Recently on a flight back from California I met a flight attendant who was suffering for years with lower back problems (Sciatica). Her request for help reminded me of the hundreds of people who have used my input to rid themselves of this painful condition. To modern medicine, this condition seems to be rocket science. To a practitioner of natural medicine it is fundamental.
What is it?
Sciatica occurs when there is pain, numbness or tingling in the lower back or down one leg. This discomfort comes from pressure on the sciatic nerve as it leaves the spinal cord into the lower back. With more severe cases, people experience pain in one particular side of their buttocks and/or down their leg, sometimes all the way to the foot.
For many of us sciatic pain comes and goes. Here are some quick tips for addressing the onset of lower back pain:
Avoid sitting (or standing, depending on which causes more pain)
Avoid alternating between hot and cold on the affected area
Get a massage
Sleep on your side
Wear low-heeled shoes
Practice good posture while walking, standing and sitting
Start your supplements
Before we get into the natural solutions, I want to explain what is usually happening with the body. Aside from trauma causing this condition, I usually associate the pain with the lower spine being out of alignment – but WHY? This problem is usually simple. A muscle group above the area of discomfort (usually on your buttocks on the side you have pain) is in spasm (contracting) and a muscle group below the area of discomfort (usually in the bladder region on the opposite side of the body from your pain) is in spasm. It is this tug-of-war that causes your spine to come out of alignment and pinch the nerve as it leaves your spine, causing your sciatic pain. Example: You have pain in your right hip and maybe even down your right leg. Usually a muscle high on your buttocks ” I call a hotspot ” will be sensitive to moderate pressure with your thumb. This is one of the areas that need to be relaxed or massaged. On the front side of your body on the left side down in the pelvic region you will find another hotspot. For most, this area is very low and somewhere near the bladder. This muscle group also requires massage. When these two muscle groups finally relax, the spine will go back into alignment and the pain will be resolved.
WHAT CAUSES THESE MUSCLE SPASMS?
This is a great question and the answer, is it depends. In Chinese medicine they say that lower back problems stem from one of two things: bowel problems or bladder weakness. Too many times when I ask a sciatic pain sufferer if they have problems with one of these two areas the answer is yes. Examples of problems are:
Constipation
Diarrhea
IBS – and related health challenges
Bladder Infections (usually chronic or more than 2 per year)
Overactive Bladder
Incontinence
Pregnancy (supplements mentioned in this article are not intended for use during pregnancy)
There are obviously other causes of sciatic pain (trauma, degenerative issues, etc). For those with trauma, my suggestions are the same; it just will take much longer to heal the body. If you get rid of the root of your problem, the body will heal itself.
The modern medicine approach is usually to address the inflammation and suppress the pain. My approach isn’t much different except my treatment of inflammation is a temporary fix until my other support supplements take over.
LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT HOW TO FIX YOUR ACHING BACK.
Inflammation and Pain:
I love the new product FlexNow® or the supplement Zyflamend. Both work on different aspects of inflammation and can provide added benefit until my other recommendations take over. I also like the addition of fish oil to your inflammation fighting program. 2-3 grams of Omega-3 fatty acids from fish can give added support.
Relax the muscles:
My herb of choice is Passion Flower (not standardized). Passion Flower possesses muscle relaxing properties. I recommend from 250-1500mg at bedtime. The higher dose is used to make sure you sleep well and relax the muscles. I follow this nighttime dose with a smaller dose (250-500mg) mid-morning and mid-afternoon. The lower dose will hopefully maintain the relaxation effect, but without the drowsiness associated with a higher (bedtime) dose.
Massage:
This is the key to a quick recovery. Supplements can do the trick, but to get the relief you want, going for a massage at least once a week will speed your recovery. Make sure to stress the importance of the two muscle areas I mentioned above. A quality massage therapist will know what I am talking about.
Treat the root of your problem:
You probably don’t have a back problem (unless it is from trauma) and need to resolve what is truly triggering your muscles and spine to react as they are. Treat your bladder or bowel health issues naturally. If your problem stems from exercise, change your workouts or make sure to stretch before and after. Other issues such as being overweight, poor posture, bone spurs etc., should all be addressed to prevent recurring back problems.
My 4-Pillars of Health are also important. Don’t forget to engage in proper activity, eat right and take care of the mind/spirit component. People with sciatic issues are believed to have emotional worries. You need to address all aspects of your life to truly be healthy.