Back Pain
Natural Remedies

Top Natural Back Pain Remedies for Holistic Relief

Boswellia

3 User Reviews
5 star (3) 
  100%

Posted by Harpon (UK) on 03/04/2019
★★★★★

I started using Boswellia for 2 herniated discs in my lower back 3 months back.

I take one capsule twice a day along with a turmeric curcumin supplement. Very helpful, took a couple of weeks to get relief. May try White Willow and Devil's Claw as I read those help too with pain reduction.


Boswellia
Posted by Megan (White Plains) on 06/03/2018
★★★★★

I woke up with very bad back pain after a crazy hard exercise class at the gym and could barely get myself out of bed because my lower back was in a complete spasm. I had Boswellia which I was giving to my dog for his arthritis and started taking it twice a day. After 3 days the pain went away completely. 350mg 2x a day. Every so often my low back acts up again and I go back to boswellia for about a week.


Castor Oil

2 User Reviews
5 star (2) 
  100%

Posted by Maya (Silver Spring, Maryland, Usa) on 08/10/2012
★★★★★

in response to:

Hertsman (Feltham, Middlesex) on 07/24/2012
So many different suggestions on this thread, difficult to know what to try. So many folk talking about feet but can't find any mention of lower back pain neuropathy? The pain is awful, horrible sore pain that won't go away. I've read that r-lipoic acid is better than the standard lipoic acid. Can anyone give advice for nerve pain in lower back. Any help greatly appreciated. Thanks

After having suffered several acute lower back pain episodes and many visits to the doctor that helped little except the little releif from the strong pain killers prescribed. One night, during a really bad excruciating episode and out of desperation I took a good amount of castor oil and rubbed it on my back. Covered the area with a clean towel and lay on my stomach. The whole area felt immediately very warm and I experienced almost instant relief. It was a miracle! I was almost pain free in the morning. Even went on a 2 hour car trip to the country side and by night I was curling up by the fireplace as if nothing ever hurt. Prior to this, each episode would last for about a week. A week postrated in bed and suffering such horrific pain. Since then, whenever I get the feeling a pain attack is coming, I rub the blessed oil. I always, always carry some with me at all times. Hope this helps you. It doesn't hurt to give it a try. I suggest you read the Edgar Cayce cures using this miracle oil. Blessings!


Castor Oil
Posted by Michla (Long Beach, Ca 9080, Ca) on 09/09/2009
★★★★★

I am so happy to have found this castor oil remedy that I wish I could get the WORLD on board with it!!!! After going to doctor's, chiropracters using exercise, yoga, stretching, motrin, muscle relaxers to boot; I finally have something that truly deals with the symptoms for an injured lower back which flares up from time to time as well as neck and shoulder soreness which leads to significant tightness and discomfort.

My symptoms have been significantly reduced and my painful days are few and far between and I do not even use the full castor oil pack method as right now I do not have a heating pad...I improvised with a warm wet rag and a microwaveable bean bag and I am feeling much, much better than I ever have before. Typically during my menstrual cycle I am plagued by a lower back throbbing and discomfort and this month it is very minimal if anything at all and this is amazing!!!!

I also tried it out for bruising and again it worked wonders on cutting down on bruise life as well as soreness, discoloration (most of my bruising lasts at least a week but with castor oil right away it's perhaps 2 days and with more time passing before I get to it perhaps around 3.5 days.....WOW!!!!

If I could I would bathe in castor oil each and every day!!!!


Cayenne

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Mark (Newton Abbot, Uk) on 11/02/2012
★★★★★

Cayenne pepper cured my coccyx pain that came on after a prolapsed lower disc, read up on cayenne on this site.


Cayenne, DMSO +

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Man (Sojouring America) on 02/16/2014
★★★★★

I don't offer anyone advice, but I do tell them my experience and solutions that I have experimented with; some sucessfull and other experiments, well, you'll hear about them. That said, I have back pain from an old injury in the middle back and when it flares up there are several things that I do so solve the problem.

