Oh, My Aching Back

Four out of five adults experience at least one episode of back pain sometime in their lives, most often between the ages of 30 and 50. There is natural relief.

But for approximately 85 percent of individuals with back pain, no specific cause can be identified.

Causes of back pain

Many factors can contribute to back pain, including poor muscle tone, especially in the back and abdominal muscles; sedentary lifestyle; obesity; smoking; poor posture; and in particular, improper or heavy lifting. The degeneration of vertebrae, herniated disks, and joint problems are other causes of back pain.

Evidence also suggests that psychosocial factors, such as chronic stress and depression, are determinants of back pain. But dealing with chronic back pain can also lead to depression and stress.
The good news is there are a few natural ingredients that may provide relief for back pain.

Natural eggshell membrane

This unique formula is composed of many naturally occurring nutrients including glucosamine, a natural sugar called fucose, and a variety of naturally occurring glycosaminoglycans including chondroitin sulphate and hyaluronic acid, as well as collagen and other proteins.

In short, natural eggshell membrane is joint food. All of these nutrients are essential for proper joint health and flexibility. Two single centre, open-label human clinical studies and one double-blind study were conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of eggshell membrane as a treatment for pain and inflexibility associated with joint and connective tissue disorders. The results showed that taken once daily, 500 mg of eggshell membrane significantly reduced pain, both rapidly (within seven days) and continuously (30 days).

Devil’s claw

Research has been conducted on the ability of devil’s claw to relieve lower back pain. Subjects reported decreased nonspecific lower back pain after taking devil’s claw extracts containing harpagoside. The best results were obtained in studies that administered extracts containing 50 to 100 mg of harpagoside daily. The analgesic effects of devil’s claw may be due to its anti-inflammatory properties.

Willow bark

This natural pain killer provides relief from back pain. The flavonoids and polyphenols it contains appear to contribute to its analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. Willow extract works in different anti-inflammatory pathways to reduce pain more effectively than aspirin without damaging the gastrointestinal mucosa. An extract dose of 240 mg did not affect blood clotting. Those with aspirin allergies should not take willow bark.

Before using these natural pain relievers, check with your health care practitioner to ensure that they are right for you.