When you have a backache, it’s difficult, if not impossible, to function effectively. I know. I was in a private plane crash years ago. We came down hard and my back ached for years afterwards. A chiropractor friend suggested the book, Somatics by Thomas Hanna. I followed the exercises in there and within a week, the pain I had harbored for more than a decade was gone. This is a great place to start. These cures can help you too.
Thrifty Cures!
Interestingly, there is a popular folk remedy that suggests those who suffer from arthritis should carry a raw potato in their right pocket until it shrivels up, at which time it is replaced with a new one. It is believed that the potato absorbs inflammation. In fact, ladies of days gone by even had special potato-carrying pockets sewn into their dresses for this purpose.
NATURAL CURES FOR AN ACHING BACK
A hot ginger tea compress, or a salve containing wintergreen (a natural analgesic) and capsaicin (made from cayenne pepper, which blocks the brain’s perception of pain) can help soothe a bad back when applied topically to the painful area.
Eat black beans and chia seeds, which are high in minerals that support the kidneys. The kidneys, when weak, can cause lower back pain.
GOOD TO KNOW!
Sleeping in a position known as “Lazy S” is often the best for a sore back. It entails putting a pillow under the head and upper neck, keeping the back flat on the bed, with a pillow under the knees. This keeps the hamstring muscles from pulling and exerting pressure on the lower back. Roll carefully out of bed. Stretch to move circulation. Be sure you have a supportive mattress too! Waterbeds are not helpful.
SOOTHING PRACTICES FOR AN ACHING BACK
Soaking in a tub to which 1 pound (455 g) Epsom salts has been added is soothing for an aching back. The magnesium content of the salts helps relax sore muscles.
Soothing yoga postures include the cobra, backbend, locust, plow, bow, full twist, alternate leg pull, and elbow to knee. Swimming is an excellent exercise that does not stress the back.
Wear the color blue to help your back heal. Blue is considered cooling and anti-inflammatory. It is perceived by the brain as calming.
And finally, try to brace yourself when sneezing to prevent further misalignment.
Pain in the upper back corresponds to the heart, pain in the midback can correspond to issues of digestion and emotional security, and pain in the lower back can indicate kidney issues or feeling a lack of support.
WHEN TO SEE YOUR M.D.
Get medical attention for a backache in the following situations:
• That comes on suddenly with no apparent cause.
• That is accompanied by other symptoms, such as cramps, chest pain, fever, stomachache, or breathing difficulty.
• That lasts more than two weeks without relief and/or if the pain radiates down the leg to the foot.
This Backache Remedies Natural Cures article is taken from :
The Country Almanac of Home Remedies - Brigitte Mars
