Gentle, Non surgical Alternatives to Lower Back Pain.

Eighty percent of Americans .have back pain-usually lower back pain-at some time in their lives. And 45 percent of those folks will have repeated "back attacks," says Jerome F. McAndrews, D.C, a chiropractor in Claremore, Oklahoma, and national spokesperson for the American Chiropractic Association.

If you're currently experiencing back pain, and you're thinking about having surgery to solve the problem, a surgeon who has performed thousands of spine surgeries says, "Think again."
"If you can recover from back pain without surgery, you're much better off," says Stephen Hochschuler, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon in PIano, Texas. Surgery, he says, can have unforeseen complications, from infections to nerve damage. Surgery can fail, leaving you with more pain than you had before. And, most important, surgery is usually not necessary. Most people with back pain have a problem with short, tight, rigid back muscles, says Dr. Hochschuler, and it can be relieved by improved posture while sitting, standing, and working; regular aerobic exercise; stretching; and exercises to strengthen the back muscles.

Twenty percent of people with back pain .have spinal injuries, usually involving the rupture of one or more disks, the gel-filled shock absorbers between the vertebrae, or bones of the spinal stack. Before opting for surgery, people with that type of injury should wait at least 3 months after being diagnosed by a doctor and use alternative remedies during that time, says Dr. Hochschuler, unless there is an emergency situation. "Many times," he says, "disks get better with the same types of non medical treatments that repair back muscles." Want to start relieving your pain today with alternative home remedies? Well, sit up and notice the way you're sitting.

Make Back Pain Take a Seat
"One of the main culprits in chronic, nontraumatic lower-back pain is sitting and leaning back," says Pamela Adams, D.c., a chiropractor and yoga instructor in Larkspur, California.
Leaning back flattens the lower, or lumbar, area of your back, depriving the lower back of its natural curve. "The weight of your body then pulls down on the lower lumbar vertebrae in the spine, stressing the ligaments and disks," says Dr. Adams. "After many years of sitting this way, you may develop lowerback pain."

Leaning back while sitting also puts your weight in the middle of your buttocks, right where your sciatic nerve passes into your legs. "If you sit this way year after year, you may pinch your sciatic nerve, and you'll start developing shooting pains down one or both legs," Dr. Adams warns.
Practicing correct posture, she says, is an effective way to prevent and relieve muscular back pain. And it's easy to do in any situation.

SITTING: Lift Your Breastbone
The proper position for sitting is "just a smidgen" in front of your "sit bones," or the ischium bones of the pelvis, says Dr. Adams. Those are the big bones that you can feel pressing against the chair right where your thighs end and your buttocks begin. At least, you can feel them when you are sitting correctly. Lean slightly forward from your hips, then, keeping your pelvis in place, move your upper back slightly back. That means don't slouch forward, don't round or hunch your back and shoulders, and keep your feet flat on the floor. "You should be conscious of the curve in the small of your back," she says.

The key to this pain-relieving, pain-preventing sitting posture is to lift your breastbone as you sit, says Dr. Adams. "Pretend that a string is atached to the middle of your chest and is nudging your breastbone uprd," she says. "You want to lengthen the space between your bellybutton and your breastbone. This 'corrected' sitting posture will feel awkw_r a few days, however, because sitting incorrectly for so long can change the configuration and tone of your muscles," says Dr. Adams. Do this breastbone-lifting exercise whenever you notice that you are leaning back or slumping over. The resulting posture not only will position your body correctly on your sit bones, says Dr. Adams, it will also position your head correctly on top of your spine, putting your spine in a natural alignment that supports your musculature and gives the overworked muscles of your lower back some much-needed relief.

DRMNG: On the Road Back to Health
"Many people who drive for a living have terrible back pain," says Dr. Adams. That's because car seats seem designed to hurt your back, she says. Your knees are higher than your hips, throwing the weight of your body onto your sciatic nerve. And you're leaning back with your head forward and your arms extended, which stresses your lower back (and your neck).

To minimize the damage, your car seat should be as flat as possible so
", that your knees and hips are at the same level, says Dr. Adams. "You want to drive the same way you sit."

If your car seat doesn't adjust automatically, you can build up the dip in the seat by sitting on a folded towel, a foam wedge, or a small pillow. Put a small pillow behind your lower back as well.
Next, position the seat so that you aren't reaching for the steering wheel or leaning forward to grasp it. The wheel should be close enough that your arms can hang naturally from your shoulders and your shoulders feel relaxed.

Just be sure that your breastbone is about 10 inches from the center of the steering wheel. That way, you'll lessen the possibility of injury from your seatbelt or airbag if you're in an accident.

STANDING: Ask for a Second Opinion
For pain-free posture when you're standing, do the breastbone-lifting exercise, says Dr. Adams, then have a friend look at you from the side. If you're standing correctly-that is, in a posture that can prevent or relieve back pain-a vertical line could pass directly through your ear, the middle of your shoulder, the middle of your hip bone, and the outside of your ankle bone.
"Correcting posture-induced back pain is very logical and very simple," says Dr. Adams, "but people make it so difficult. The body is a perfect mechanism. All we have to do is remove whatever imbalances are in the way of the body performing the way it is supposed to-and this easy exercise does just that."

