Natural Home Remedies for Back Pain
Back-pain home remedies rely primarily on rest and modification of daily routine. The kitchen shelves, however, do hold a few ingredients that can help get you "back" into shape.
 ©2007 Publications International, Ltd. Uncooked rice from your kitchen cupboard can treat pain. |
Chamomile tea. Daily stress can make back muscles feel knotted. Chamomile tea offers calming relief to soothe tense muscle tissue. During a break or after work, treat yourself to a steaming mug. Steep 1 tablespoon chamomile flowers in 1 cup boiling water for 15 minutes. Or, you can use a prepackaged chamomile tea. Drink 1 to 3 cups a day.
(Warning! Chamomile contains allergy-inducing proteins related to ragweed pollen. Ask your doctor about drinking chamomile if you are allergic to ragweed.) Packaged tea may be safer to drink than tea made from the flowers. Your doctor can advise you.
Cold compresses. Cold compresses or ice packs should be applied immediately after back strain or injury. When the back suffers injury, blood rushes to the damaged area. Even though the resulting swelling is normal, too much inflammation can increase pain and lengthen your recovery period. An icy application reduces inflammation and helps numb pain. To make a cold compress, pack a few crushed cubes of ice into a plastic reclosable bag, cover with a washcloth or towel, and apply to the back for 15 minutes. Take it off for 30 minutes and then replace it for 15 more minutes. (A bag of frozen vegetables also works well. Wrap in a towel, too.)
Ginger root. Fragrant ginger root has long been known to cure nausea, but back pain? Yes, ginger contains anti-inflammatory compounds, including some with mild aspirin-like effects. When your back aches, cut a 1- to 2-inch fresh ginger root into slices and place in 1 quart boiling water. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes on low heat. Cool for 30 minutes. Strain, sweeten with honey (to taste), and drink.
Hot compresses. You can begin to apply heat to your back 48 hours after an injury. Warmth relaxes tight muscles, increases blood flow, and is extremely soothing. Soak a washcloth in water that you've heated on the stove, use a heating pad, or take a hot shower or bath.
Nothing can put you out of commission faster than back pain. Now that you've read this article, you can make these home remedies part of your back-saving strategy.
For more information on preventing and relieving back discomfort, try the following links:
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Timothy Gower is a freelance writer and editor whose work has appeared in many publications, including Reader's Digest, Prevention, Men's Health, Better Homes and Gardens, The New York Times, and The Los Angeles Times. The author of four books, Gower is also a contributing editor for Health magazine.
Alice Lesch Kelly is a health writer based in Boston. Her work has been published in magazines such as Shape, Fit Pregnancy, Woman's Day, Reader's Digest, Eating Well, and Health. She is the co-author of three books on women's health.
Linnea Lundgren has more than 12 years experience researching, writing, and editing for newspapers and magazines. She is the author of four books, including Living Well With Allergies.
Michele Price Mann is a freelance writer who has written for such publications as Weight Watchers and Southern Living magazines. Formerly assistant health and fitness editor at Cooking Light magazine, her professional passion is learning and writing about health.
ABOUT THE CONSULTANTS:
Ivan Oransky, M.D., is the deputy editor of The Scientist. He is author or co-author of four books, including The Common Symptom Answer Guide, and has written for publications including the Boston Globe, The Lancet, and USA Today. He holds appointments as a clinical assistant professor of medicine and as adjunct professor of journalism at New York University.
David J. Hufford, Ph.D., is university professor and chair of the Medical Humanities Department at Pennsylvania State University's College of Medicine. He also is a professor in the departments of Neural and Behavioral Sciences and Family and Community Medicine. Dr. Hufford serves on the editorial boards of several journals, including Alternative Therapies in Health & Medicine and Explore.
This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.
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