Acute or chronic back problems can make everyday life a misery. Acute pain may be caused by a pulled muscle or problems with tendons, ligaments or bone. Incorrect posture, lack of exercise and/or obesity are factors that can take their toll on the back muscles. Aromatherapy using essential oils can relieve back pain naturally. Many people seek relief for back pain by taking over-the-counter pain medications or prescription drugs which often have negative side effects, decreasing overall well-being. Obviously, not all cases of back pain can be relieved by aromatherapy and it is always wise to seek the advice of a medical professional to discuss treatment options, especially in the event of chronic back pain. Aromatherapy uses essential oils that are extracted from different plants. These essential oils have medicinal properties, which work on the physical and mental levels to address the ailment at hand and to promote healing. The best form of aromatherapy for back pain is a massage using essential oils. Simply mix a couple of drops of your chosen oil with a carrier oil and arrange to have a professional masseur or aromatherapist massage your back for you. This serves to increase circulation and to relieve the aching and tightness. Massage therapy also helps to relieve stress and promotes the circulation of blood to the area, while the aroma of the essential oils works through the olfactory system. Best essential oils for back pain The following essential oils can all be used to treat back pain naturally: Chamomile oil helps to control muscle spasms and has pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties. Lavender oil prevents muscle spasms and inflammation. It also helps to relieve tension, which may contribute to or worsen back pain. Clary sage is a very soothing oil. It has a calming effect when one is anxious and muscles are tensed up from pain. It has anti-spasmodic and anti-inflammatory properties. Do not use clary sage if pregnant. Yarrow has anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic properties. Rosemary has analgesic and antispasmodic properties. It is also good for relieving back pain as it improves blood circulation. Ginger oil can ease back pain and give one more mobility. Blend 1 tablespoon sweet oil, 4 drops wintergreen, 4 drops cardamom and 4 drops ginger oil to make a soothing massage oil. Peppermint is good for muscle soreness. Frankincense has anti-inflammatory properties and also acts as a mild sedative. While you can use any of these oils on their own, it is also beneficial to blend two or more oils together. Do not apply essential oils directly on the skin - blend oils or combinations thereof with a carrier oil first. Optimal aromatherapy blends for relieving back pain include peppermint and rosemary, lavender and frankincense, and chamomile and clary sage. Take an aromatherapy bath as an effective method to soothe tired, aching muscles and to increase circulation. Add eight to ten drops of essential oils directly to warm bath water and soak for fifteen to twenty minutes. Add Comment Brush aside any thoughts that massage is only a luxury splurge that has no real health benefits. To the contrary, hands-on healing helps you unwind, lowers blood pressure, promotes muscle relaxation and boosts your immune system. During a massage session, massage therapists use their hands and fingers to press and manipulate your skin, tendons, ligaments and muscles. The strokes gently move your blood, oxygen and lymph to various tissues and organs in a way that normally doesn't happen in the bodies of most people. As a result, the person who is receiving the massage experiences a level of physical and mental renewal that is hard to surpass. Hidden Health Benefits of Human Touch Today, numerous well respected studies indicate that massage therapy doesn't only feel good, it also may be good for you. Take a look at the health benefits below and discover the power of human touch:
Mark Rapaport, M.D., and his colleagues from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center followed 53 healthy adults who were divided into two groups: The participants received either 45 minutes of Swedish massage or the same amount of time of light touch massage, which is much milder and served mainly as a comparison to the more vigorous Swedish massage. After examining their blood samples, the scientists found that people in the Swedish massage group experienced a decrease in cortisol and a significant increase in lymphocytes, cells that keep our immune system strong. "More research is ahead of us but it appears that a single massage may deliver a measurable benefit," Rapaport said in a news release. Massage is far more potent therapy than most people realize. In fact, it can (and should) replace analgesics as a treatment for tension headaches. As it turns out, it takes only a 30-minute massage on cervical trigger points to boost autonomic nervous system regulation and alleviate the symptoms. Patients also report an improvement in their psychological and physiological state, which goes hand in hand with the reduction in stress and anxiety associated with such a disturbing condition. Stress and lack of rest have devastating effects on our health, fitness and beauty. Don't be afraid to find yourself a good massage therapist and get some healing on a regular basis. When you're taking care of your skin and what's beneath it, you are taking care of your whole world. Learn more: www.naturalnews.com There are many essential oils extracted from plants, trees and flowers that contain powerful anti-inflammatory, analgesic and detoxifying properties. These can bring pain relief to the