How to heal your lower back pain using exercises
I often need to heal my lower back pain just by using my body to do so. Why? Because I had to undergo back surgery and as a consequence, cannot use spinal decompression devices that would rapidly rid me of the pain and the unfortunate situation I find myself in. Believe me, if I could use the Vertetrac spinal traction device for rapid back pain relief and therapy, I would. But having to find alternative ways to do things has been a recurring theme and it has made me resourceful.
So what’s the story?
First, here’s what happens: When you pull a muscle in your lumbar back region, causing the muscle to go into spasm and as a result, lower back ache, the simplest of tasks can become unbearably painful and difficult, and in those few seconds, your life changes. You can’t pick something off the floor, you can’t bend to tie your shoelaces, or put the washing onto the line, not to mention carry anything over a kilo, if that. Strange when just yesterday you might have been power lifting at the gym, or dancing Zumba. My company, MediSpera, sells state-of-the-art wearable spinal decompression devices for neck and lower back pain (Vertetrac & Cervico 2000), so you think I’d be sorted, right?
Wrong! Ironically, I can’t use theses devices because as I mentioned at the beginning of this article, I had an operation at 6 months, and subsequently have four metal pins in my back and scars to prove it. I can’t put my spine through spinal traction when pins are holding it together – that wouldn’t be wise, to put it lightly. Due to the scar tissue hypersensitivity, I can’t use low frequency ‘slow release’ therapeutic ultrasound either. So I have to take the much longer healing route comprising rest, long walks at a comfortable pace, and after about two weeks, start twice-daily stretching exercises.
The truth is, most painful back problems will sort themselves out within 6 weeks!
Here’s what I do to resolve my pain. I rest for 2-3 days, and then I walk at least 3 km a day, unless I can still walk from day one, in which case I start walking immediately. After a week or two, depending on my pain levels, I start twice daily stretching exercises. Only after 6 weeks, if your back issue doesn’t resolve, look into other solutions, such as spinal decompression devices and pain relieving options.
How bad is your pain?
Of course, it does depend on the severity of your pain and what you have done to your back. If it is unbearable, seek immediate attention. In my case, I just keep pulling a muscle, but if you have caused a bulging or herniated (slipped) disc, then you probably can’t walk and need to do something to relieve your pain now – and not in six weeks time. See this video for more information on how the Vertetrac can significantly reduce the pain caused by disc herniation within two 20′ treatments and have you walking again. After 10-12 treatments of 20′-30′ duration, the patient is typically back to a full active lifestyle, and pain free within 2-3 treatments, even though they require the full length of treatment. Just because the pain element has resolved, it doesn’t necessarily mean that your back is healed.
If you are referred to a surgeon, there is a good chance the surgeon will recommend surgery!
I would try absolutely everything under the sun before resorting to surgery. Why? Because I have lived with back surgery complications my whole life, although it’s the lesser of two evils in my particular case – I had no choice, surgery was the only solution to resolve a condition I was born with. Anecdotally, an orthopaedic surgeon acquaintance of mine regrets having allowed his colleagues to operate on him – you would think he had got the best possible care wouldn’t you? However, a majority of spinal surgery results in complications due to damaged nerves and scar tissue, which can themselves cause painful neuropathy and/or hypersensitivity, loss of feeling of touch, or other unpleasant conditions relating to nerve damage. Spinal decompression will negate the requirement for back surgery in most cases so why wouldn’t you try it before agreeing to go through with surgery?
I can’t emphasize this enough!
If you are a candidate, discuss with your professional carers, all suitable and recommended alternatives to surgery that could potentially resolve your particular condition.
Note:
Always seek medical advice before embarking on a course of treatment to ensure you are doing the right things to heal your condition, and not causing any harm.