All of these things are natural and over the counter and God made. The first line of defence is prayer. The second is the use of cayenne extract rolled over the back. The third is DMSO gel, ninety nine point nine percent pure. ( See the DMSO section on this site for more information on that issue). Some times pure water helps alleviate the pain too, dehydration can happen and we not even really aware of it. I like turmeric powder in Extra Virgin Olive oil, as it is a powerful dual acting anti inflammatory and the curcumrin (sic) is soluble in oil, and thus more available to the body.

Any foods and spices that reduce inflamation will, in time, help to reduce the occurance of pain. The C-reactive Protein Blood test will give a good view of the general level of inflammation in the cardiovascular system in general and may be worth getting after a few months of doing a diet full of inflammation reducing foods.

I don't do pharmaceuticals as it is against my religious beliefs and I have been off all pain killers for several years now doing this new life in obedience to the Creator God.


Change the Mattress

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Mama To Many (Tn) on 08/05/2017
★★★★★

My 19 year old son was having lower back pain. He does lawncare and other jobs that are pretty physical. He uses his back a lot. He didn't really remember hurting it.

I made an appointment for him with my chiropractor.

Meanwhile, one night his room was really hot so he slept in the guest room. The next day his back wasn't hurting like usual. The mattress he had was on the newer side and the guest room mattress was an older one (thought probably expensive) that had been my dad's. We switched mattresses. His back pain continued to be much less.

I took him to my chiropractor anyway. She says he has some mild scoliosis.

So, I think the work he does and his scoliosis contribute to his back pain risk and a bed that didn't work for him made it all much worse.

Just changing the bed made a huge difference.

I once slept on a bad mattress for a week on vacation and had significant hip pain for a year.

So, the moral of the story is, if you have back pain, consider your bed!

~Mama to Many~

Replied by Michael
(New Zealand)
08/06/2017

Hi M to M,

You mention a chiropractor in your posting, in which you detail your son's lower-back pain.

Ask her if wearing a foam, lower back support during the sleeping hours would assist the alleviation of his problem.

If so, then I am surprized that they did not mention it before!! ?? Wink, wink, nod, nod, say no more!?

A guy I know wears one and would not be without it, as it seems to help him no matter which mattress he sleeps on. This piece of foam is contained in a stocking/mutton cloth with a "tie-on" tail at each end and the foam part conforms roughly to the shape of the area in question. It is just under one inch thick, twenty inches long and about four inches wide from memory. I am old enough to recall the old imperial measurements!!

In the meantime, he could experiment with a (slender), rolled up, long towel laid crosswise over the bed. Too thick and he will be worse off than before of course!! Sure, it moves around a bit but one might get used to it after a while.

This guy says his back can be very stiff in the morning if he forgets to use it.

You could give him your world famous Tendonitis Treatment as an extra precaution of course, as he may have twisted something without realizing it?! More ACV??

Cheers, Michael

Replied by Mama To Many
(Tennessee)
08/07/2017

Thanks Michael,

I will look into this wearable foam thing. Intriguing. I did buy an ice pack you can attach to your back. Wonderful if I am having lower back pain. My son isn't around to use it much.

~Mama to Many~


Chronic Back Pain Remedies

Posted by Tony (Liverpool) on 02/15/2014

I have been suffering with back pain for well over 20 yrs, I am second youngest of 7 children, I have always been active, and am of average weight 13stone 6ft tall, my problem is I feel constant discomfort in my lower back , and often go into spasm which can be agonising. my spine twists out of shape and I find it very difficult to stand or sit, and am constantly going from one to the other for a few minutes at a time . but as I stated at the beginning, I am 1 of 7 children , my mother sadly deceased was also very active up until the age of 88, and suffered exactly the same symptoms as myself, my brother who was an excellent amateur footballer and fitness fanatic, is exactly the same as me, I have 3 sisters one sadly deceased, exactly the same as me, I have been seeing doctors and telling them my symptoms and those of my family, but it seems to fall on deaf ears and I get the impression these doctors assume its lack of exercise, I've tried physio and but it has no lasting effect on my condition, and a few hours after a session the pain is still the same , I've also been in casualty when the pain has been at its worst and received morphine injections, can anyone tell me if this could be a genetic condition, and offer any advice.

Replied by Prioris
(Fl)
02/15/2014

Go to link and look for posts on Hyaluronic Acid: https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/slipped-disc-back-pain.html#HA

You should also have a couple adjustments by a chiropractor.

