Natural Remedies for Curing Backache

Mehul Banker April 09, 2009

Backache is one of the most common problems and many people are afflicted by it in the recent years. There is an increased risk of this disease these days due to hazardous work patterns and sedentary lifestyle. Moreover emotional disorders such as stress and depression may add up to the problem further. Obesity is also responsible for causing backache as the backbone bears the weight of the entire body.

In majority of the cases of backache, the pain is usually felt in the middle of the back or the lower part. This pain may spread to the hips and both sides of the waist. It goes on increasing due to which the patient is unable to move and is bedridden.

Majority of backache patients suffer from what is called lumber or cervical spondylytis. It is a degenerative disease in which the vertebral bone loses its shape and becomes soft. This loses the flexibility of the spine further.

The main causes of backache are poor posture, joint strain, incorrect nutrition and muscular tension. Chronic or acute illnesses like prostrate or kidney problems, influenza and arthritis and female disorders may also lead to back pain. Other causes include improper lifting of weights, stress and strain resulting from sitting for a long time, emotional problems and high heels which may cause painful muscle cramping.

Nature Cure for Backache: Drugs prescribed by modern medical science to relax muscles or relieve pain does not remove the root cause of the problem. Moreever they can perpetuate the disease even further and become habit forming in case of excessive intake.

People in sedentary occupations should adopt certain safety measures to prevent and relieve backache. Exercise is one of the most important of all these measures which improves the supply of nutrients to the spinal discs thereby delaying the deterioration process further, that comes with age and affects eventually everybody.

Safe exercises such as walking, cycling and swimming should be done keeping the back upright. Obese persons should try to control their weight as an important step towards preventing backache as excess weight greatly increases the strain on the soft back tissues.

Persons in sedentary occupations should avoid sitting continuously at one place and take a break to stand up every one to two hours. Sitting positions should be changed as often as possible and soft cushioned seats should be avoided. Persons suffering from backache should sleep on a firm mattress on one side with knees bent at right angles to the torso. They should also take proper care not to bend down from the waist to lift any object. Instead they should squat close to the object keeping the back straight, bending the knees and then stand up slowly.

Backache sufferers should take a well balanced diet consisting of salads of raw vegetables such as carrot, radish, tomato, cucumber, lettuce, cabbage and at least one or two cooked or steamed vegetables such as cabbage, spinach, cauliflower and plenty of fruits except bananas. They may take fruits during breakfast, whole wheat chapattis and steamed vegetables during lunch, fresh fruit juice in the evening and a bowl of sprouts and raw salads during dinner.

Foods such as tea, coffee, sweetmeats, sugar, fatty, spicy and fried foods and curd should be avoided by persons suffering from back pain.

Certain vitamins such as Vitamin C and proteins are essential for the development of healthy bone matrix. Calcium, phosphorous, Vitamin D and essential trace elements are necessary for healthy bones. Refined and processed foods containing preservatives have a few nutrients and should be eliminated from daily diet. Vitamin C has been found to be very beneficial in averting spinal disc operations and relieving pain.

Application of hot water bags, alternate sponging and hot fomentations are also very helpful in giving immediate relief from back pain.

Yogic asanas such as shalabhasana, uttanpadasana, bhujangasana, shavasana and halasana have also been found helpful in relieving backache. The back can also be strengthened through exercise, relaxation and proper nutrition and in the process general health may improve.

Thus it can be concluded that natural remedies have been found to be very beneficial and helpful in the treatment and cure of backache.