Seems like two things are true when it comes to back pain as you age:
- Everyone has it
- Almost NO ONE ever gets better
Most doctors will imply it’s just the price of getting older as the parts wear out.
But the latest research shows how back pain is NOT an inevitable part of aging, after all. And if you’re fighting an on-again-off-again battle of your own with back pain, there could be another entirely different reason.
Believe it or not, it could be your over-the-counter (OTC) pain meds.
Yes, the same drugs most doctors recommend as the first line of attack for easing back pain could make it WORSE over the long run.
No WONDER, no one’s getting better.
So today, I will show you a path out of this endless cycle of pain. And it starts by eliminating the drugs that are undermining your healing.
The inflammation mistake DRIVING your pain
Inflammation is often treated as a dirty word. And sure, we don’t want too much of it, and we don’t want it in the wrong places, either.
But inflammation is also a part of the healing process when there’s an injury. And that includes the kinds of injuries that could be behind at least some cases of back pain.
Our persistent attempts to eliminate ALL inflammation could be behind these surprising new findings. The latest research finds that when folks use anti-inflammatory drugs to fight back pain… medications that are often recommended or even prescribed by their own doctors… they typically don’t get better.
Not over the long haul anyway. Instead, they go downhill.
Even worse, the research reveals using NSAID drugs could DOUBLE your risk of a bout of back pain turning into a chronic battle.
In another part of the study, people who had an initial surge of inflammation with their back pain – in other words, UNTREATED inflammation – were much more likely to overcome it and never battle it again.
Meanwhile, folks with less early inflammation… likely suppressed with common pain medications… were much more likely to face chronic back pain.
The researchers also did several experiments on mice with damaged sciatic nerve pain to see this effect up close.
They gave the mice various treatments, and when they received anti-inflammatory drugs, such as diclofenac or a steroid, the pain turned chronic.
How to HEAL your back pain
The team behind the study says this is a sign that docs should focus on HEALING rather than INFLAMMATION. And that makes good sense.
The trouble is that those same researchers are advocating for painkillers, just with a warning to avoid anti-inflammatory drugs and stick to meds like acetaminophen, which doesn’t counteract inflammation.
And, frankly, that’s a huge mistake. Acetaminophen has plenty of problems of its own. And the overuse of the drug is one of the nation’s top causes of liver damage and acute liver failure.
Other far safer options can be every bit as effective:
- MOVE: Your natural instinct when you have back pain is to be as still as possible… to find a comfortable position and not move. But studies show that can make things worse. You’re actually better off if you get some gentle exercise. (Different rules apply in cases of serious injury, of course. So speak to your doc.)
- MASSAGE: Massages feel great even when you’re not in pain. But when you are, they can be an easy ticket to real back pain relief. Just be sure to get a therapeutic massage from a pro such as a physical therapist. A pal rubbing your back or even a run-of-the-mill massage isn’t the same.
- ACUPUNCTURE or CHIROPRACTIC: Many conventional doctors cringe when you mention acupuncture or chiropractic treatments. But the studies show these two options can be both safe and effective for back lower backaches and other common forms of pain. Just check your practitioner’s credentials first to make sure they have the chops.
Finally, don’t dismiss the basics. For example, a heating pad can work wonders, as can simply standing in a warm shower and letting some hot water blast your trouble spots.
There’s also my own personal favorite backache solution that, in one study, led to a 60 percent improvement in the volunteers who were battling back pain. You’ll find all the details right here.
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