Replied by Mmsg
(Somewhere, Europe)
02/16/2014

Tony, you might want to start with Epsom Salt baths and reading up on magnesium.

Replied by Dave
(Fountain Inn, Sc)
02/16/2014

Hello Tony from Liverpool;

I've lived what you are living. Yes you have genetic curvature; some stenosis; and lower back is not seated correctly relative to pelvis...all that brought on by genetic curvature.

But...not to give up!!!!!

Some herbals and Epsom salts baths can help but here's what words wonders if you will gradually work with this treatment. A physical therapist taught this to me and it is very helpful.

You'll need a helper. (This is Japanese technique.) Someone who weighs about 120 pounds. Heaver is ok but the helper must use a chair to lift excess weight so not too much weight is on your lower back.

This technique must be repeated three or four times weekly. Better each time used.

Lie on stomach...on a rug so as not to be "crushed" into hard floor. Put small pillow under forehead so chin is just off floor.

Now, a chair is next to your hip. The "helper" now puts his hand on chair and uses chair to bare most of his weight. Then with one foot (barefoot) he steps gently onto low back (about belt line...onto PELVIS). He is now putting perhaps 30 pounds of pressure onto pelvis. If too painful, of course stop. But most folks can take the pressure on pelvis.

Next, if pressure is ok, then he stands on your lowest vertebra with left foot. Now he gently "walks in place" with both feet...still holding onto chair to apply only minimum weight and also holding onto chair so he doesn't FALL off your back.

Next, he holds place on top of pelvis and walks one vertebra at a time up the spine...so .... right foot presses down on pelvis, left foot steps on lowest vertebra...right foot steps again on pelvis and left foot move toward your head one vertebra higher...repeat....until left foot has found its way, vertebra by vertebra UP the spine but constantly the counterpoint with the right foot on pelvis. Over time helper can put right foot on lowest vertebra as left walks up the spine. For me that is better than right foot on pelvis all the time...but if too painful, that way wouldn't work and helper would have to press with right foot only on pelvis.

You might hear and feel the back "popping" a time or two as the curved back adjusts back to a more straight position.

I do this until nearly full weight of helper (my patient wife...who is always allowing me to experiment in all manner of ways) can go up back and then down back and even walk in place if a particular area is sensitive.

NEXT: Here is the big progression....when helper has walked back down spine to the pelvis, let the right foot come onto the lowest vertebra and bare as much weight as you are comfortable with ...

THEN put your hands under your shoulders...and slowly do a push up...gently push your shoulders and upper torso up with the low back staying in place so that you intentionally RELAX the low back ...

and this will allow the low back to move into correct position with out of place (twisted) pelvis. You might feel a slight movement in low back. Come out of "push up" and repeat....relaxing the low back muscles to allow it to move into proper place with the pelvis.

This technique WORKS to re align out of place pelvis and low back vertebra. And the "walking" up spine will help re align the genetic curvature that you think you have.

Do all this GENTLY and with LITTLE weight the first time or two. Now, my wife can get on my back and with all her weight go through the routine....the best part being the push up where I can literally feel the pelvis move into proper position with my old curved spine.

SO....even if spine is curved, I have been able to compensate and can even do my old karate kicks...side and front kicks...nearly head high. And for an old guy like me hoppin down the hallway with alternating side and front kicks....I mean at 65 years old....with a curved spine....

really...try this and see if you aren't improved in a few months.

Replied by Santosh
(Hyderabad. ..india)
03/06/2014

Tony.. Try yoga under a good teacher.. I assure u a complete CURE permanently... Good luck


Chronic Back Pain Remedies
Posted by Maggie (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) on 04/02/2013

