Natural Living

5 Ways To Banish Pain

Have your go-to therapies failed to fix your back pain? Time to head off the beaten path, says Anna Blewett

If you’re struggling with back pain, you’re not alone. New research from the British Chiropractic Association (BCA) suggests that women wait twice as long as men to seek help, despite experiencing the problem more regularly and from a younger age. “Back pain is increasingly common in modern life, but difficult to understand and treat,” says yoga teacher Mollie McClelland Morris (molliemorris.com). “Clinical and scientific studies of back pain and injuries show that there is not necessarily a direct correlation between a structural issue and pain. Some people have conditions that show up on an MRI but no pain, while others have debilitating pain but no obvious cause. Medical treatment of back pain can have life-changing side effects, so sufferers and clinicians are looking for alternative pain relief and management techniques.” Interested? Read on…

1. Qigong

This ancient Chinese meditation practice aims to harness qi (also known as ‘chi’ or life energy) to heal the body and achieve a state of calm and enlightenment. “It’s a very gentle form of exercise that helps manage and reduce back pain by positively retraining the muscle memory,” says Taoist monk and qigong master David James Lee (wuweiwisdom.com). “Qigong is simple to learn, non-invasive, doesn’t require any fancy equipment and can be practised whenever you have a few minutes to spare. It’s normally performed standing but, if you have reduced mobility, the exercises can be adapted and done seated.”

Try this!

“Stand with your shoulders relaxed, arms loose at your sides, palms facing backwards, knees slightly bent, and feet hip-width apart,” says David. “Visualise a stream of flowing energy running from the top of your head, down through the centre of your body, following a nice ‘S’-shape in your spine, and then out between your legs and into the ground. Notice any areas of tension or discomfort in your hips and lower back area. Imagine breathing deeply into, and softening the muscles in these areas. Practise this for five to ten minutes, two or three times a day, and you’ll notice an improvement.”

2. Reinvention hypnosis

“How we perceive pain is directly a result of the brain interpreting signals and then delivering the unpleasant responses we feel and experience,” says Harley Street practitioner Malminder Gill (hypnosis-in london.com). “Science has shown there are ways to lessen these signals, and even work around them.” Reinvention hypnosis is a new form of hypnosis that is particularly concerned with rethinking established truths to bring lasting change. “Hypnosis techniques have helped many people realise what it means to be pain-free when medication failed to make a difference,” says Malminder. “Throbbing pain can be easily arrested and alleviated by self-hypnosis once you appreciate how you can develop control over the inner workings of your mind. Hypnotherapy is widely becoming an accepted and effective answer to managing pain. If you’re not getting any joy, and more importantly relief, from prescription painkillers, why not give hypnotherapy a try?”

3. The franklin method

“Research is beginning to suggest that the very thoughts ‘My back is stiff and tight’ actually create and reinforce back pain,” says Mollie. “The belief that our back is fragile and in danger creates that state in our bodies. When we talk about our bodies, especially our backs, the language is usually profoundly visceral, and overwhelmingly negative. We are creating those qualities as we move, by thinking about our body in that way.”

So what would happen if you approached your pain from the perspective of your mind, rather than your body? “Franklin Method starts there, by changing our thinking about movement,” says Millie. “It’s really a methodology for improving movement using the mind and body. Where Franklin Method differs from other modalities is that it is not just a set of exercises to do. The toolkit for creating healthy movement includes clear anatomical and biomechanical visualisation and embodiment, motivational imagery, touching and tapping for better proprioception, and even mental simulation of a movement and its desired effects. Using this detailed and varied imagery, students find new movement pathways, stimulate under or overused muscles, tone and relax the body and feel better.”

Try this!

“Move your shoulders up and down a few times. Check in as you do it. How do you feel? You might feel tight or stiff, or you might really enjoy moving. Now, as you move your shoulders think about how you would like your shoulders to feel, maybe smooth or light. As you move, say the following words: “My shoulders are light and smooth”. Has anything changed? Now say the opposite: “My shoulders are heavy and clunky”. You may feel that your body instantly takes on what you are thinking, and that the movement is immediately heavier and laboured. Do the same in spinal movements. Think about the qualities you want to feel as you move. Say ‘My spine is free and strong’. Add breath to your movement. You may discover that your pain is already dissipating.”

4. Ayurvedic back massage

“Ayurvedic back massage (also known as pristhabhyanga) is different and unique to other massage techniques as it’s tailor-made to an individual’s body and constitution,” says practitioner Dr Deepa Apte (ayurvedapura.com). “The body type, oil used, the quality of massage strokes (including pressure and speed) may all differ. If someone were to come to me with lower back pain, sciatica or disc-prolapse, the use of medicated ayurvedic oils would depend on their presentation.”

The massage routine for problems extends to the arms, neck and head, connecting with the body’s energy channels, or ‘nadis’, and draining any stagnant or used energy. “In an ayurvedic back massage, we also place emphasis on marma points (or energy points) spread out over the back and along the spine, which relate to various organ systems of the body,” says Deepa. “For example, there is a lower back marma point that when worked on will help relieve symptoms of sciatic nerve problems or discprolapse. The way these points are worked with will also depend on the symptoms.”

5. Reflexology

“People who are open to reflexology are generally those willing to try something other than the traditional medical model, which can deal with acute and short-term pain but doesn’t really address what’s happening for people on a long-term basis,” says freelance occupational therapist Samantha Jefferies of Harbour Farm Occupational Therapy in Winchelsea. “They’re looking for long-term coping treatment that enable self-management.

Some people like a practical, handson treatment, rather than a lot of talk. Reflexology is relaxing to people, so, for the 40-minute treatment they are able to enjoy it, and it activates the relaxing parasympathetic nervous system.” Find Samantha or your local Royal College of Occupational Therapists-trained practitioner at the rcot.co.uk.

Pain-proof your mornings

Try chiropractor Tim Button’s (chiropractic-uk.co.uk) simple tips to lighten the load

…when you wake

Stretching can be a beneficial way to keep your joints and muscles active. The British Chiropractic Association’s Straighten Up programme of simple exercises can be incorporated into your daily routine to promote movement, strength and flexibility in the spine. Find it online at chiropractic-uk. co.uk/straighten-up-uk.

…leaving the house

Almost a third of women cite carrying a bag as a key trigger for their back or neck pain. If you’re one of them, try choosing a bag that can be worn as a backpack or across the body to help to spread the load. Emptying out unnecessary items each day can also help to prevent excess weight.

…at work

In our study, 47 percent of female respondents said sitting still for a long time is a key trigger for pain. If you sit for extended periods of time, at work or on a long drive, for example, take breaks to walk around, stretch, and move your joints every 30 to 60 minutes.