Back pain is the biggest cause of ill health in the world
A major international study (analysis of 188 countries) has found that back pain causes more ill health than any other condition. And of this, lower back pain is most predominant. Neck pain is in second place in England and Scotland.
Backache is starting much earlier in life with nearly half of under thirties having back problems. We are much less active than we used to be, with both children and adults spending more time hunched over tablets and mobiles.
The back is our support mechanism, a precise alignment of bones and muscles that allows us to stay upright.
The co-ordination involved in keeping this structure balanced and flexible is massive. The strain of everyday life – from as little as carrying a bag on one shoulder to bending down to pick up something we’ve dropped, carrying children, our back supports us through all of this without even thinking about it, until it suddenly doesn’t function properly.
Back problems creep on us as strain on the muscles and possibly nutritional deficiencies all take their toll.
Back problems seem to “reverberate” up and down the spine over time. So, for instance a whiplash injury to the neck, when eventually clearing up can then manifest as a lower back problem. This in turn can later show up again as a neck problem.
Helping these problems when they first start to show up can prevent future problems elsewhere.
Injury to the neck muscles will, as they struggle to heal, have an impact on nearby muscles, bringing them in to support the injured neck ones. These support muscles can then become overtired, so this makes them rely on other muscles in the area.
In the end the whole structure stiffens and locks up causing pain and immobility. This puts pressure on the vertebrae which can then impinge on vulnerable disc tissue which can then affect the nerves in the spinal cord, causing great pain.
These points help increase the lymphatic drainage of the muscles in the lower back, increasing circulation and removal of toxins, allowing tense muscles to relax.
For lower back pain and sciatica, firmly massage the areas that are shaded on the chart above for 20 – 30 seconds on each set of points.
For more easy to use tips and techniques for back pain, take a look at my book:
Five Minute Fast Fixes – quick & easy ways to improve your health and well being