Back pain — a common disease. The doctors divide into several types, but most of the people suffer from a so-called "non-specific back pain". This means that the true cause of constant pain is not defined: this can be a tumor, pinched nerve, and infection, and cauda equina syndrome.
Medicine practically does not reconcile well with chronic nonspecific back pain. The most popular methods of treatment of the pain — bed rest, the operation on the spinal column, opioid analgesics, steroids — in most cases, help reduce the pain only for a short period of time, and sometimes even harmful to the health of the patients.
Traditionally, the medical community thought that the back pain (like any pain) related to some type of severe trauma or an anatomical problem. But recently it's become clear that the pain processes of influence and of what is happening inside of us.
A new understanding of the pain that is associated with the concept of "central sensitization". The basic idea consists in the fact that some people with constant pain to occur to change the relationship between the body and the mind and increases sensitivity to pain, up to that things do not usually cause pain, which is perceived as extremely painful. It turns out that some patients with chronic pain in the back can in fact suffer from disorders of the functions of pain receptors.
In a growing number of studies, it is recommended to use the treatment of back pain complex of exercise or alternative therapy.
Alternative methods for the treatment of chronic pain in the back
Studies have confirmed that active therapy (exercise, yoga, tai-chi) actually helps people cope with the pain in the back. Effective can be and alternative approaches (massage therapy, chiropractic) — with the caveat that often are not a panacea, but their effect is short-lived and insignificant.
In general, they do not harm the body.
The main recommendation for back pain — move more
If you have lower back pain, the first reaction might be to abstain from any physical activity, and the decision to lie down on the sofa, until the pain does not subside.
Modern medicine is against. It is believed that in most cases this is probably the worst thing that you can do it: physical activity can help to reduce the pain, whereas the omission seriously retard the healing of the patient.
Because they help the exercises:
- they reinforce the corset, which supports the spinal column;
- increase flexibility and range of motion in the lumbar area, improves the function of the movements of a person and returns him to normal life;
- stimulate the flow of blood to the soft tissues of the back, which initiates the processes of recovery and reduces joint stiffness.
These are just some of the reasons, the practice of a regular exercise before resorting to passive treatment — acupuncture or a massage.
A couple of curiosities:
- 20 minutes of aerobic load on an exercise bike with the 70% of peak oxygen consumption, reduced the perception of pain in patients more than 30 minutes;
- to improve the flexibility of the lumbar spine and posterior muscles of the thigh can reduce the pain in 18-58%;
- complex, designed to stabilize the spine, reduces back pain in 39-76%, and programs to increase muscle strength, reduce back pain 61%.
The authors of the study have hypothesized that the combination of different types of exercises, weight training, aerobic exercise, flexibility exercises can be useful for the patients, and each of them has its advantages.
These exercises do not always help in situations of short-term attacks of acute pain. But if you suffer from chronic pain in the back, you'll probably need to find a way to cope with the discomfort and lead an active lifestyle.
Below we'll look at some more specific exercises popular (and well studied) in the field of combating back pain.
Yoga
There are many studies of the relationship between back pain and yoga. After studying them, you can come to the conclusion that yoga not only helps to reduce the pain, but it improves the motor function of the muscles.
The research, which is studying systematically the role of yoga in the treatment of chronic back pain, speak of the minor or "average" improvement in the status of his back after the regular classes for 3-6 months. In short, yoga is not a panacea, but the research is still say its undisputed use.
Tai chi and pilates
With regard to the tai chi and pilates, that recently published an overview of solutions that is not surgical for the treatment of back pain are included, and these two systems of exercise.
Tai-chi — chinese martial art, a kind of wushu, as the point of gymnastics. His characteristic soft — step with soft, continuous movements.
Research to determine the tai chi as a methodology that helps to reduce the chronic pain in the back, and helps people to resume an active lifestyle. Tai chi is recognized as the most effective in relieving pain, walking and jogging, but it loses compared to swimming.
Pilates — this is a complex of physical exercises for development of flexibility of all the muscles of the body. The system combines yoga, ballet and isometric exercises.
