Back Pain
Background
One of the most common chronic pain conditions is back pain, which affects an estimated 36 million Americans. It is the price we pay for being an upright species. Fortunately, it is also very treatable.
Common Causes
Muscle and ligament strain
Muscle and ligament strain or weakness is the most common cause. This is so even if your back X-ray or MRI is abnormal (as an upright species, most everyone shows normal wear and tear on X-ray). This may be associated with the spine getting pulled out of position (e.g., scoliosis and subluxations).
Spine arthritis
This is common and ignored by most physicians and even some chiropractors. (See Arthritis.)
Disc disease
This is the only cause that most physicians are taught to treat (by surgery) and is all most think of. If you have weakness/decreased function in a foot (or hand) from disc disease or spine narrowing, surgery is reasonable. However, in most cases conservative measures (including treating muscle pain) are preferred (find a body worker who does Myofascial Release).
Ergonomics
This includes your body and your environment — uneven hip heights or shoulder heights, no wrist or arm rests on your work area chair, carrying a wallet in your back pocket, etc.
Treatments
In most cases of back pain, there is a mix of causes occurring. Because of this, it is reasonable to do the below in combination.
Lifestyle Advice
- If it hurts, don’t do it
- Lift from the waist
- Stretch and do Yoga
- Use hot compresses, hot baths, massage
- Sleep on a medium firm mattress instead of a firm mattress (as feels best to you)
Manipulation & Physical Therapy
Chiropractors & osteopaths
Get chiropractic and osteopathic manipulation. These are much more effective than the treatments you’d receive from most M.D.s.
Massage and body work
There are many excellent types. Myofascial Release and Rolfing can be especially helpful.
Physical therapists
Find one familiar with Dr. Travell’s "trigger point" and "Spray and Stretch" techniques (most are not).
Prolotherapy
These benign injections into muscles/ligament areas around the spine can strengthen them and be very helpful for chronic pain (see reference link below).
Recommended Supplements
Use the following together for 6 weeks to see the full effect (though benefits are often seen in 1 week or earlier). They can then be used as needed (continue the multivitamin powder long term). They can be added to back pain medications.
Multivitamin powder
Take a good multivitamin powder each day.
MSM
MSM 2,500-3,000 mg a day.
Immune balancing herbal mix
1-2 tab 3x day of a special mix of curcumin, DLPA, boswellia and natto, both of which are remarkable for pain in general. These 2 can be combined with back pain medications and/or each other to kick the pain more quickly. Effects can be seen sometimes the first day, usually by 1-4 weeks, and at the most in 6 weeks. Then the dose can be dropped or simply taken as needed. The mix is, well, amazing!
Rub the pain away
With topical comfrey. Try it — you’ll like it!
Medications
The following 3 can be used together and are excellent medications.
Lidoderm patches
Lidoderm patches (basically novocaine in a skin patch) are safe and helpful but stupidly expensive. Even better is to use a mix of medications in a topical pain cream (you can have this prepared by a compounding pharmacy). Put some Saran Wrap over the cream if you’d like. This helps drive it deeper into the muscles.
Skelaxin
Skelaxin is a good, non-sedating muscle relaxant.
Ultracet
Ultracet for pain (may be addictive, but uncommon).
Mind-Body
Mind-body approaches developed by Dr. John Sarno can also be helpful. For more info, see Dr. Sarno’s current book The Divided Mind and his classic Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection (see reference links below).
Also see the book Pain Free 1-2-3.
Many other treatments can help and surgery is usually NOT needed for back pain relief.
More Information Online
Articles on Back Pain by Dr. T
The Divided Mind (book at Amazon.com)
Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection (book at Amazon.com)
The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook (book at Amazon.com)
The Art of Body Maintenance: Winners’ Guide to Pain Relief (book at Amazon.com)