Back pain — a common disease. Doctors divide into several types, but most of the people suffer from so-called "nonspecific back pain". This means that is not defined by the true reason of the constant pain: it is a Tumor, and the pinched nerve, and the infection, and Cauda equina syndrome can.
The medicine can not cope, practically in pain with chronic nonspecific back. The most popular methods of treatment of such pain — bed rest, surgery, Opioid analgesics, steroids — in most cases, help to reduce pain of short duration, and sometimes even harmful for the health of the patient.
Traditionally, in the medical community, it was assumed that the pain in the back (like any other pain) associated with some serious injury or anatomical Problem. But recently, it became clear that the painful processes affected and what is happening in our head.
New understanding of pain associated with the concept of "Central sensitisation". The basic idea is that in some people with constant pain changes the relations between body and consciousness, and heightened sensitivity to pain — up to the fact that things that usually causes no pain, are extremely painful. It turns out that some patients may have pain with chronic back actually suffer from an abnormal function of the pain receptors.
In more and more studies is recommended in the treatment of back pain is a complex exercise, or Alternative therapy.
Alternative methods for the treatment of chronic back pain
Studies have confirmed that to cope with the active therapy (exercise, Yoga, Tai-Chi), in fact, helps people with pain in the back. Can be effective, and Alternative approaches (Massage, manual therapy) — with the restriction that it is often not a panacea, and their impact in the short term, and low.
In General, they are not harmful to the body.
The most important recommendation for back pain — more move
If you have back pain, the first reaction may be to abstain from any physical activity and solution on the Couch until the pain subsides.
Modern medicine is against. It is believed that in most cases, this is probably the worst thing you can do: physical activity can help in reducing the pain while inactivity move serious recovery of the patient.
Why help the exercises:
- You strengthen the muscles that supports the spine;
- the flexibility and agility to increase in the lumbar spine, improves the functionality of human movement, and a return to normal life;
- you activate the blood supply to the soft tissues of the back, which brings the regeneration process and reduces the stiffness of the joints.
And this is only part of the reasons to practice regular physical movement prior to his conversion to the passive therapy, acupuncture, or Massage.
A couple of interesting facts:
- 20 minutes of aerobic exercise on a stationary Bicycle at 70% Peak oxygen consumption, pain perception is reduced in patients more than 30 minutes;
- to reduce the increase in the flexibility of the lumbar spine and the knee-tendon to tendon pain in the lower back on 18-58%;
- complex to reduce to the stabilization of the spine, to reduce pain in the lower back on 39-76%, and programs an increase in muscle strength back pain 61%.
The authors of the study suggest that the combination of different types of exercises — strength training, endurance training, exercises for flexibility — can be helpful for patients, and each of them has its advantages.
Such exercises do not always help in situations with short-term bouts of acute pain. But if you suffer from chronic pain in the back, you want to probably find a way of dealing with complaints and lead an active life style.
Next, we look at some specific exercises, popular (and well researched) pain in fighting back.
Yoga
There are many studies on the links between back pain and Yoga. You studied, you can come to the conclusion that Yoga not only helps to reduce the pain, but also improves the motor skills of the muscles.
The research, which speaks systematically the role of Yoga in the treatment of chronic lower back pain, over smaller or "medium" status improvements back to the regular lessons over the course of 3-6 months. In short, Yoga is not a panacea, but studies speak of his undeniable use.
Tai-Chi and Pilates
About Tai Chi and Pilates, the non-incorporated in a recently published overview of surgical treatments for pain in the lower back, and both of these systems of exercises.
Tai Chi — Chinese martial art, is a kind of Wushu, popular health exercises. Its peculiarity — step soft-flowing continuous movements.
Research to determine Tai Chi as a technique that helps to reduce chronic back pain and helps people to an active lifestyle again. Tai Chi is recognized to be more effective in relieving the pain as walking and Jogging, losing, however, in comparison with seafaring.
Pilates Training is for the development of the flexibility of all the muscles of the body. The System combines Yoga, ballet and isometric exercises.
