Best Alternative Treatments for Back Pain
Best Alternative Treatments for Back Pain
If you deal with back pain, you probably know this can cause a lot of discomfort. You may experience persistent pain, spasms, aching neck, or sciatic nerve pain, and all of them interfere with many activities of daily life and sideline you from work. Unfortunately, traditional treatment options often don’t give the desired result or cause adverse effects. In this regard, people are looking for alternative options to treat back pain and improve their wellbeing.
Below are 6 effective alternative treatments that can help you cope with back pain.
1. Massage
Massage therapy provides several important health benefits that can help you relieve back pain. Massage helps improve blood circulation in the targeted area. This aids in the recovery of muscle soreness from physical activity and encourages healing. Besides, massage can relax back muscles. This helps release tension-related pain and improve the range of motion of your spine.
During the massage session, your brain releases endorphins. These are your body’s natural painkillers that can help relieve pain and improve emotional health.
2. Acupuncture
Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese therapy that involves inserting thin needles in specific points of your body. While scientific evidence supporting acupuncture effectiveness is mixed, many patients with back pain report significant relief. This treatment works by boosting the blood flow to the targeted area. This improves the healing and recovery of your back from injuries and different spine conditions.
Besides, during an acupuncture session, your brain releases endorphins. These are your body’s natural pain killers that help reduce the feeling of pain and improve mental well-being. To reap maximum benefits, it is important to find an experienced practitioner. You may ask your pain doctor to recommend you a good acupuncture therapist.
3. Glucosamine
Glucosamine is a natural compound found in your cartilages. Cartilage is a part of the joint that cushions the bones and prevents them from rubbing against each other. The degeneration of cartilage within the spine can lead to unpleasant symptoms like back pain and a limited range of motion. Taking glucosamine supplements can help slow down degenerative processes in the cartilage and decrease back pain.
Of course, glucosamine supplements alone cannot ensure full protection of the cartilage. But taking glucosamine supplements is a great complementary remedy to promote cartilage health.
4. Chiropractic care
Chiropractic care is another popular alternative back pain treatment. Over 7.5 million Americans seek chiropractic care for back pain every year. It helps treat back pain related to accidents, sports injuries, muscle strains, and spine alignments like scoliosis. The chiropractor uses spinal manipulations to improve the alignment of your spine structure. It helps restore mobility, relieves pain, and promotes spine health.
Just like any alternative treatment, you need to find an experienced practitioner who is qualified to perform spinal manipulations. You may ask your primary care doctor or friend for recommendations.
5. TENS
TENS is a device that delivers low-current impulses through electrodes that you attach to the skin in a particular area of your body to reduce pain and discomfort. This type of alternative therapy doesn’t treat the root cause of the back pain, but it helps interrupt the pain signals to your brain, therefore reducing pain.
This therapy helps ease pain and reduce the intake of pain-relieving medications. The best result can be achieved by combining TENS with other types of therapy.
6. Cupping
Cupping is an ancient Chinese healing therapy that can help treat back pain. A therapist puts on your back cups and creates suction to pull your skin upward. This promotes circulation in the targeted area and improves healing processes. This therapy can be used to treat back pain caused by spine arthritis, muscle strain, and spine injuries.
