Back pain is a problem that can affect almost anyone. It is one of the most common reasons for people to miss work. Studies show that almost all adults will have back pain at least once in their life.

People usually get back pain due to problems with ligaments, muscles, or nerves in the lower back or spine area. In some cases, the situation becomes very severe, with the person bedridden for a long time.

Ayurvedic treatment for back pain is very effective. You can avoid surgery in most cases with these treatments.

What causes back pain?

Back pain can be acute or chronic. Acute back pain usually is due to sudden movement or lifting weights. It lasts for about one to six weeks. Chronic back pain is more severe and can continue for long periods.

The most common reasons for back pain are

Strains: Muscle or ligament strains can happen due to sudden movement or lifting weights.

Structural problems: There are discs between vertebrae in your spine. These are soft tissues that, at times, may bulge or rupture. It can press against the nerves causing back pain.

Arthritis: Osteoarthritis can damage the cartilage of joints in the lower back and can cause back pain

Osteoporosis: Fractures due to the loss of bone strength due to this condition can lead to severe back pain.

Osteophytes: Calcium deposits near nerve roots can cause extra pressure on the nerves. It can be a cause of back pain.

Infections: Bacterial or fungal infections of the spine can be another reason for your back pain

Spinal tumor and cancer

Kidney stones or other kidney diseases

Risk factors of back pain

Back pain can happen to anyone at any time. However, some factors will put you more at risk. These are

• Age: You will have more wear and tear as you age. Back pain is more common in those over 30 years of age.
• Weight: You are more at risk of having back pain if you are overweight
• Lifestyle: Inactive lifestyle increases the chance of back pain
• Work hazards: Jobs that need you to bend often and those that need you to lift weights make you prone to back pain
• Smoking: It is a risk factor as smoking affects the flow of blood to your spine
• Medical conditions: Diseases like cancer, arthritis, etc., can cause back pain

Symptoms of back pain

The signs and symptoms of back pain include 

• Muscle aches in the lower back area
• Shooting pain that radiates down the leg to the foot
• Pain that increases while bending, standing, walking
• Not able to stand up without feeling pain

These signs can also be due to a sprain. If it is due to that, it will typically go away in a few days. If the signs exist for an extended time, it could be due to chronic back pain.

• If your condition is severe, there will be more signs, such as
• Loss of bowel or bladder control
• Numbness in your legs, buttocks, genitals
• Weight loss without reason
• Fever
• Difficulty while urinating

Diagnosing back pain

Your doctor will check your back and how you walk, sit, and stand. You will have to go for some tests to confirm the back pain. These include

• X-rays which show the alignment of your bones and if there is any breaking of the bones
• MRI or CT scans which will show any disc hernias or other issues with your bone, nerves
• Blood tests to check if there are any infections or other diseases
• EMG to test nerve condition

Ayurveda and Back Pain

As per Ayurveda, the three doshas or energy forces (Vata, Pitta, and Kapha) must be in balance for us to be healthy. 

Vata dosha controls all the circulation, body movements, and the movement of air in the body. Pitta controls digestion, and Kapha gives structure and lubrication to our body. 

An inactive lifestyle, junk food, and other improper food habits all lead to issues with digestion. They create toxins or Ama in Ayurveda. These, along with age and other factors, block the circulation channels in your body. It causes a Vata disturbance.

The name for back pain in Ayurveda is 'Kati shoola'. Back pain is a Vata disorder in Ayurveda. Since Vata dosha disturbance affects Kapha and Pitta, they will also get aggravated. So while back pain is mainly a Vata disorder, the other two doshas also contribute. 

The signs differ based on the dosha, which is disturbed the most.

Vata dosha type will lead to sharp, throbbing pain. The pain will be intense, and you can feel it moving. It occurs mainly in the morning and in places where the weather is cold. The pain will subside once the muscles are warm. 

Pitta type is a steady burning pain, mainly in the middle part of your body. The pain tends to stay in one place only. 

Ayurvedic treatment for Back Pain

The treatment aims at pacifying the doshas. The main treatment methods in Ayurveda for back pain are:

Lepanam – Application of medicinal paste to remove inflammation.

Swedanam - Application of heat packs to sweat the affected part. It will reduce pain due to inflammation.

Abhyangam - It is a full-body massage using medicated oils. It relieves pain, eases muscle stiffness, improves blood circulation, and lubricates joints.

Kati Vasti- It involves pouring warm medicated oil over your lower back into a pool made of black gram paste or wheat flour. The pool will hold warm oil for some time. 

Pizhichil- This is about pouring warm medicated oil over your body. It improves your muscle tone and strengthens them. Both "Snehanam" (oil application) and "Swedanam" (sweating) happen at the same time.

Kizhi- In this method, you will have a massage using a bag with heated herbal powders, rice, etc. It helps in pacifying the Vata and reduces the pain.

Various Panchakarma methods, such as Vasti or medical enema to flush out toxins from your body, also form part of the treatment.

Along with this, your diet and lifestyle regimen are to be corrected.

Your doctor will decide the proper treatment methods as per your condition. You will need to be in the hospital for 14-21 days for the treatment. 

You may have to continue Ayurvedic medicines (both internal and external) at home for some time.

Other treatments for Back Pain

You will need treatment if your problem is severe or has been going on for a long time. Other ways to treat back pain than Ayurveda are Western medicine, physical therapy, and rest. In some situations, your doctor might even recommend surgery.

Pain relievers like ibuprofen, muscle relaxants, creams, ointments, antidepressants, and injections are some of the most popular medicines.

How to prevent back pain?

• Regular exercises like walking and swimming can help lower your chance of back pain
• Do core exercises to build muscle strength
• Maintain a healthy weight 
• Quit smoking
• Sit and walk with good posture
• Stretch often if your job keeps you sitting in one place a lot
• Be careful when lifting weights
• Wear shoes that are comfortable and light
• Do yoga regularly

Ayurveda hospitals for Back Pain

Some of the best Ayurveda hospitals for treating Back Pain are

• Vaidyaratnam Ayurveda
• Nagarjuna Ayurveda
• Changethu Ayurveda
• Nandavanam Ayurveda
• AVN Arogya

You will need to be in the hospital for about 14- 21  days for the treatment. Please get in touch with us to get a free treatment plan from these hospitals.