5 Natural Ways to Promote Spine Health
Thankfully for people who suffer from back problems, numerous medical and non-medical options exist for easing pain and promoting overall spine health. Your spine specialistcan provide medical treatments such as medications, injections, and spine surgery. However, many patients also like to explore natural solutions to their back problems. Here are 5 such treatments you may want to consider:
1. Pilates
Pilates is more than an exercise fad. It focuses on the core postural muscles that provide support for the spine, which helps to alleviate back pain. Patients who suffer from pain stemming from excessive movement and degeneration of the intervertebral discs and joints are most likely to benefit from a Pilates exercise program.
2. Yoga
Practicing yoga can leave you feeling relaxed, but this important form of stretching can also soothe many forms of lower back pain. Yoga also promotes blood flow, which allows nutrients to flow in, toxins to flow out, providing nourishment for the soft tissues and muscles in the lower back.
3. Tai Chi
Tai Chi involves a greater degree of movement than yoga, and it does not involve jarring motions as in aerobic exercises such as yoga. Therefore, it is a popular choice for many people with back problems. The slow, deliberate movement of Tai Chi is gentle on the spine, and it still provides the meditative qualities of yoga.
4. Massage therapy
Regular massage therapy helps sore back muscles heal by improving blood circulation, relaxing the muscles and improving range of motion. Massage helps manage chronic pain by increasing the level of endorphins in the patient’s body.
5. Acupuncture
In 1998, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) stated that acupuncture had beneficial pain-relieving qualities that might be useful as a treatment for lower back pain, among other painful conditions. Acupuncture is said to cause specific chemicals to be released into the body that affects pain both physically and psychologically.
Learn more about Dr. Sharma’s recommendations for alternative therapies for back problems here.
