Discovering life - what helps with back pain?

Was I alive today?

Yes!

What new things have I discovered about life?

Last Thursday I travelled to Franconia to lead a seminar on Non-Violent Communication. Unfortunately, I’d been a bit too hard on myself beforehand. I have a small suitcase which I usually fill to the brim with books before seminars. This time, without giving it much thought, I took a larger suitcase. And I packed it to the brim. I also had a small rucksack with me, a shoulder bag containing the seminar handouts, and another bag with snacks and something to read for the journey. I then lugged all that down the 80 steps from my flat to the street, then on to the bus, the station and later into the high boot of a car. The next day, my back was aching in a way I hadn’t experienced for decades. I could barely walk; my knees buckled with almost every step; I couldn’t bend down any more, and I could barely open doors (you need back muscles to generate the strength in your arms).

The diagnosis was that the second and third lumbar vertebrae had become thoroughly jammed (blocked) and the surrounding muscles were so tightly knotted that they could no longer be loosened. For days on end.

I did everything I could think of to find some relief. Now I can feel that the measures are taking effect and I hope it will all be over soon. So that you too can benefit from the fact that I felt so ill – and so that the whole thing wasn’t in vain – here is the full programme I followed to avoid being plagued by pain for any longer than necessary.

My tips: This helps (me) with back pain caused by muscle spasms and tension:

Manual muscle relaxation

• Massages from professionals or friends who are good at it
• Physiotherapy / osteopathic treatment
• Walking gently on soft ground (or wearing special shoes that cushion the impact on hard surfaces)
• Rock back and forth on the trampoline – don’t jump! – just stand there and rock gently.
• Massaging your stomach – a tense bowel can cause or worsen back pain!
• Elevate your legs whilst lying down, relaxing or sleeping.
• Sitting on „wobble cushions“ to gently move your back.
• Switch on the foot massager – relaxed feet are good for your back too.
• Relaxing your eyes (e.g. by gently moving them in circles or tracing figure-of-eights with your eyes) also relaxes the neck muscles

„Chemical“ muscle relaxation

„Warmth always helps,“ says my father. Whether it’s in the form of

• Heating pads, cherry-stone pillows, hot water bottles,
• Heating ointment, heating plasters,
• a warm bath or a hot shower
• Magnesium also relaxes the muscles and helps you unwind. Don’t take too many effervescent tablets – they also relax the bowel muscles (sometimes with remarkable results).

Pain relief and relaxation

As long as the muscle feels pain, it will remain tense.

• Several people have recommended ibuprofen to me because it not only relieves pain but also reduces inflammation. However, it can cause stomach ache as a side effect. You should only take it after meals, not on an empty stomach.
• I myself have also done a great deal on top of that Turmeric I’ve started taking it. Turmeric is probably the best natural painkiller. I’m currently eating it by the spoonful too. Mix 1 tablespoon of turmeric powder with a little oil (this is important, otherwise the body can’t absorb the turmeric), a little pepper (which enhances the effect) and yoghurt (for the taste), and eat it 1–3 times a day.
• Relaxation and sleep teas…to help your already stressed body get to sleep a little more easily.

Removing blockages

• Physiotherapy (ideally osteopathic treatment).
• Treatment by an orthopaedic surgeon or a chiropractor (though I do find them rather rough at times)
• Gentle stretching exercises based on Zilgrei – I find the exercises rather dull, but it’s one of the best and most effective self-treatment methods for back problems that I know of.

Healing power

• Joy and laughter are always good medicine
• Music that relaxes and soothes.
• Prayer – perhaps that should be at the very top of the list. I myself asked God, the great Healer, for healing, and I was – and still am – grateful that so many people, whether I was there or not, prayed that I would soon be back on my feet.

What new things have I discovered about myself?