11 Back Pain Natural Cures You Can’t Live Without

Back pain can debilitate you and really affect your entire life.  There are many different reasons people have back pain.  It is very important to check with your doctor to be sure you do not have a serious injury or disease.
 
There are many different ways to help back pain naturally.  Here are some things you can do yourself to help you through the extreme pain of back pain.

1. Plywood:  Place a piece of plywood between the box spring and your mattress.  This will help keep your bed from sagging in the middle, which will provide better back support.

2. Back to your back:  Stay away from sleeping on your stomach.  People who suffer from back pain should sleep on their back with a pillow underneath the knees.  Use a good pillow under your head that slightly lifts your neck and head.

3. Herbal supplements:  The key to relieving back pain is to reduce inflammation.  There are a number of anti-inflammatory herbs available that can be just as effective, if not more effective, than over the counter medications.  A great herb for inflammation is White Willow Bark.  It can be found online or in your local health food store.  IMPORTANT:  While White Willow Bark is a natural herb, if you suffer with heartburn or ulcers, find an alternative.

4. Join Tai Chi:  This particular martial art helps to work your back muscles through breathing techniques and slow movement.  Through these techniques, you will build stamina gradually and gain muscle control.

5. Give yourself time to heal:  Take it easy and allow your back to heal.  Allow yourself at least a couple of days of relaxing and staying off of your feet to recuperate.

6. Do not rest too long:  While it is important that you take the time to heal (generally a couple of days), you do not want to remain in your bed for an extended period of time, unless prescribed by a doctor.  Did you know that it can take up to two weeks for your body to recondition for every one week you are laying around in bed?

7. Start off with an ice pack:  Apply an ice pack to the painful areas to help with swelling. 

8. Switch over to heat:  After you have been using the ice pack treatment for a couple of days, you should switch over to heat therapy.  Consult with your doctor before changing any treatment.  Here is a great way to apply heat therapy.  Lie face down.  Place pillows underneath your ankles and hips.  Soak a towel in hot water, but make sure it will not scald your skin.  Place it across the affected area.  Now, smooth out the towel and have someone place saran wrap on top of it.  Now place an electric heat pad on top of it on medium heat.  Have someone put something that has a little weight to it on top of it to hold it in place.  This not only helps to soothe muscles, but helps with muscle spasms, as well.

9. Switch back and forth between hot and cold:  Do thirty minutes of heat and then thirty minutes of cold or vice versa.  This seems to provide the best results.

10. Stretch out that muscle spasm:  During a muscle spasm, bring your knees slowly up to your chest.  Pull your knees with your hands gently towards your chest.  This will soothe the spasm much quicker than if you were to let it work its way out on its own.

11. Get out of bed the RIGHT way:  Unfortunately, we all have to get up and join the world again, even when we are in pain.  When it is time to get out of your bed, try this method for the least pain.   Move as close to the side of your bed as possible. Let your legs drop off the side.  The weight of your legs falling will actually help lift the rest of your body up to an upright position.  Keep your back as straight as you possibly can. 

Try these simple tips to help relieve your back pain the natural way!