Q. It seems like everyone has a bad back, but my backache has been going on for four years now, and I need some relief. A chiropractor helped some, but I still suffer if I make a sudden move or lift anything more than a heavy book. It started when I was pregnant but hasn’t yet cleared up. Any hints?
A. Back pain may be responsible for more visits to physicians than any other single complaint. A lot of money is used up in pain relievers, lost work days, and doctor bills related to back pain.
In searching for relief from back pain, it definitely pays to try the simple remedies first. Since your back pain started during pregnancy, it may relate to posture. Start by ditching all but one pair of your high-heeled shoes, and save those for only the most special occasions. Check your mattress for firmness. Over the years mattresses get softer and if yours is more than 6 to 8 years old, or if it was soft to begin with, it may be time to replace it. If you have not lost most of the weight you gained with your pregnancy, the extra weight may be enough to contribute to back pain. Also your abdominal muscles after pregnancy may not be as strong as before, and strengthening those by exercising could help.
Be sure you have two or more soft bowel movements each day. Constipation is a common cause of back pain, but usually easily remedied. Drink plenty of pure water, aiming for eight glasses per day (and more is OK). Increase the fiber content of your diet by eating six servings per day or more of non-starchy vegetables. Changing to whole grain breads and cereals also adds fiber. If your lifestyle does not allow dietary changes that provide 25-30 grams of fiber per day, there are some good-tasting fiber supplements available that will comfortably add eight grams of fiber or more each day.
Vitamin C is not only a great laxative but also strengthens the ligaments and tendons in the back. Years ago a Houston physician recommended 10 grams of vitamin C to all his patients with back pain. That may provoke diarrhea in some people, so better to start with 2-4 grams per day and see what develops. If there is no diarrhea, go ahead with the higher dose, but you should add a good antioxidant formula to maintain the balance among antioxidants while you use these heroic levels of vitamin C.
Most people don’t realize that it takes more energy to relax a muscle than to contract it. Muscle tension that accompanies back pain can signal poor circulation or deficiency in any of the nutrients needed to relax back muscles. Calcium and magnesium, either or both, are often deficient when muscles cramp and hurt. Taurine, an amino acid, is needed to transport electrolytes such as calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium, where these minerals are intimately involved in muscle function. Certain B vitamins, pantothenic acid in particular, are needed for mitochondria to produce energy, and some people may require 1,000-2,000 mg of pantothenic acid per day to be comfortable. Vitamin B-12, thiamin, and vitamin B-6 have been successful in relieving back pain in some instances.
Glucosamine and chondroitin help backache for some, glucosamine by strengthening ligaments and tendons as does vitamin C, and chondroitin through its anti-inflammatory effects. Both are safe to use in large amounts if necessary. MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane) is often used in conjunction with glucosamine and chondroitin, and it seems to help, but if you use more than 1,000 mg of MSM you should add molybdenum to the program. Molybdenum is needed to metabolize the sulfur contained in the MSM.
Athletes often relieve pain by taking enzymes such as bromelain, trypsin, and chymotrypsin that digest inflammatory proteins. Several preliminary trials have reported reduced pain and swelling when these enzymes are used in people with backaches. These enzymes are somewhat irritating to the stomach, so the Wobe-Mugos brand of these enzymes are enteric-coated to solve this problem.
If back pain persists despite your best efforts, check with your physician to be sure that you don’t have chronic kidney infection or something else serious. Just because a headache is usually not a brain tumor doesn’t mean that it never is. Back pain or other pain is your body’s signal that something is amiss. Honor your body’s signals and you will feel better.
This article appears in September 21 • 2001.