According to the research, Pilates leads to minor side effects in the treatment of back pain and absolutely ineffective in the restoration of motor function.
Exercises for the back
Three exercises, the Professor for biomechanics of the spine, Stuart McGill recommends to patients for the stabilization of the spine:
- twist
- "hunting dog"
- the bridge on your side
Experts agree that it is necessary to find a specialist to develop a personalized exercise program to overcome their problems.
The skilled artisan will examine how you walk, sit and stand, to draw conclusions about the condition of your muscles, tendons and ligaments, observe your posture and gait.
Then the program is functional Training, the complex of exercises is have to drive, "not subject to pain" (continue to carry them out, even at the first signs of pain), "quantitative" (you can not stop, you must finish until the end) and "Regular" (you have to strictly carry out according to the schedule, without skipping).
Manual Therapy
Manual therapy is one of the most popular methods of from the dorsal pain. Traditional manual therapists perform a variety of procedures to be folded and set up of the joints. Experts are studying the problematic part of the body in the direction of, or outside the Amplitude of the active movements. The procedure is often accompanied by specific clicks and POPs.
The manual therapy rarely poses significant risks — complications occur once in 10 million cases. To increase in the treatment of pain in the cervical spine-risk a little bit of 1.46 incidence of stroke: stroke on a Million processes, the correction of the cervical vertebrae.
Studies confirm that this approach helps pain people with chronic back — but not more than over the counter medicines or regular exercise.
It is important to aware of when choosing a chiropractor: avoid those who aspires to, x-rays or other procedures for the diagnosis of spinal pain (usually useless in the clarification of the clinical picture), or to recommend those, the long-term treatments.
Massage
The work of the mass consists in the Manipulation of the muscles and soft tissues of the back and of the body. There are numerous varieties of Massage: Swedish Massage, Deep Tissue, sports massage, myofascial relaxation, Thai. Types of Massage differ in the duration, intensity and frequency of the meetings, that complicates the determination of the effectiveness of this method of improvement.
But Massage is almost harmless, and researchers, is the pain on the back of the Problem, indicate that this approach is useful in the elimination of pain.
According to a study, in the case of sub-acute (lasting for 7 to 12 weeks) and chronic back pain Massage has a positive effect on the symptoms and motor function in the short term (about 1 week) has.
Acupuncture
One of the oldest methods of treatment of back pain acupuncture, the basis of traditional Chinese medicine. In a philosophical justification of the acupuncture, disease or pain is the result of an imbalance between the prisoners in the body "forces of Yin and Yang".
Life energy circulates in the body through so-called meridians, the Yin and Yang properties. The use of needles to stimulate parts of the body, which can contribute to these meridians, to reduce pain or Remission of the disease, practice claim.
Information on the treatment of acute pain in recent studies to still a little, but in the research on the effectiveness of acupuncture in cases of chronic pain, there are contradictions. It is also noted that, to date, it is not clear that in the methodology of acupuncture to a result: self-acupuncture or Placebo effect.
Therefore, the acupuncture is causing so much controversy. The science says that the method works, but the relativity of the results, in combination with the lack of scientific principles in the philosophy of acupuncture, leaves room for doubt. And the skeptics can see the results of the relevant studies, the only proof of the Placebo effect.
A holistic approach for the treatment of back pain
Another approach is to back the so — called "biopsychosocial pain". According to this approach, the pain and effect of physical, psychological and social factors caused by the exchange. The physical pain is only a small part of the problem.
The treatment is aimed at what is happening in the minds of the patients: the relief from depression or anxiety disorders, cognitive-behavioral therapy to improve the ability to cope with difficulties.
In the cases of the treatment of chronic back pain-an interdisciplinary therapy is more effective results in comparison to only with the physiological therapy. Patients in the combination therapy, the more likely to return to work.
Total
If you have chronic back problems, you should consult a doctor to rule out serious reasons for their occurrence.
To try consult with experts, to an Alternative therapy: strength training or aerobics, Massage, Pilates, psychotherapy, chiropractic, Tai Chi, etc. These professions will not bring you immediate relief, but might help with the painful symptoms stick.