Back pain is an extremely prevalent orthopedic problem in today’s sedentary lifestyle, affecting up to 80 percent of all adults at some point in their life. A backache can make it difficult to carry out day-to-day activities. Various reasons for back pain could be a bulging disc or herniated disc, muscular strains and/weakness, poor form when exercising, overtraining, inflexibility and stiffness due to aging, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle. Sitting for long hours and wrong postures are also to be blamed for the back pain.
Most people take pain medication and painkillers to get rid of back pain. These medicines have long-term side effects, so why not use home remedies which are as effective as these painkillers without side effects. Home remedies for back pain relief allow you to enjoy life again.
Here are some home remedies for a back pain:
A. Turmeric
Turmeric is an essential Indian curry spice and has been used for years in Ayurvedic medicine to relieve pain and speed up digestion. The anti-inflammatory properties, courtesy of the substance “Curcumin” present in turmeric helps protect the body from tissue destruction and joint inflammation.
How to consume it:
1. In Food:
Add turmeric powder liberally in everything you cook. Good for taste and health.
2.Ginger Turmeric Tea:
Cut 4 to 6 thin slices of fresh ginger root and 2-3 thin slices of raw turmeric root. Put them in one and one-half cups of water.
Simmer and boil it on low heat for 10 to 15 minutes.
Cover for few minutes and then strain it and drink. You may add honey according to your taste preferences.
You can drink this ginger turmeric tea twice daily for relief from back pain and stiffness.
3.Turmeric Black Pepper Combo:
Pepperine in black pepper has been seen to help release Cucurmin from turmeric. So, grinding them together and then using it has been seen to be more effective.
4.Turmeric Supplements:
One may opt for herbal supplements of turmeric making sure the label says it contains 955 curcuminoids.
B. Ginger For Back Pain
Ginger root, which is readily available, and is an integral part of Indian cooking. The anti-inflammatory compounds in ginger can give you back pain relief.
How To Consume:
1.Ginger Paste:
Apply some ginger paste(ginger ground into a coarse paste) on the affected area, followed by eucalyptus oil is also helpful and is one of the great home remedies for back pain relief.
2. Ginger Tea:
Cut 4 to 6 thin slices of fresh ginger root and put them in one and one-half cups of water.
Simmer and boil it on low heat for 10 to 15 minutes.
Cover and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature and strain it. Add honey and then warm and drink it.
You can drink this ginger tea two or three times a day for a few days or until you see improvement.
3. Herbal Tea With Ginger:
Boil one-half teaspoon of black peppercorns, one-half teaspoon of cloves and one teaspoon of ginger powder in two cups of water.
Simmer and boil it on low heat for 10 to 15 minutes.
Cover and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature and strain it. Sip it hot.
Ginger tea has been seen as an effective home remedy for back pain due to gas as it helps in releasing gas and give backpain relief.
C. Peppermint :
You all know that chewing on peppermint can freshen your breath, but there’s more than just being a mouth freshener. The polyphenols in the peppermint plant work to open your blood vessels and reduce pain. Also the menthol present in it, is analgesic, anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic, which makes it not only helpful in relieving back pain and inflammation but also very effective in reducing muscle cramps.
How to consume it:
1. Peppermint Tea:
Pour boiling water over peppermint leaves and steep until the tea is as strong as you like.
Adding wintergreen leaves gives an extra pain-fighting boost. Methyl salicylate , a compound present in wintergreen blocks the enzymes that cause inflammation and pain.
A dash of lemon will further help you extract as many pain-reducing chemicals as possible from the plants.
2. Massage With Peppermint Oil:
Massage is the most effective way to use peppermint oil to relieve muscle pain especially back pain. Massage warms the skin and the underlying muscles, and the manipulation of tissue disperses the lactic acid that causes the pain and aids in loosening and relaxing stiffened muscles.
How to do it:
A blend of peppermint and wintergreen oil mixed with coconut oil or almond oil should be used for back massage. They are effective analgesics that cool inflamed joints and reduce back pain. Massage is an effective home remedy for severe back pain.
