Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), with its 2500 year old history,
offers many lower back pain remedies - lower back stretches and
strengthening exercises, massage techniques, acupuncture, herbal
remedies, liniments, sticking plasters and others. Some require a
trained TCM practitioner to administer them, while others can be easily
learned andapplied by anyone. This article introduces some effective low
back pain remedies and stretches that you can apply yourself to relieve
and prevent low back pain.
Lower Back Stretches
Breath slowly, smoothly and deeply through your nose while doing the exercises.
Exercise 1.
Lie on your back on a firm bed or the floor. Gently bring your knees up
until they're above your abdominal area. Spread your knees a little and
grab the inside of your shins just below your knees, or the inside of
your ankles if you can. Inhale. As you exhale let your knees naturally
fall further out to the side with gravity. Focus your mind on your back
(closing your eyes helps). Feel your inner thighs stretching and your
back relaxing. Hold the position for a few minutes as you continue to
breath slowly, smoothly and deeply. This exercise stretches and relaxes
your iliopsoas muscle which connects from your lumbar vertebrae to the
inside of your hip joints. Tension in this muscle often causes and/or
aggravates low back pain.
Exercise 2. Lean across a table
and grab the far edge with both hands. Your torso should be on the table
and your legs hanging from the edge. Inhale. As you exhale, let gravity
naturally pull your legs down towards the floor. Feel your back
stretching. Hold the position for several minutes as you continue slow,
deep breathing. Focus your mind on your back (closing your eyes helps)
and imagine the pain releasing with each exhalation. Repeat several
times a day.
Low Back Pain Remedies
1. Ginger & Sesame Oil Liniment
Mix
together equal parts of pure sesame oil and the juice from grated
ginger. Heat in a pot till warm. Apply a small amount to the painful
area and rub it in for a couple of minutes. It should be applied to
unbroken skin only. Ginger and sesame oil liniment is a superb,
easy-to-make, home remedy for back ache and other aches and pains. It
warms, circulates your blood and stops pain. You can safely apply it
several times a day, particularly after showering and before bed. Make
sure you pull your clothing down over your back immediately after to
keep the area warm. Also, while it's normal for your skin to become hot
and turn red after you apply the liniment, if a rash develops
discontinue use.
2. Low Back Self-Massage
Can be done
standing or sitting. With fists clenched (not too tightly), use the
backs of your hands, including your knuckles, to vigorously rub your
lower back up and down for several minutes, 3 or 4 times a day. Rub
close to your spine and also the sides of your back - where ever you
experience pain and stiffness. Self-massage is a highly beneficial low
back pain remedy you can do anytime, anywhere to relieve and prevent low
back pain. Massage warms the area, moves the blood and directly
stimulates your kidneys, which helps to maintain a strong, healthy lower
back.
Tip: To greatly enhance the effects of the above
lower back pain remedies and lower back stretches, combine them. For
example, lie down and do the first 2 stretches, then stand up and do the
lower back self-massage, then apply some Ginger & Sesame Oil
Liniment. You know your body best though, so experiment till you find
what works best for your particular situation.