Far too many folks suffer from chronic muscular pain and the misical profession comes up short for treatment options. Here we have a list of options and magnesium is particularly noted.
It is reasonable to presume that the bulk of the pain is derived from a spasmed muscle which itself may be quite small and even deeply hidden.. Thus it has to be found and released in order to provide relief. Worse is that it picks up a memory and repeats become necessary. The methods below all tackle this issue either directly or indirectly.
Combine any thing that releases the problem with targeted exercise in order to reeducate and rebalance the muscles involved.
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Thirty-one million Americans experience low-back pain at any given
time. One-half of all working Americans admit to having back pain
symptoms each year. Back pain is one of the most common reasons for
missed work. In fact, back pain is the second most common reason for
visits to the doctor’s office, outnumbered only by upper-respiratory
infections. Nearly everyone at some point has back pain that interferes
with work, routine daily activities, or recreation.
As many as
80% of us will experience a back problem at some time in our lives and
yet if you look around at the medical literature and even at
alternative sites, including chiropractic and osteopathic sites, one
does not get a clear picture of what one can do for this common
problem, which does land many in bed with excruciating pain.
Back and neck pain can be miserable. Injury, herniated disc, spinal
stenosis, osteoarthritis, vertebral compression fracture—even a simple
back sprain—can cause life-altering pain. Yoga, massage and physical
therapies help patients to get back on their feet but often do not
address the biochemistry of back pain.
The field of medicine has
always been weak in dealing with back pain and that gave rise to the
large chiropractic field. The most pathetic excuse for medical science I
have ever read came recently with research that said, “people who
suffer from lower back pain may have spines that are similar to chimpanzees.”
Magnesium & Back Pain
Soft tissue and joint manipulation, whether it be in the form of
varying massage techniques, physical therapy or chiropractic, do not take into consideration the biochemical needs of the cells which constitute the tissues being manipulated. While
there are many biochemical necessities that may come into question,
none can be considered more essential to normal cellular function than
that of the magnesium ion, especially when it pertains to the health of
muscles, joints, and the nervous system. Magnesium deficiency is often
associated with muscle pain, especially back pain.[1]
Topical magnesium chloride is most widely known as “magnesium oil” which is actually a supersaturated solution of magnesium chloride and other trace elements. Other convenient forms include gelled magnesium chloride for massage, and bath flakes for soaks with each product offering its own unique advantages depending on the application.
Every back patient should be applying magnesium transdermally and use either magnesium oil or magnesium bicarbonate concentrate added to water to treat the fundamentals of inflammation and pain.
When it comes to back pain one can be assured that applying magnesium
locally and systemically is going to help, even in the worst conditions
where physicians are already recommending surgery.
Magnesium has a calming effect on the nervous system so it can be used quite effectively to calm irritated and over-excited nerves.
Transdermal Magnesium Therapy shines
in the area of pain management often bringing instant relief when
applied liberally to painful areas. Magnesium penetrates into the
source of the pain bringing healing and relief, not only because it
addresses the inflammation, but also because magnesium deficiency is a
basic cause of back pain as much as poor posture is. Next time you walk
into a public place where people are waiting on line for something
notice how many stand favoring one leg.
This throws out the hips and people end up with one leg being longer
that the others. Always stand with equal weight on both legs for good
back health.
A German study found that mineral supplements
increased intracellular magnesium levels by 11% and were associated
with a reduction in pain symptoms in 76 out of 82 people with chronic
low-back pain.[2] In cases of acute pain, magnesium given intravenously is widely recognized to have powerful analgesic effects[3]—so
much so, that it has been the subject of numerous clinical studies
examining the extent of its ability to attenuate post-operative pain[4] following major cardiac and lumbar surgeries.[5]
Heat & Back Pain
Heat is often applied with a pad to areas of the back that are painful and/or inflamed. The Biomat is just perfect for back pain sufferers. There is nothing like laying on a far-infrared mattress when one has back or any kind of pain.
