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Ayurveda approach
Backache, according to Ayurveda, is because of excess vata. Reducing
vata-increasing foods helps so you should avoid:
- most beans, like black beans, pinto beans, garbanzo
beans and adzuki beans
- raw cold salads
Also avoid walking in high-heeled shoes and refrain
from strenuous exercises, even jogging and jumping. Instead, do
gentle yoga stretching (see below). Try to minimise sexual activities
that may aggravate the pain. Also keep warm, avoiding exposure
to cold winds or cold weather. Try and sit quietly and meditate,
and pay attention to your breathing to help relax youtensed muscles.
Here are some natural Ayurveda remedies to help
your backache:
· Mahanarayana massage
Get a soothing backrub. Use mahanarayana oil and rub on the affected
area, effective for relieving the pain.
If you are a Vata or pitta, you should rub the oil
on the surface. For kapha types, give a deeper massage to the
affected area for a longer time.
· Ginger Mask
You can try applying Ginger mask, a paste made of ginger powder
and water, to the affected area for an effective relief. Leave
the mask on for about 15 minutes and then rinse off. Now rub the
back with eucalyptus oil.
These back rubs are best done by someone, unless
the pain is in the neck or shoulders.
· Herbal Bath
Heal and relax your muscles with a soothing herbal bath. Apply
the mahanarayana oil on your back before getting into a hot bath
of some ginger powder and 1/3 cup baking soda. Soak for about
15 minutes and repeat this herbal bath 2 or 3 times a week, preferably
on alternate days.
· Light Stretching
Try some of these gentle yoga exercises to help with the backache:
Camel pose Lotus pose
Cow pose Forward bend
Spinak Twist Palm Tree pose
Locust pose gentle, modified Fdish pose
You can use all these poses both to help remedy
the pain or as a preventive measure. But, you should not do any
of these postures without expert guidance from a yoga teacher.
You may hurt yourself without supervision.
Herbal remedies:
· Musta
The musta herb is a natural muscle painkiller. Use ¼ to
½ teaspoon with warm water twice or three times a day.
· Yogaraj guggula or kaishore guggula
Take either of these tablets for an effective relief. For Yogaraj
guggula, take 1 tablet 3 times a day as for kaishore guggula,
take 1 tablet 2 to 3 times a day.
· Tagara and valerian
These herbs are natural muscle relaxants. Take ½ teaspoon
of either tagara or valerian with some warm water. Itwill help
to relax the muscles causing the back pain and it also induces
sleep, giving you a restful night.
· Enema of Dashamoola tea
Most people with backaches may suffer from constipation. The back
pain may be due to muscle spasms and anxiety, as a result inducing
constipation; or it could be due to chronic constipation. Whatever
the reason, an enema of Dashamoola tea can help. This is soothing
to vata and will help relieve the pain and constipation.
For 5 minutes, boil 1 tablespoon of Dashamoola powder
in a pint of water. When it cools down, add ½ cup sesame
oil and when it is completely cooled, use it as an enema. Retain
the liquid for 5 to 10 minutes if possible.
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