According to the research, pilates and, consequently, less effects in the treatment of back pain and absolutely ineffective in the recovery of motor function.
Exercises for the back
Three of these exercises, the professor of the biomechanics of the spine, Stuart Mcgill recommends that patients for stabilization of the vertebral column:
- twist
- "hunting dog"
- the bridge on the side
Experts agree on the fact that you need to find a specialist that will be able to develop a custom training program, designed to overcome your problem.
Specialist studies, such as walking, sitting and standing, makes conclusions on the state of your muscles, tendons and ligaments, watching your posture and gait.
Then he is a functional program, course of training, which includes complex exercises do not depend on pain" (the need to continue to play even at the first sign of pain), "quantitative" (you can't stop, I have to finish before the end) and "regular" (to run on time, not missing).
Chiropractic
Chiropractic care is one of the most popular methods of pain relief dorsal. Traditional chiropractor offers a wide range of treatments for the folding and the configuration of the joints. Experts are working on a problem, the part of the body in the direction of or beyond the amplitude of active movements. The procedure is often accompanied by a specific click and the bang.
Chiropractic care rarely involves serious risks of complications occur times out of 10 million cases. In the treatment of pain in the cervical spine, the risks increase a little: 1.46 stroke cases in a million of the procedures of correction of the cervical vertebrae.
Studies confirm that this approach helps people with chronic pain in the back — but no more so than non-prescription medicines or regular physical exercise.
Knowingly in the choice of a chiropractor: avoid the person who directs the x-rays or other procedures for the diagnosis of back pain (not usually serve to clarify the clinical picture), or those who recommend long-term courses of treatment.
Massage
Work massage therapists is that of manipulation with the muscles and the soft tissues of the back and body. There is a huge number of varieties of Swedish massage, deep tissue massage, sports, myofascial relaxation, and thai. Massage types also vary in duration, intensity and frequency of the sessions, which makes it difficult to determine the effectiveness of this method of healing.
However, massage practically harmless, and the researchers of a problem of back pain, emphasise that this approach has a sense of liberation from pain.
According to the research, in the case of sub-chronic (continues over 7-12 weeks) and chronic back pain massage has a beneficial effect on symptoms and motor function in the short term (about 1 week).
Acupuncture
One of the most ancient methods of treatment of back pain — the acupuncture, the basis of traditional chinese medicine. The second philosophical justification for acupuncture, the disease or pain are the result of an imbalance between prisoners in the body, "the yin and the yang".
The vital energy circulates through the body through the so-called meridians, with yin and yang-features. The use of needles to stimulate parts of the body, are located on these meridians, it can help reduce the pain, or the remission of the disease, support the practice.
Information about alleviate the acute pain in recent studies have a little more, but in studies on the effectiveness of acupuncture in cases of chronic pain, there are contradictions. It also notes that it is not yet clear, that in the method of acupuncture gives the result: the acupuncture or the placebo effect.
Therefore, acupuncture causes a lot of controversy. The science says that the method works, but the relativity of the results, in combination with the lack of scientific foundation in the philosophy of acupuncture, leaves no room for doubt. And skeptics see in the results of search to only the evidence of a placebo effect.
An integrated approach to the treatment of back pain
Another approach for back pain — the so-called "biopsychosocial". According to this approach, the pain occurs due to interactions of the physical, psychological and social factors. When the physical pain is only a small part of the problem.
The treatment focuses on what is happening in the mind of the patient: the liberation from depression or anxiety, cognitive-behavioral therapy to improve the ability to face the difficulties.
In the cases of treatment of chronic back pain multidisciplinary treatment show more effective results than only physiological therapy. Patients who receive comprehensive therapy, with a higher probability of return to work.
Total
If you have problems with chronic back pain, consult the doctor to exclude more serious causes.
Consult with experts, to try an alternative therapy: training with weights or aerobics, massage, pilates, psychotherapy, chiropractic, tai chi, etc. These courses will not bring you immediate relief, but, perhaps to help cope with the symptoms of pain.