This treatment method is effective because heat makes blood vessels
expand, which in turn increases blood flow and oxygen levels.
Using sodium bicarbonate and magnesium orally will increase oxygen
transport and will further dilate the vessels bringing even more blood
to the area. Heat increases blood flow and makes connective tissue more
flexible. It temporarily decreases joint stiffness, pain, and muscle
spasms. Heat also helps reduce inflammation and the buildup of fluid in
tissues (edema). Heat therapy is used to treat inflammation (including
various forms of arthritis), muscle spasm, and injuries such as
sprains and strains.
A hot magnesium bath is a great treatment choice for most people’s low-back pain and is more indicated than icing.
Trigger Points, Shiatsu & Acupuncture
There is no shortage of evidence that acupuncture is good for lower-back pain. A study in the British Medical Journal
found that it offered a small but significant benefit to back pain
sufferers and is cost-effective in the long-term. Researchers at the
University of Sheffield measured the pain levels of two groups of
adults over two years. They found that those who had acupuncture were
significantly more likely to be satisfied compared to those having just
conventional care.
The great majority of low-back pain is
essentially muscular in nature, contrary to the popular and mistaken
medical view that it is usually caused by something “mechanical” like
an intervertebral disc herniation. Acupressure is similar to
acupuncture; the difference between these two techniques is that
acupressure uses thumbs instead of needles. A good shiatsu practitioner
will easily find the points where the energy is blocked. Shiatsu is a
traditional form of bodywork originating from Japan.
Based on the
acupuncture energetic system, the aim in Shiatsu is to wake up and
rebalance the body’s natural flow of energy or chi. This is achieved
through a combination of stretching, holding and gently manipulating
the receiver’s body, focusing on the classical meridians (energy
channels) and acupressure points.
Conclusion
Helping someone suffering from back pain can be a challenge. Many
states have now made it legal to treat pain and inflammation in the
back with marijuana. In my book Medical Marijuana, I write extensively about the excellent combination that marijuana and magnesium make in dealing with pain.
By resting painful joints and muscles you give your spine time to
heal. Common sense would also tell you to eliminate any movements or
activities that cause your pain. Ice is often used successfully to
reduce inflammation, spasms, and pain in the back because ice makes
blood vessels get smaller. Alternating hot and cold packs is often
recommended by professionals.
Wooden Back Massage Roller
This is one of the best back tools that money can buy! Just lie on it
and let it dig like a shiatsu expert onto both sides of your spine.
When one is suffering from back problems, one should also be mindful of
the level of stress one is dealing with. When the weight of the world
is upon us it weighs heavily on our backs and that is why rest is often
essential for recovery. My bottom line recommendation for sufferers of
back pain for the long term is yoga and the Biomat, with constant supplementation with high levels of magnesium.
[1] Rogers SA, Depression Cured at Last, SK Publishing, Sarasota, FL, 2000.
[2] Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology.Volume 15, Issues 2-3, 2001, Pages 179-183
[3]
Crosby V, Wilcock A, Corcoran R, “ The safety and efficacy of a single
dose (500 mg or 1 g) of intravenous magnesium sulfate in neuropathic
pain poorly responsive opioid analgesics in patients with cancer.” J
Pain Symptom Management, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 35-39, 2000.
[4]
Levaux C, Bonhomme V, Dewandre P.Y., Brichant J.F., Hans P, “Effect of
intra-operative magnesium sulphate on pain relief and patient comfort
after major lumbar orthopaedic surgery.” Anaesthesia, vol. 58, no. 2,
pp. 131-135
[5]
Steinlechner1 B, Dworschak1 M, Birkenberg B, Grubhofer G, Weigl M,
Schiferer A, Lang T, Rajek A, “Magnesium moderately decreases
remifentanil dosage required for pain management after cardiac
surgery.” British Journal of Anaesthesia, vol. 96, no. 4, pp. 444-449,
2006