Hi. My husband has been suffering chronic back pain for over a year and a half. He is in pain every single day and has to stop and rest every day when we walk the dog. Sometimes he is walking and stoops over to try and minimize the pain. When he stands too long in the kitchen he has to go sit down and rest. The closest description I have been able to get from him through reading types of pain is sciatica. He injured his back at work a year and a half ago and has not had a day without pain since. He refuses to go and see a doctor so I try what I can but am not sure if any supplements can help what he has. Not sure if it has anything to do with foods he eats. He does not sleep well, is tired all the time and usually needs a restful period every afternoon. I do not know what type of injury he has without a proper diagnosis. He also suffers from excess mucus after eating which I doubt has anything to do with his back pain. He actually had that problem before the injury. I have tried him on several things but he gets impatient if he does not experience immediate relief. The best he feels is if he has a bath with epsom salts and then rests on the bed. I have recently added magnesium citrate pills at doses of 500 mg but as yet he has not seen any improvement. I also increased his vitamin D since he has several symptoms of vitamin D deficiency, he has dark skin, suffers SAD in the winter time. Are any of these things related? Is there anything else I can do to help without a doctor or chiropractor's visit? I tried to get him to do the castor oil packs but he had no patience with that. I tried candied ginger slices which he tried for 1-2 days and then found them useless. Like I said, if he doesn't feel immediate relief it is hard to try natural remedies with him. Any advise please?

Replied by Bess
(Calgary, Alberta, Canada)
04/02/2013

Hi Maggie from Calgary - It's unfortunate that your husband won't see a doctor or chiropractor to get a diagnosis. However, there was a recent article by Dr. Mercola (http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2013/03/29/back-pain-treatment.aspx) that might give you some ideas. The comments at the end (just click on it - it takes awhile to load) are usually very good. People offer suggestions on what worked for their particular back problem.

For temporary relief, you may want to look into an infrared heating pad. I can't list any brand names (although a popular one - used with horses as well as humans - begins with T and ends with X) but you can call Shoppers Drug Mart Home Health and they should be able to discuss various types with you.

Good luck! Cheers, Bess

Replied by Timh
(Louisville, Ky, Usa)
04/03/2013
2063 posts

Maggie: You should try some kind of Back Brace so that one area of injury isn't stressed so badly. Medical supply stores like Dr Leonard's have several kinds. I once used a leather weight lifters belt on my lower back with very good results. Magnet therapy will help; but you will need a rather strong magnet like what is used in a music speaker to penetrate deep. Someone posted good results from the light infrared or fared therapy purchased for private use (as opposed to the very high prices chiropractors charge). Any kind of massage therapy should also help.

Replied by Maggie
(Calgary, Alberta,canada)
04/03/2013

Thanks Bess and Timh. I have passed these suggestions on to my husband. I appreciate your responses.

Replied by Joy
(Battleground, Wash)
04/04/2013

A web site watercure.com I just never understood that bending over was not benefitting like bending backward does. We know so little about ourselves and that is where we end up stuck.

Also take a bath and the water will trick the body into believing the pain is coming from a larger area and diminish the signals of pain. Drink water and eat a proper dose of salt to keep the water in your cells, and take a good multi mineral supplement to get rehydrated. It helps to cushion your joints.

MAKE CHANGES SLOWLY, to prevent distress to your system

Magnesium is the mineral for muscle and an epson salt soak in the foot bath or tub does wonders for pain and helps regulate heart muscle.

Replied by Kathy
(the USA)
04/04/2013

Sometimes, taking the time to have a good bowel movement helps my lower back pain and sciatica. Taking 1/2 tsp of dry mustard in 1/2 C cool water on an empty stomach first thing in the morning before breakfast helped me so much I sometimes took it a couple hours after dinner, before I went to bed until I resumed more regularity. I had a spine/back injury about five decades ago. Could be why both of my babies were breech? Only one was caesarean. Just trying to offer another possibility due to my experience. Turmeric in some warm water reduces inflammation. Ginger reduces inflammation too and destroys salmonella. I sprinkle both on my eggs and vegetables with sea salt. The commercial salt that is in everything contains a flowing/anti-caking agent that causes inflammation and is the culprit for many ailments and I know for a fact the severe sciatica I used to have was caused by this.

