Back Pain – What causes it and how to deal with it

Back pain affects most of us at some point in our lives causing much misery. While with some people it lasts for a very short time, others are not so lucky and can suffer for years. This article lists reasons for back pain and how we can deal with it without resorting to medications. It also shows how magnesium salts can bring much needed relief.

Back pain affects most people at some point in their lives. In most cases, the causes of it are quite simpe, such as a strain in the muscle (“pulled” muscle), ligament or tendon, or a herniated intervertebral (“slipped”) disk which may press on nearby nerves and cause acute pain. Any back pain that lasts for 2-3 months or longer is commonly considered chronic.

Chronic back pain may have a number of causes, most common of which could be an old injury or a degenerative disease (e.g. arthritis or osteoporosis). Chronic back pain is much more difficult to treat than acute. There can also be more serious causes of chronic back pain (e.g. tumours, benign and malignant). This means that any back pain which lasts longer than a month needs to be investigated and diagnosed.

It is estimated that 80% of people in the Western world will experience lower back pain at some point in their lives. The indirect cost to the economy is estimated in hundreds of billions. The cost in human suffering is impossible to calculate.

There are 5 main reasons for commonly occurring back pain:

1. Weight issues
2. Stress
3. Long-standing psychological problems
4. Sedentary lifestyle
5. Magnesium deficiency.

Traditional medical treatment of lower back pain involves prescribing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and even opioids. Both of these, while bringing immediate pain relief, have serious side-effects while addressing only the symptom of the problem and not the cause of it. For example, NSAIDs can result in 2 to 4 times higher rate of heart attacks and strokes, digestive problems, high blood pressure, kidney problems and other issues.

Opioids on the other hand are highly addictive. Anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen affect the stomach lining and often lead to digestive problems which may even result in internal bleeding. There are other medicines, often very expensive, which have even more serious consequences.

How can you help yourself?

1. Lose weight. Shedding even a few pounds will take a considerable load off your spine and muscles supporting it. It will also help preserve the intervertebral discs which get squashed when under extra pressure. Work towards establishing and maintaining an optimal weight to height ratio (BMI).
2. Reduce the amount of acute and chronic stress in your life. Identify and work towards eliminating the causes of stress. You may need to ask for help from a stress management coach.
3. Address emotional issues. It is believed that emotional pain translates into physical problems, and back / muscle / joint pain take the worst of it. Often when emotional issues get resolved the pain eventually goes away.
4. Move around more, adjust your posture. Sedentary lifestyle, incorrect posture and repetitive strain can result in a permanent damage to the spine. Make sure that your back is supported. Sit straight, with the stomach sucked in. Take regular breaks during work.
5. Exercise. Gentle stretching – for example Yoga and Pilates – is perhaps the best form of keeping the back in a good condition.
6. Have regular massage treatments. It will soften the tissues and help stretch the muscles.
7. Drink lots of water. It helps to keep muscles and joints supple and maintain intervertebral discs in a healthy state.
8. Sleep your hours. Not doing so puts all the systems ino a stress mode. If sleep deprivation gets chronic, joints become inflamed which can make back pain worse.

If you are deficient in magnesium, soft tissues start to calcify, with calcium crystals depositing in joints and even muscles. Transdermal (through the skin) magnesium therapy will not only prevent it from happening, but will help to soften those hardened, tense muscles and rigid joints.

Magnesium salts are successfully used to treat both acute and chronic back pain. Being a powerful natural relaxant, magnesium plays an important role in reducing inflammations, relaxing muscles and joints while at the same time healing tissues.

Magnesium chloride and Epsom salt are the two the most widely available and easily absorbable forms of magnesium. The best way to use them for back pain is transdermally, by using the skin’s ability to absorb – tiny ions of magnesium in this case.

You must also have heard stories from your friends about how swimming in Dead Sea has helped them with their aches and pains. Perhaps you have enve experienced its wonderful healing properties on yourself? Many people have reported fantastic results from swimming in the Sea on their holiday trip, with back pain vanishing in a matter of days. Guess what – much of it is due to the fact that Dead Sea water is loaded with magnesium. But even if you are at home, there are still ways to experience these benefits.

Following are the ways to use magnesium products for back pain:

1. Massage magnesium oil into the body. Magnesium chloride solution is sometimes called an ‘oil’ due to its oily consistency. The soft, sliding action when it is rubbed on the skin makes magnesium oil suitable as a massage medium or a body rub. Apply once or twice daily by massaging the solution into the painful area and around it.
2. Body spray – spray on the body once or twice a day, especially before going to bed.
3. Compress – warm up the solution (mix it with water 1:1), soak a cloth, apply on the area, cover with a plastic sheet and a warm blanket. Alternatively, secure it with a bandage. Keep it on for 1-2 hours or as required.
4. Bath – add 300-500g of magnesium chloride flakes, Epsom or Dead Sea salt to a warm bath to relieve aching muscles and joints.
5. Far-Infrared Magnesium wrap – this procedure works faster than any other to help relieve aches and pains, even very stubborn ones. Use it once or twice a week, or as required.

These are the main external applications of magnesium salts for back pain. Using them regularly will ensure continuous supply of magnesium to all the body tissues – nerves, muscles and joints. This in turn will help deal with existing problems and prevent back pain from occurring in the future.