muscle spasms and inflammation which result from sports injuries. Joint and muscle pain and menstrual pains can also be relieved with the healing properties of essential oils. Generally, essential oils are too concentrated to use directly on the skin. Use 10 - 12 drops essential oil of choice blended with a carrier oil such as grapeseed, jojoba, sweet almond or coconut oil. These vegetable oils have the advantage of being excellent natural skin moisturizers when massaged into the skin. Add diluted blends to bath water or massage affected areas. A compress for pain relief may be used by soaking a piece of cloth in a basin of warm water along with essential oils of choice. According to Shellie Enteen, Aromatherapist of 20 years standing, some of the best essential oils with analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties include chamomile, sweet marjoram, lavender, eucalyptus, peppermint, rosemary and thyme. Oils which have a therapeutic, warming effect for massage or in a bath include juniper, birch and black pepper. Muscle ache relief blend: Combine 5 drops lavender, 4 drops marjoram and 3 drops rosemary with 30ml carrier oil and use for massage or in a bath. Coriander muscle rub for pain relief: Blend 4 drops coriander, 4 drops juniper and 4 drops black pepper oil to 4 teaspoons grapeseed oil. Massage into tired, aching muscles. PMS cramp rub: Blend 5 drops clary sage, 5 drops geranium and 5 drops chamomile oil - massage affected area, rubbing in a clockwise direction. Jasmine massage for menstrual cramp: It takes large quantities of jasmine flowers to produce a small amount of expensive jasmine essential oil. However, only a few drops are needed to produce a pleasing, soothing effect. Blend 4 drops jasmine, 4 drops clary sage and 2 drops lavender with 5 teaspoons sweet almond oil. Massage in a stroking motion over the abdomen, up and around hips and around to the small of the back. Cardamom massage oil for stomach cramps: Cardamom essential oil is distilled from the seeds and has a warm, spicy aroma and a warming quality. Add 2 drops cardamom, 2 drops basil and 3 drops marjoram to 2 teaspoons vegetable carrier oil of choice. Massage in a clockwise direction over the stomach and abdomen. Rub for painful, tight chest: Add 3 drops niaouli, 2 drops hyssop and 2 drops myrrh to 3 teaspoons vegetable oil and rub into the chest. Sources: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Healing Remedies, C. Norman Shealy, Published by Harper Collins, 2002 edition, pages 156 - 158 Dischem Magazine South Africa, Autumn 2011 edition, pages 76,77 Massage therapy may be better than medication or exercise for easing low back pain in the short term, a new government-funded study suggests. Seattle researchers recruited 401 patients, mostly middle-aged, female and white, all of whom had chronic low back pain. Those who received a series of either relaxation massage or structural massage were better able to work and be active for up to a year than those getting "usual medical care," which included painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants or physical therapy, the researchers found. Lead study author Daniel Cherkin, director of Group Health Research Institute, said he had expected structural massage, which manipulates specific pain-related back muscles and ligaments, would prove superior to relaxation or so-called Swedish massage, which aims to promote a feeling of body-wide relaxation. Structural massage, which focuses on soft-tissue abnormalities, requires more training and may be more likely to be paid for by health insurance plans, which may equate it with physical therapy, said Cherkin. "I thought structural massage would have been at least a little better, and that's not the case," Cherkin said. "If you're having continuing problems with back pain even after trying usual medical care, massage may be a good thing to do. I think the results are pretty strong." The study, funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, is published in the July 5 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the three groups: structural massage, relaxation massage or usual care. Those in the massage groups were given hour-long massage treatments weekly for 10 weeks. At 10 weeks, more than one-third of those who received either type of massage said their back pain was much better or gone, compared to only one in 25 patients who received usual care, the study said. Those in the massage groups were also twice as likely in that period to have spent fewer days in bed, used less anti-inflammatory medication and engaged in more activity than the standard care group. Six months out, both types of massage were still linked to improved function, Cherkin said, but after one year, pain and function was almost equal in all three groups. Noting that most Americans will experience low back pain during their lifetime, Cherkin said another benefit of massage is its relative safety. "Maybe one of 10 patients felt pain during or after massage, but most of those thought it was a 'good pain,'" he said. "A good massage therapist will be in tune with the patient and will ask what hurts." One of the study's weaknesses was that those who were assigned to usual care knew that others were receiving massage therapy and may have been disappointed to be excluded, tainting their reported improvement, said Dr. Robert Duarte, director of the Pain and Headache Treatment Center at North Shore-LIJ Health System in Manhasset, N.Y. "I think massage therapy can be useful for patients with back pain, but more as a . . . supplemental therapy," Duarte added. | ArchivesFebruary 2012 CategoriesAll |
RSS Feed