Replied by Joy
(Battleground, Wash)
04/04/2013

Mustard has calcium, potassium, magnesium, selenium and phosphorus, iron, copper, zinc, manganese, high in fat, o cholesterol, high in fiber, from the cabbage family, and contain omegas and some vitamin B's, A, C, E, K, and folates, lutein. Some people carry mustard packets around with them for pain

Replied by Kathy
(the USA)
04/05/2013

Hi Maggie, Neglected to address the mucous issue. What happened to me is I discovered my bowels had telescoped inside themselves. This is called intussusception and can occur from the stomach to the rectum. I believe this is what constipation really is. When this happens it is my opinion that impacted stool can begin to ferment if it is not evacuated and can become malignant. If I get adequate vitamin A, mucous seems to be produced in the colon attempting to remove impacted stool. I had been so impacted I vomited because my food could not be digested---there was no room for it to move through. I was so full of this matter it was difficult to keep my weight down

It was reported to me that my grandmother died from colon cancer. I was told she had some of her colon removed, had a colostomy then went back for more surgery to reattach the colon that has been left. Twenty-twenty hindsight suggests to me that intussusception had been her problem but this was back in the 50's and maybe not known how to treat. I do not want to live the rest of my life with a colostomy.

I don't know if it is too late for me to correct because I did have cancer diagnosed in 1989. I can massage my abdomen and feel stool move and sometimes I feel a "squishing" and if you look up intussusception online you can pull up a picture of what is happening. Some will say it's hereditary but I believe eating habits are hereditary. I'm trying to use food as my medicine instead of pleasure. Even though our food is being engineered to last longer and the longer you cook it, it creates more MSG I still feel it makes it easier to assimilate. You just have to weigh the pros and cons for yourself and reduce portions. I hope this has offered some help and not caused more confusion. It's difficult for me to sit here long periods and sometimes I lose my train of thought.

You may also want to rule out dental problems.

Replied by Maureen
(Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada)
04/06/2013

Hi Maggie from Calgary, Alberta. I posted information here on Earth Clinic about Pai-da (pat/slap) and La-jin (stretch tendons) which is Classical Chinese Medicine (CCM) that has been forgotten about even by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners. Lajin is a simple stretch that you do laying down on a bench or two chairs side by side. It is especially good for lower back and knee pain as the person doing the stretch will feel some relief from pain after just 5 minutes of stretching. Here is the link. https://www.earthclinic.com/remedies/traditional-chinese-medicine2.html#PAI-DA_91546

Check out the video links. If you do not have the time to watch all the videos, then fast forward to 19 minutes on the introduction video to see the stretch using chairs. Then go to Part one of the second video and fast forward to 51 minutes to see an audience member do the stretch and how he benefits from it. Hopefully your husband will try it and you can let us know his results. Maureen

Replied by Ky Mama
(Clinton, Ky)
04/06/2013

Hi! I am so sorry about his pain. I have had trouble with sciatica on and off over the years. One thing that is easy to do and works well is Peppermint Essential Oil. I get organic since peppermint may be heavily sprayed. I was in a car for 13 hours today and my sciatica flared up. I rubbed peppermint oil onto my hand and over my lower back. (I think the inflammation there presses on the nerves causing the pain down my legs. ) It wasn't long before I was feeling better.

Plenty of water (not city water) is good for everything, including inflammation. Blackstrap molasses is also high in lots of things that may also be helpful. One Tablespoon a day, or when symptoms are bad is helpful. It can be taken straight or in warm milk.

Hope he gets some relief!


Clove Oil

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by DeAun (Edwards, Missouri) on 04/27/2007
★★★★★

I tried the clove oil on spine to relieve chronic back pain, which I think might be caused by a virus. After a couple of days, I have experienced tremendous relief. I feel quite limber and much better than I have for years. Thanks to Ted and Earth Clinic for all you do!

Replied by Ted
(Bangkok , Thailand)
391 posts

A viral caused back pain is started when the toxins they create are acid toxins which causes weakness and acidity which causes pain. Magnesium supplement is one addition that can help also, especially magnesium chloride, or magnesium gluconate, if you have trouble finding mag chloride.

Replied by Maria
(London)
02/10/2022
9 posts

How much clove oil should I apply since this post is from 2007 and the DeAun is unlikely to reply?


Coconut Oil

19 User Reviews
5 star (17) 
  89%
4 star (1) 
  5%
1 star (1) 
  5%

Posted by Shelly (Virginia) on 12/12/2021 4 posts
★★★★★

This is my go to site for all things natural cures. It's an awesome site. Was having lower back pain for a week now. Even took my heating pad to work and used it almost all day. Definitely helped, but the pain kept lingering. So I came to good ole EC for help. I rubbed my back with coconut oil and OMG, my pain was gone! I am dumbfounded!! I thought that people were just saying that. How could that be true? But trust me, it's so true. Thank you EC for all your wisdom.

