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Diet Can Spell Relief from Back Pain Sufferers
Back pain is one of the most common ailments for adults in America. If you are not a sufferer, then you can consider yourself blessed. Most times when one does injure their back it is due to overexertion or over use, such as working to hard or lifting a heavy object to clean under it or rearrange its location. Usually these types of injuries are minor and with the help of a heating pad, some relaxation and rest, and a couple of Advil you are back to good in a couple of days. These are considered non-specific types of back pain and are the leading cause in missed time from work and use of sick leave.
There are cases of non-specific back pain that are not do to over exertion these are usually most common in people who are overweight and those in a field that requires lifting, such as nurses and factory workers. This is usually the result of ligament strain, muscle tearing, damage to a spinal joint, and/or a prolapsed disk (slipped disk) in the spine. It will be quite normal to also experience spasms in the surrounding muscles. This will cause the area to be tender and can lead to a temporary form of scoliosis in some cases. Another common back injury is when the slipped disk is also accompanied by damage to the facet joints that can cause sciatica. This pain is commonly felt from the buttocks down the back of the legs into the feet. Sciatica is always painful, but during a bout the pain can be excruciating when you sneeze, cough, or strain.
For those people who are sufferers of osteoarthritis of the spine and joints, they are never free from pain. Those who have ankylosing spondylitis have the same chronic pain issues. This type of arthritis affects the spine and the sufferer can experience great stiffness and have extreme difficulty performing even the simplest of tasks. The condition of fibrositis, which is pain and tenderness in the muscles, does not always affect the bones. When a professional looks at the back it can reveal tenderness and lack of mobility. This is a good indicator of non-specific back pain. It will require an X-ray to be able to prove any structural damage such as pressure of the nerve root. These types of back pain are usually very hard to diagnose with out MRI or CT scans. They can look for the cause and if there seems to be no underlying physical problem then the pain is treated like the non-specific pain with rest, heat, pain relievers, and massage.
In the most general sense, diet alone is not enough to treat severe back pain that has been caused by muscular pain or injury. However, there are some foods that people are more likely to be sensitive too such as tannin and caffeine when they have severe back pain. This would include all products such as tea, coffee, sodas or colas, chocolate, red wine, etc. these foods dry out the synovial fluid between the joints that helps them stay lubricated. When this fluid becomes low there is a greater affect of the wear and tear of the back joints that end up causing more pain to the sufferer. To be sure that this is not the cause of your back pain you would have to eliminate these products from your diet for a period of time and see if there is any improvement. You will know immediately from stopping whether or not you had a sensitivity because you will get a pressure headache that can last several days and will over all feel slow and mentally unfocused. You may also feel some withdrawal symptoms that can be easily subsided with a ½ a cup of coffee or soda. There are a series of different herbs that one can add into their diet that can help ease back pain for some sufferers. The most likely to benefit are those who are suffering from acute lumbar strain or suffering from an osteopathic disease. Herbs like devil’s claw and turmeric extract have anti-inflammatory effects that can be quite helpful for many. Essential oils, which have anti-spasmodic and analgesic qualities, include rosemary, peppermint, lemon grass, geranium and nutmeg. Certain herbs, including capsicum and prickly ash, improve blood flow, which helps osteoarthritis and horsetail, which contains silica, can help to reconstruct the joints.
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