Dr. Belle Taylor Acupuncture

I was recently reading Australian health statistics and was shocked to discover that around 80% of Australians suffer from back pain.
There are many different causes of back pain, including injuries, tight muscles, scoliosis, arthritis, disc bulge, core muscle weakness, hormonal (women) etc.
Back pain is such a frustrating condition because pain debilitates our quality and enjoyment of life.
When I was working on board cruise ships, back pain was the number one condition I was treating and to be honest, I absolutely love treating back pain because most causes of back pain are quite easily treated.
However, I cannot emphasis enough, especially to those with a predisposition to back pain, that PREVENTION is better than cure.
Here is a list of 5 simple ways to prevent back pain.

1. Stretching and Strengthening

Regular exercise including Yoga and Pilates are phenomenal at strengthening our deep ‘core’ muscles which are vital in supporting our lower back.
Stretching ensures that we maintain optimal muscular range of motion, thus improving posture. It can also assist in creating space between the joints in the spine, which encourages a fresh supply of blood, oxygen and nutrients to all the cells, whilst simultaneously flushing out waste, toxins and old inflammatory products.
This promotes healthy muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints in the lower back preventing degeneration and pain caused by stagnation.
For those of you have a stiff or sore back on first awakening (especially exacerbated by these cold mornings), gentle stretches whilst still laying in bed are a wonderful way to prepare your back muscles and joints for the day.
Try bringing your knees to your chest and cuddle them for a few breaths, stretch them back out and repeat a few times. Next, gently bring one knee up and stretch it across to your opposite hip or outer thigh (wherever you can reach), take a few breaths and then repeat on the opposite knee. Finally, when you first stand up, take a deep breath in and slowly do a gentle roll down letting your finger tips lead the way, leaning forward and bending at the waste (as if you are going to touch your toes) listen to your body, only go as far as you feel comfortable and keep taking slow, deep breaths. Slowly roll back up and repeat 3 more times.

2. Heat Packs and Ice

For an acute injury where heat, swelling and inflammation can be observed, ice is an effective way of reducing inflammation and speeding up the injuries healing time. Ice baths are an extremely common practice throughout AFL football clubs.
For back pain that is chronic (long term), or is caused by degeneration and arthritis, heat packs are great at encouraging blood and circulation to the affected area.
Regular use of heat packs is highly recommended for those with weakness in their lower backs, knees and ankles, it strengthens the kidney Qi which nourishes the lower back.
Elite athletes are known to use intermittent hot and cold showers to prevent injuries post event. The cold contracts the blood vessels and sends the blood into the organs and deepest tissues in the body, then turning up the heat dilates all the blood vessels, sending blood to the extremities and superficial tissues. Repeating this process several times flushes the body inside and out, using its own circulatory system.

3. Herbal Oils and Liniments

Chinese Herbal liniment’s and oils are great for warming up the muscles and preventing pain, whilst preparing the body for exercise. They can also be used to speed up the recovery time of an injury. Or cool down and reduce inflammation when an injury has occurred.
Different herbal liniment formulas are used to treat different types of back pain. Some are heating and some are more cooling.
They are a great safe and natural alternative to pharmaceutical pain killers and medicated lotions or rubs, which are not recommended for long term use.
Some commonly known liniments include ‘Tiger Balm’ which Relieves muscular and arthritic aches pains. ‘Zheng Gu Shui’ is popular among Chinese Medicine practitioners and can be purchased from most clinics. It relives pain of bruises, muscles and joints.

4. Chinese Herbs and Supplements

Chronic and recurring back pain can be diagnosed by a trained practitioner and can be treated using Chinese Herbs, western supplements or a combination.
Your Chinese Medicine practitioner will focus treatment upon both the underlying ‘root’ causative factor (Ben) and also the branch or surface symptoms (Biao).
For example someone suffering from lower back pain due to degenerative arthritis, may be prescribed herbs that nourish the bodies kidney Qi and Jing (essence) which strengthen the lower back and slow down degeneration (Ben) whilst also prescribing a formula that stimulates the movement of stagnated Qi and blood which is causing the pain (Biao).
Chinese Herbs are natural and safe. With an accurate personalised prescription side effects are highly unlikely.
Many herbal formulas can be safely taken long term as part of a healthcare plan to prevent future pain, degeneration or injury. They can be a great alternative to pharmaceutical pain killers and can also work effectively along side pharmaceutical pain killers, potentially reducing the dosage required and in some cases eliminating the need for pain killers.

5. Acupuncture and Remedial Massage

We all lead such busy lives these days that it seems often our health can be taken for granted. That is until we get sick or injure our self and realise that our health is the crux of being able to lead the life we want. Living with pain is so exhausting as it constantly demands our attention and leaks our life force.
A combination of regular Acupuncture and Remedial Massage is a great preventative measure to back pain as it maintains optimal range of motion, encourages circulation, reduces tension and inflammation, whilst maintaining homeostatic balance between all our organ systems. Most importantly though, Acupuncture is focused precisely on nourishing and strengthening your root underlying conditions that act as precursors to back pain.
We have all heard the old analogy of getting ours cars regularly serviced in order to maintain optimal function. Synonymously it is equally important to regularly nourish and maintain our body in order to maintain optimal health and wellness. It is truly a lot simpler and gentler on our bodies to maintain wellness, than it is to treat pain and dis-ease.
I hope these tips come in handy for you at home and if you have any questions about anything discussed within feel free to call or email me, I love answering your questions and hearing your feedback.

Wishing You Health & Longevity
Belle Taylor