Back Pain

Because humans defy gravity by standing upright, the spine is often under stress. This often leads to back pain, one of the most common reasons why Australians and New Zealanders visit their doctors. The secret to relief is to strengthen both the vertebrae and the surrounding tissues.

What it is  Although it's frequently very uncomfortable, most back pain isn't serious. Typically, the lower back, which supports almost all the body's weight, is the area most affected. But inflammation of, or even a minor injury to, and of the bones in the spine (vertebrae) or the muscles, cartilage, nerves or other tissues connected to the spine can bring on pain.

What causes it  Most back pain is the result of muscle strain. Poor posture, weakened bones or cartilage, a slipped disc, a pinched nerve, or stress and emotional upset are other causes. Diseases such as athritis aor osteoporosis may lead to chronic back pain.


SYMPTOMS

• Aching or stiffness along the spine, especially during movement.
• Sharp pain in the upper or lower back or down the leg.
• Debilitating pain after exercise, strenuous activity or exertion.
• Aching and discomfort after long periods of sitting or standing.

WHEN TO CALL THE DOCTOR

• If pain is disabling or accompanied by fever or vomiting.
• If tingling or numbness appears in the arms or legs, or if there is intense pain extending down the back of the leg (sciatica)
• If pain and stiffness affects one area of the spine upon walking.
• If pain follows a fall or a car accident.
• Reminder: If you have a medical condition, talk to your doctor before taking supplements.

Supplement recommendations
SUPPLEMENT	DOSAGE	COMMENTS
Calcium / Magnesium	600 mg calciul and 250 mg magnesium a day.	Can be bought as part of a bone-building formula. Be careful taking magnesium if you have kidney disease.
Bromelain	500 mg 3 times a day on an empty stomach.	An anto-inflammatory enzyme found in pineapples.
Glucosamine	500 mg 3 times a day with food.	Glucosamine suplhate is the form most easily absorbed.
White willow bark	1 or 2 pills 3 times a day (Follow package directions)	Should be standardized to contain 15% salicin.
Vitamin C	1000 mg 3 times a day.	Reduce dose if diarrhoea develops.
Vitamin D	400 IU a day with food.	Avoid doses above 1000 IU a day, which may be toxic.
Manganese	60 mg a day for 2 weeks.	After 2 weeks, reduce dose to 20 mg a day.
Flaxseed oil	1 tbsp (15-20 ml) a day with food.	Take in the morning.

How supplements can help  Before beginning a therapeutic supplement program, check with your doctor to determine whether medical or surgical treatment is warranted. Supplements are aimed at building stronger bones and muscles, reducing inflammation and treating pain. Effects may be felt within a week.

People prone to back problems should start with vitamins and minerals that strengthen bones and cartilage, such as calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, vitamin D and manganese. In addition, various other supplements are worth trying, either singly or in combination. Some hospitals have had success using bromelain, an enzyme found in pineapples, to reduce inflammation and pain from surgery, trauma, sports injuries and arthritis. The nutritional supplements glucosamine builds cartilage, including the tissue supporting the spinal discs. And the herb white willow bark has pain-relieving characteristics similar to those of aspirin, but with fewer side effects. Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, flaxseed oil may also have healing analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. All these supplements may reduce the need for conventional pain relievers and, except for white willow bark, can be taken along with them.

Other beneficial supplements include S-adenosylmethionine, or SAM (200 mg three times a day), a form of the muscle-strengthening, collagen-building amino acid methionine; boswellia (300 mg three times a day), a herbal remedy from India with anti-inflammatory properties; and niacinamide (500 mg three times a day), a form of niacin that may be effective against arthritic back pain. (SAM is not approved for use in Australia, but is available in New Zealand. The herb devil's claw (400 mg three times a day) may be particularly useful for inflammatory pain from arthritis or degenerative spine disease (spondylosis).


What else you can do

• To improve posture, wear comfortable footwear, consider orthotics.
• Try therapeutic massage, chiropractic (spinal alignment), acupuncture or TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) for pain relief.
• Don't bend from the waist; bend your knees when lifting.
• Sit in a chair with lower-back support; take frequent breaks to stretch.

Source - The Healing Power Of Vitamins Minerals and Herbs (Readers Digest)