil like
ksheerabala oil on affected region and
Naadi sweda (mild steam bath on affected
area ) of affected region relives the pain
quickly.
See your doctor immediately if you have
any of the following symptoms:
1. If you are above 50 and sudden onset of
severe pain or pain localized to spine .
2. Pain due to recent fall or trauma.
3. Pain in hip and leg.
4. Back pain unrelated to posture.
5. Bowel or bladder control problems.
6. Numbness in the groin or rectal area.
7. Extreme weakness in legs.
8. Unsteadiness while walking
9. Fever or weight loss accompanying the
pain.
10. Pain that does not lessen over time
even after rest
Prevention of back pain
1. Keep the muscles well conditioned by
improving sitting, standing, stretching
postures. Well-conditioned muscles are
less susceptible to injury.
2. Never bend at the waist or stoop to
pick up an object. Instead, lower the body
to the level of the object by bending the
knees. Grasp the item, hold it close to
the body, and raise yourself with your
legs while keeping your back straight.
3. Do not lift very heavy objects.
4. Whenever possible, prop yourself up.
5. Lean against a wall or pillar while
waiting for a bus or standing in line at
the bank.
6. Keep footstools around the house.
Alternatively prop up one leg on stool
while doing standing chores.
7. Sleep on a firm mattress and find a
comfortable position.
8. Wear low-heeled shoes.
9. Standing straight will do wonders for
your back.
10. Sit on a comfortable chair that
supports the curve of lower back.
11. While sitting for long hours rest feet
on a low stool so that knees are above
hips.
12. Do not sit or stand in one position
for a very long time. Get up periodically
and walk for a while.
13. Avoid activities which hurt back.
14. Do not sit in same position for long
hours. It may prove hazardous to back.
Take break in between and move around.
15. Avoid becoming overweight. Overweight
increases the risk of back pain.
Tips for software professionals to avoid
back pain:
1. Select a correct chair, with a
relatively straight back and good lower
back support. If the chair doesn't offer
lower back support, keep a rolled up towel
or cushion to support the back.
2. Correctly position the chair, keyboard,
and monitor. Feet should be on the floor,
with knees at hip level; forearms should
form a right angle with upper arms; and
the computer terminal should be at eye
level.
3. Adopt a relaxed, upright working
posture and allow the chair to support.
4. Avoid slouching forward or leaning back
too far.
5. When you are at work stand up, walk
around, stretch forward, backward, and
side to side once in 30 minutes.
6. Increased stress and strain enhances
the chances of back pain. Hence remember
to relax! Yoga and meditation are best
techniques to relax
7. Eat healthy food which is rich in
fiber. Avoid sweets, oil, soft drinks and
overeating to reduce the chances of weight
gain.
8. Sex should be avoided during acute
stage of back pain as it exaggerates the
condition.
%u2022 Karanja leaves ( hindi - Ditauri)
(Bot - Pongamia pinnata) (Eng - Indian
beech)
Collect fresh leaves of Nirgundi and
Karanja. Tie them in a thin cotton cloth
to form a big ball . Boil this leaves'
ball in water and when it is tolerably
hot apply this on affected part. When the
leaves become cold reheat them by putting
the leaves' ball in boiling water. After
half an hour take out the leaves from ball
, grind them to a paste and bind it on
affected area.
|
ron_shelf
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 10 Oct 2006 Posts: 29
Home Remedies for Back Pain Posted: 02-29-08 15:03pm
Here are my tips:
Treatments for Backaches with Buckwheat:
Put buckwheat in a piece of cloth warm it
in the microwave then apply it on your
back for a few minutes.
Treatments for Backaches with Lemon:
The juice of a lemon can be mixed with a
salt and take this twice a day. This will
give good relief.
Treatments for Backaches with Potato:
A good treatment for backahces is: Spread
a raw potato over a clean white cloth then
cover with another piece of cloth. Then
gently put this into affected areas where
you back aches. This gives you a better
result.
Treatments for Backaches with Ice Pack:
Yes, a simple ice will do to treat
backaches because it reduces swelling of
your muscles.
You can do ice massage by putting ice pack
on the backaches. Then gently massage for
7 to 8 minutes for a better results.
These are some of backaches home remedies
that can be readily seen in your own home.
But then healthy diet and right exercise
can give you a much better remedies for
all of your pain.
