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Back pain
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FREE TIPS for BACK PAIN
These tips are for backpain that don't need medical attention. Consult your doctor for severe pain that needs
medical attention or make an appointment to try acupuncture. Below you will find tips to manage your pain from a
Chinese medical point of view.
REST Relax your back by lying down in a comfortable position for a short period. Depending on the severity, lay
down for short periods (15- 20 min.) or limited bed rest (one to three days) can help calm down back pain.
ICE & HEAT - I recommend using ice the first 24-48 hours of the onset of your back pain. After that, heat is more
important to facilitate the healing process. Ice can have an analgesic effect. Therefore; I recommend
ALTERNATING ICE and HEAT for 10 min. each (repeat for 3 applications), or until the desired results are reached.
PILLOWS - When lying down, put some pillows under your knees to relieve pain from the back. When going to
bed, lay in fetus position with a pillow in- between your legs.
POSTURE - Be aware of your posture; make sure you don't slump over when sitting. The way you hold yourself
while standing, sitting, lifting, pushing and doing any other activity determines your back's basic condition. While
standing or sitting, pull your abdomen inward and flex your hips back slightly so that your lower back is relaxed and
your abdomen is not sticking out (but don't forget to breathe). Always bend your knees slightly. Keep your chin
tucked inward and relax your shoulders backward to keep your neck straight. Always bend your knees to lift up
something from the ground, never bend from the waist when lifting.
EXERCISE & STRETCHING - Start moving around even during the bed rest stage (restricted bed rest is helpful,
but you should gradually increase your activity level as soon as you can). Walking is one of the best and safest
exercises. Other moderate activities are swimming, yoga, tai chi etc. Start slowly and build up the number of
repetitions. Never force your body beyond pain. Learn to trust your bodies signals. Consistency yields the best
results— personalize your exercise regime to strengthen and align your back with comfort.
PAIN IS NO GAIN - Never push yourself while you have a backache. Check your pain level each day and adjust
accordingly.
RETURN TO NORMAL ACTIVITY - After limited bed rest, gradually increase your activities each day until you
return to your normal level of activity.
DIET - Certain foods can aggravate inflammation, while others soothe. Some foods irritate nerves, while other calm
and relax it. Eat a diet filled with a generous amount of vegetables, whole grains, fruit, beans and smaller
quantities of simple sugars and red meat. Stay away from hot, spicy, greasy foods. Minimize the use of coffee and
alcoholic beverages or over- stimulating substances.
STRESS MANAGEMENT - When you are under pressure, your blood pressure goes up, your immune system
becomes depressed and the muscles of your back contract, causing spasms, which in turn, can harm the muscles
and the nerves. Use meditation for stress relief. Simply set aside 15 minutes or more each day and sit quietly to
clear your mind and feelings. Keep written journals to record your negative emotions and thoughts so that you
may let go of them. Engage in artistic expression to channel your stress into creativity—painting, music, poetry,
gardening... Do some stretches, breathing exercises and autogenic-training.
LIFESTYLE - If you suffer from a bad lifestyle it can make back pain worse. Prolonged sitting, standing, or lying
down will all contribute to straining and weakening your back. When sitting, get up and stretch hourly. Rest your
body before attempting something else physical, know your limits, many people push their body to the extreme and
expect perfect functioning from their body. Maintain a healthy, consistent schedule. Wake up and go to bed on
time. Eat regularly, exercise daily, and watch out when you have to perform beyond what you are normally
accustomed to.
TUI NA BODYWORK - By activating and touching a certain point or area of your body, you will able to summon
your body's own restorative mechanisms. With two palms directly on your mid to lower back, stroke up and down
and in a circular motion until your back feels warm. Find and press the tender spots between the 2nd and 3rd
fingers, and between the 4th and 5th fingers. Lie down on your back on two tennis balls, one on each side of your
side of your upper back between the shoulder blades. If you are interested in trying traction to your back the
inversion table can help to relieve pain by decompressing the spine.
WHEN EVERYTHING FAILS - Sometimes even with the most careful preventative practices, you may still injure
your back and suffer pain and disability. This is the time to seek corrective measures; ones that will help you
facilitate your recovery naturally.
SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP - If you experience any of the warning signs in the next section, get professional
help.
CHINESE MEDICINE - Acupuncture and Chinese Herbology can offer a wide range of effective treatment
modalities by employing acupuncture, electrical stimulation, Chinese body work, cupping, herbal remedies, and
topical treatments according to each individuals needs. Acute conditions can often be treated within five
treatments while chronic condition may take 10 to 20 treatments.
KEEP HEALTHY - With good preventative back care as described in this article and a dose of common sense, you
can stay away from the troubles of back problems and enjoy a healthy and active life.
Red Flags
Most people have experienced back pain at some time in their life. At first, you can self-manage most episodes of
backaches. Neverless, some symptoms Indicate more serious troubles that need to be diagnosed and treated by a
medical doctor. If this approach to your backache doesn't give you significant help after about a week, then you
should see a doctor, if you not already have done so. These signs indicate that you should see a doctor:
TRAUMA - A serious trauma to your spine, such as a car accident or a fall
MEDICATION - Problems with your medications, or using alcoho! or other substances to manage your back pain
problem.
WAKE UP AT NIGHT - Backache that causes you to wake up at night and that are throbbing and intense
SEVERE WEAKNESS - Severe weakness in one or both of your legs and/or feet
EXCRUCIATING - Excruciating back pain or new types of symptoms
LOSS OF BOWEL MOVEMENT - Loss of bowel movement, trouble urinating, inability to get an erection or
numbness in your groin region
Click here to schedule an appointment in NYC, Queens or/and send alternative medicine and healing
without medications acupuncture specialist your health question or call "Feel Good Acupuncture" at 646-
327-7267.
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