Natural Help for Lower Back Pain
By Marilyn Zink
When a muscle spasms, it can be quite painful. Muscle spasms in the lower back can be particularly aggravating, making it difficult for the sufferer to relax and get comfortable.
It’s what I experienced after some bending in a Latin fitness class. Lower back pain is one of the most common kinds of back pain to have.
According to my research on the internet, it pain probably resulted from a lumbar strain due to a stretch injury to muscles in the lower back. Lumbar strain is considered one of the most common causes of low back pain, a soft tissue injury that most often occurs in people in their forties. I guess that would be me.
The condition is characterized by localized discomfort (I think that’s a euphemism for ‘ow, that hurts.’) in the low back area occurring after an event that stresses the lumbar tissues. I had so much discomfort by evening that I could barely moved.
Rest is advised (but not too much rest as long periods of inactivity in bed are no longer promoted). Heat can be applied to the area along with massage along and medications to relieve pain.
Since I take the natural approach first, I opted for using essential oils for bath and massage. Two essential oils that I highly recommend to have on hand are Basil (aka Sweet Basil) and Bergamot. Both these oils are good are relaxing muscle spasms and cramps, as well as helping with stress, tension or anxiety.
A soothing bath with Bergamot will help you get relaxed and sleepy just before bedtime. Basil is a little bit stimulating so it should not be used just before bedtime, however it can work in tandem with Bergamot to relax sore muscles.
Don’t forget the Epsom salts if you’re using the essential oils in the bath.
Using the essential oils in both massage and in the bath helped a great deal to reduce the muscle spasm in my lower back, which made getting around a whole lot easier. It’s not 100% but it’s a whole lot better.
To learn more about essential oils, how to heal with them and safety considerations, join www.herbguide.ca
Marilyn Zink is the publisher of the Herbal Collective magazine. Learn more at www.herbalcollective.ca