LIFTING: Even If You Don't Know Squat
You probably know how not to lift: Never bend over at the waist. And, says Dr. Hochschuler, maybe you've also learned the commonly prescribed method of correct lifting to prevent back pain: Squat with your knees apart, with the object between your knees and as close as possible to your body. Using your legs, standup and lift, bringing the object closer to your body as you stand. Be sure to keep your back straight.

BODY AWARENESS: Do a Check
Your body is always giving you messages, says Dr. Adams: "This position hurts," "Get up and stretch," "Time to quit and rest." If you ignore the messages-if you "go through the day living between the top of your head and your chin," as she puts it-you won't be aware of your back pain until it's acute, with much more severe symptoms, and it will be much harder to fix. Here's her advice. If you have a watch alarm, set it to go off every hour while you're awake. For 15 to 30 seconds after the alarm sounds, consciously notice how your body feels. (If you're already in pain, make this "appointment with your body" every 15 minutes.)

Are you sitting correctly? If not, lift your breastbone. Are your shoulders up around your ears? Lower them. "Pretty soon, checking on your body throughout the day will become automatic, and you won't need the alarm," says Dr. Adams.

Getting Back to Sleep
Sleep time can be a chance to realign a back that's been stressed all day, says Dr. Adams. Here are two tips to help you do just that. ON YOUR BACK: The Pain-Free Way to Snooze
Don't sleep on your side. "Sleeping on your side puts your head forward, hunches your shoulders, and collapses your chest area, which means that your back can't extend and arch," says Dr. Adams. Instead, she says, sleep on your back. "The body opens up and you stretch, extend, and lengthen your back," she says.

Also, sleep with a thin pillow, Dr. Adams advises, so that your head is not pushed too far forward. She recommends buying an inexpensive feather pillow (if you aren't allergic), opening one end, and removing about a third of the feathers. (Be sure to sew up the opening, and either throw the feathers away or use them to make another pillow, she suggests.)

Shape the pillow so that it fits comfortably under your neck, making it thinner under your head and thicker under your neck for support. You should also put a folded or rolled towel in the small of your back for support, says Dr. Adams. The thickness of the towel depends on your body. "It should be a little uncomfortable, but not much," she says.

If you're pregnant, however, don't sleep on your back after the first trimester. As an alternative, Dr. Adams suggests lying on your side, but not in the fetal position. Align your spine as best you can, then use a pillow that's as high as the distance between your shoulder and your neck so that it can support your head without pushing it too high or letting it sag.

ON YOUR STOMACH: The Perfect Pose for Sciatica Relief
"For years, people have been told that they should never sleep on their stomachs if they have bad lower backs/, says Dr. Adams. If you have sciatica, though, that could be bad advice. Sciatica is caused by overstretching ligaments and muscles in the back until they're pressing on the sciatic nerve. It's usually marked by shooting pains down one or both legs and is a condition that should be checked by a doctor.

If you sleep on your stomach when you have sciatica, Dr. Adams says, gravity can restore a natural curve to your back, relaxing those ligaments and muscles so the nerve can heal itself.

Stretch-And Prevent Back Pain
These three simple stretching exercises (all done while sitting in a chair) can keep your spine flexible and help prevent back pain, says Michael D. Pedigo, D.c., a chiropractor in San Leandro, California, and president of the American Chiropractic Association.
"It's very important to do these exercises on an ongoing basis-even when you're pain-free-to counteract stresses and strains in the muscles of the back and prevent recurrent episodes of back pain," says Dr. Pedigo.

Do them three times a day-in the morning, at midday, and
in the early evening. Don't worry if you hear some snapping and popping as your joints move through their full ranges of motion, "as long as it causes no sharp pain. If it does, stop the exercise and see a chiropractor," he says.

ARCHING AND BENDING: Loosening Up
Sit in a chair in a normal, upright sitting position with your legs hip-width apart and your hands on your knees. First, slowly lower your head toward your chest as far as you can without forcing it (a). Then, in one smooth, continuous motion, slowly bend your neck back as far as you comfortably can (b). Repeat this forward-and-back motion slowly 10 times in each direction, says Dr. Pedigo, but do not force either motion.

Easy Exercises for Quick Pain Relief.
These simple exercises "can be effective home remedies for a simple attack of back pain:' says Stephen Hochschuler, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon in Piano, Texas. You can do these exercises as many times during the day as necessary. Here are a few guidelines. Don't hold your breath; stretch slowly, with steady movements-don't bounce or jerk; and count the duration of each exercise as "one, Mississippi, two, Mississippi:' and so on, advises Dr. Hochschuler. Finally, if doing any of these exercises causes more pain, see a physician or physical therapist.