3. Cold Compresses with Peppermint:
A cold compress is used to help relieve inflammation and swelling at the site of injuries such as a strain or sprain, where massaging directly over the injured area is not recommended.
How to do :
Add 2 drops of peppermint to a pint of cold water in which six ice cubes have been dissolved.
Soak a hand towel in the water and then lay it directly over the affected area.
The cooling properties of the ice and peppermint, along with peppermint’s analgesic helps in reducing swelling and discomfort.
D. Basil Leaves
Basil leaves can also come to your rescue when suffering from a backache.
How to use it:
1.Basil Leaves Tea:
Add 8 to 10 basil leaves to one cup of water and boil it until the water evaporates to half.
Let it cool to room temperature and then add a pinch of salt.
For mild pain, you may have it once a day; for severe pain, drink it twice daily.
E. Poppy Seeds(Khus Khus)
Poppy seeds work wonders as a remedy of a backache.
How to use it:
Grind together 1 cup each of poppy seeds (khus khus) and rock candy (misri).
Consume two teaspoons of this mixture twice daily, followed by a glass of milk.
F. Garlic
Garlic is also a very helpful ingredient in treating a backache.
How to use it:
1. Eat it raw:
Simply eat two to three cloves of garlic every morning on empty stomach.
2.Massage:
You can also massage your back with garlic oil.
To make garlic oil, heat some coconut oil, mustard oil or sesame oil on low heat and then add 8 to 10 cloves of garlic to it.
Fry the garlic until it is brown. Strain the oil and let it cool to room temperature.
Massage your back gently with the oil. Leave it on for some time and then take a bath in warm water.
G. Herbal Oil
Massaging your back with a herbal oil relaxes your muscle and relieve pain. Any herbal oil such as eucalyptus oil, almond oil, olive oil or coconut oil can be used. Just heat the oil until warm and massage it gently on your back.
H. Aromatherapy:
Aromatherapy is an alternative form of healing used for varied conditions such as depression, pain, and cancer. They reduce inflammation and improve circulation, thereby improving back pain.Woody scents, like pine and cedar, are perfect for relieving low back pain. Citrus oil, such as lemon or sweet orange, also helps reduce stress and tension in the back. These scents calm, soothe and relax the body to promote healing. Frankincense and cypress oil have also been seen to have a soothing effect in back pain.
How to use it:
Take a bowl of boiling water and add 8-10 drops of essential oil, allow the steam to reach your face, and breathe it in.
It may give immediate relief to some people. Continue the practice a few times per week to keep back pain symptoms at bay.
I. Anti-Inflammatory foods:
Anti-inflammatory diet helps ease the aggravating symptoms of back pain. Below are the types of anti-inflammatory foods you should include in your diet.
1. Potassium-rich foods — Potassium helps reducing swelling and is an important electrolyte for muscular and nerve functions. Foods rich in potassium are green leafy vegetables, avocados, bananas, coconut water and cultured dairy.
2. Omega-3 fats — Fish and flaxseed are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which can help reduce inflammation and manage pain.
3. High-fiber foods and lean protein — A high-fibre and lean protein diet may be able to help you lose weight and maintain muscle and bone health. Back pain worsens with constipation, so eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, which are naturally high in fibre and other nutrients. Have clean, lean protein foods such as eggs, fish, bone broth or other unprocessed protein powders, beans, and legumes.
4. Vitamin C: If you have back pain due to degenerative arthritic changes of the spine then Vitamin C rich foods is essential for you. Vitamin C is helpful in halting cartilage loss associated with arthritis. Add juicy oranges, sweet red peppers, tomatoes, amla and other vitamin C-rich foods in your diet.
J. Water
As you all know, one-third of our body is composed of water. Stay hydrated to prevent muscle spasms, manage blood pressure and improve digestion. Drink eight glasses of water daily as dehydration can increase back pain.
Don’t let your back pain interrupt your daily activities. Try these home remedies for back pain to get relief from back pain. Now you need not wonder as to how to relieve back pain at home because you know now various home remedies for back pain.
Do not ignore your back pain. Take care of your back and it will back you for years.
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