Replied by Glen
(Langley, BC Canada)
11/19/2022
★★★★★

Thanks for sharing your use of coconut oil for back pain. But recently I fell off the roof. I was having great difficulty standing because of the pain. About an hour after rubbing my lower back with coconut oil, I was able to stand for about two hours. I have put on a second application. I will try and remember a longer term view of this issue.


Coconut Oil
Posted by Alex (Thessaloniki, Greece) on 05/11/2018
★★★★☆

I was at a point I could not stand up or walk for one day. Ten minutes after I ate one teaspoon of virgin coconut oil and gentle massage with it I managed to walk again because the pain wasn't extreme and the lower back muscles started to relax. So I continue taking it two teaspoons and two gentle massages per day with mild improvement. I tried strong massage but had my condition deteriorated although I didn't felt pain during the massage.

In spite of the fact that I did very often the McKenzie stretches (like a cobra) it didn't help me at all and for a few minutes I felt more pain after the stretch. I even done these stretches before I was unable to walk. Now I found this video of a doctor explaining that if the herniation of the disc is too sideways an alternation of the McKenzie stretches must be done:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tW8tkeAHk24

I've done this and I had no added pain after that but the following days will show if these will calm the pain quicker.

I've read the post about the ball point pen technique and tend to agree that lower back muscles must be stretched and exercised in order to prevent severe back pain. I've tried the swing bar for exercising to prevent back pain but it didn't and had several other lower incidents of back pain. It doesn't have the resistance to train inner abdominals or gain height in the intervertebral disc realising tension as the manufacturer claims by researching. Laying on the floor with the head down and trying repeatingly to raise the upper torso and feet is a good exersise for lower back muscles.

I've tried capsaicin ointment and can cover the pain for one or two days but then I got used to it and it didn't helped with the healing at all.

Replied by Steve
(Nv)
05/11/2018

You might want to try rubbing in magnesium oil into the lower back and wherever there is pain and stiffness. Magnesium oil is a natural muscle relaxer and should be very helpful.

Replied by Alex
(Thessaloniki, Greece)
05/12/2018

I tried this Lajin stretch and immediately my lower back muscles felt less tension and pain. I held up against my wardrope each leg for about 1-2 minutes and my back lying on the floor. Tried the McKenzie exercises the previous days and failed to give me improvement in fact I came to a point of being unable to walk due to pain and spasm. I hope Lajin will not just help for a few hours. Although most physiotherapists say not to bent forward and stretch when having acute back pain from herniated disc this helped without giving the spine much weight to lift.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiujm52YfFY


Coconut Oil
Posted by Eudial (West Midlands, England, United Kingdom) on 06/03/2016
★★★★★

Re: Coccyx Pain

I woke up with terrible back pain a few days ago. Taking paracetamol (like acetaminophen) and ibuprofen eased it enough to allow me to stiffly walk out of the house.

I was doubtful about the coconut oil cure, but tried it anyway since I had some in the house. Like many others, the pain went away almost instantly. I felt about 70-80% better within the hour, and it got better after two hours. I need to reapply it before sleeping, but it works very well. I still feel some stiffness, but I can walk and bend a lot.

I also took a bath using magnesium flakes, which helped a lot.


Coconut Oil
Posted by Sarahd (Spain) on 03/04/2016
★★★★★

I'm amazed that coconut oil worked, but it did. I had horrible back pain after doing the plank for 3 minutes which was 30 seconds longer than I should have done). I paid the price for my competitiveness and my back got so stiff and painful had been that way for well over a week. After finding this remedy on Earth Clinic I'm delighted to report that the pain has eased and my back feels looser. There is still stiffness and some pain, but it is way better and it seemed to work almost instantly. Thank you Earth Clinic!


Coconut Oil
Posted by Mukesh (Mumbai, India) on 08/18/2015
★★★★★

Along with coconut oil mix in peppermint oil and rub on back. See miracle. Pain will go away instantly.



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