Press Up

Lie on your stomach on a mat or carpeted floor with your elbows bent and your hands on the floor by your shoulders. Press up slightly, straightening your arms somewhat. Raise your head to look straight ahead but keep it in line with your spine. Keep your pelvis in contact with the floor and don't tighten your lower back or arch your neck. The intent is not to do a pushup with a straight back.' Hold for 10 seconds, then return to the starting position. Repeat 5 to 10 times.

Knee Lift
Lie on your back with both knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. With your hands on your shin, lift your right knee toward your chest, being careful not to force it any closer than is comfortable. Hold for 10 seconds, then return to the starting position. Repeat with the other leg.


Lumbar Rotation
Lie flat on your back with your arms extended to the sides, forming a T with your body. Raise your right leg and slowly cross it over your body, trying to touch your knee to the floor on the opposite side, but go only as far as is comfortable for you. Try to keep your shoulders flat against the floor. Hold for 10 seconds, then return to the starting position and repeat with the other leg. Do this 10 times with each leg.

All-Fours Arch
Start on your hands and knees on the floor. Keep your shoulders over your hands and align your hips with your knees. Arch your lower back slightly and hold for 10 seconds.
Alternate between rolling upward like a cat and arching downward, but be sure that you don't arch your neck and head along with your spine. Repeat up to 20 times.

SIDE- TO-SIDE: Increasing Flexibility
In the same sitting position, hold your hands palms down in front of you and lace your fingers together. Point your elbows to the sides, horizontal to the floor (a). Slowly bend to the left from the waist,  

tilting so that your left elbow points toward the floor and bending your spine as far as you comfortably can (b). Return to the upright position and repeat on your right side. Do this 10 times in each direction. "Your spine should move like a willow tree," says Dr. Pedigo.

FULL TWIST: For Your Whole Spine
In the same position, with your fingers laced and your elbows out, turn your head and shoulders to the right, letting your spine comfortably twist as far as it can. Repeat in the other direction. Do 10 twists on each side, says Dr. Pedigo.

YOGA: For Strong Back Muscles

To prevent or relieve back pain, you need to strengthen the muscles of your back. One of the best ways is to swim regularly, Dr. Adams says, using a freestyle or crawl stroke with a regular scissors kick. But there is also a yoga pose called the half-cobra that, when done each day, is a wonderful way to strengthen your back, she says.

Lie flat on your stomach on either a carpeted floor or' a mat, with your leg muscles completely relaxed and your forehead resting on the floor (a). Take a deep breath as you slowly push your head and torso off the floor, keeping your hips in place, then rest on your elbows (b), says Dr. Adams. (You probably used this position as a kid while watching television.) Keep your back relaxed and hold for about a minute. If your neck becomes sore, you can cup your chin in your hands, she says. Then breathe out; lower your arms, head, and chest back to the floor; and relax. Repeat two more times.

Dr. Adams suggests doing the half-cobra several times a day. The more you do it, the longer you can hold the stretch, as long as it is com fortable for you.

Non drug Pain Relief
Yes, you can use anti-inflammatory medications for pain relief. But if you'd rather not cope with their side effects, including digestive upset, there is a natural "medicine" that may work just as well.

MSM: From Nature's Pharmacy
The nutritional supplement MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) is very effective for treating chronic back pain, says Stanley W. Jacob, M.D., professor of surgery at Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland. "I have seen several hundred patients for back pain secondary to other problems, such as arthritis, disk degeneration, and accidents," he says. "For such pain-related conditions, MSM is usually beneficial. In fact, there may be no pharmaceutical therapy that is better."

For back pain, Dr. Jacob recommends taking up to 8 grams of MSM a day in divided doses with meals. Because the supplement may cause loose stools, start with 2 grams daily and increase by 2 grams every 7 days, if necessary, until you reach 8 grams. (Increase the dosage only if the lower dosage does not help.) This should help you avoid bowel problems, says Dr. Jacob.
Also, if you're being treated with a blood-thinning drug, take MSM only with your doctor's approval and supervision, since it may thin the blood slightly. Otherwise, says Dr. Jacob, MSM is a safe supplement with no serious side effects.

A Physician Heals Himself with Magnet Therapy.
Julian Whitaker, M.D., used to have lower-back pain. "I used to get up in the morning, let my legs flop out of bed, and then limp around for quite a while;' he recalls. Now, he says that he doesn't notice any back pain. What made the difference? A corset with magnets inserted in it. A magnetic field may help relieve pain by increasing blood flow to the injured area or by altering the transmission of pain in nerve fibers, says Dr. Whitaker, who is the founder and director of the Whitaker Wellness Institute in Newport Beach, California. "I wear my corset under my clothes, I sleep in it-I wear it everywhere except for the shower;' he says. He recommends using magnets of 3,000 to 4,000 gauss, although magnets with strengths as low as 500 gauss have been shown to relieve back pain. (Gauss is a measure of a magnet's strength; a refrigerator magnet is a little less than 300 gauss.) Since magnets can cause skin irritation, it's best to give your skin a rest from them, perhaps while you sleep or when you're in the shower. If you do notice irritation, remove the magnets for a couple of hours to a day, then reapply them.