Dr. T. dug his hand deep into my side and I nearly jumped off the examining table.

“Your psoas is in spasm, try a heating pad for 20 minutes every hour and these muscle relaxers”

That night, I was lying in bed with a heating pad with a sponge in it for wet heat, dialed up to the max, and I still couldn't move.  The muscle relaxers weren't doing much for the pain that was shooting from my back to my groin.

When I was finally able to go back to work a full week later, I took the heating pad with me.  Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to get up from my chair.  As it was, it took me a full minute to straighten up.

It took at least two months for things to get back to "normal".  But even then I wasn't pain free.

When this happened to me, I was 45, but felt like I was 70.  I didn't want to make any sudden moves, so if something fell on the floor, I left it there.  It just hurt too much to even think about bending over.

I was working at a hedge fund, very stressful.  Asking around, there were at least two others experiencing major back pain - a 28 year old trader and a 32 year old portfolio manager.  Age doesn't matter.

Why the Pain?

Injury

Pain is a signal that you are injured.  In my case, the iliopsoas which connects T12 at mid back to the top of the hip, was in spasm, meaning that it was staying short rather than relaxing and lengthening.  That was twisting my spine so that the vertebra irritated the nerve exiting the spine. 

It then becomes a way to protect against further injury by making you stop the activity that is causing the pain.

Then pain turns into a period of reduced activity that then gives your body time to heal.

Inflammation

Pain will also occur when tissues swell and become inflamed, such as when you have arthritis.

Then the stiffness becomes part of the muscle memory and though the injury is gone, the pain remains.  Your world becomes smaller, you are afraid to move.  You live every moment just happy to have made it through the day without hurting yourself. 

Whether you are a mom in pain from arthritis in your hip where every so often you drop to the ground uncontrollably from that unbearable sharp pain in your hip and you are holding your infant in your arms when it happens, or you are a carpenter with a slipped disc that simply cannot hold onto that extremely heavy wood beam any longer, you must find ways to try and stop the pain. 

Maybe you are only in a little pain every day that is simply annoying and makes you cranky. 

Pain Relief Supplements

No matter what your situation is, you can begin to help reduce that pain a little by incorporating a pain relief supplement into your daily diet.  This may not take away your pain altogether, but it could help relieve some of the pain and pressure you experience. 

Then you will be able to move a little more and reduce the stiffness.  It becomes a virtuous circle, less pain, more movement, even less pain and  even more movement.

These are common ingredients found in the many different pain relief supplements available.

• Grape Skin Extract is similar to grape seed extract.  You can information on grape seed extract in “Supplements for Heart Health”.  It is a natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.  It binds connective tissue of joints, which prevents swelling and helps to heal damaged tissue, which will lessen the pain.

• Japanese Knotweed is an anti-inflammatory, anti-bronchial, anti-microbial and anti-viral.  It reduces fever that is caused by lung infection.  Japanese Knotweed contains an antioxidant that blocks cell inflammation called Resveratrol, the anti-oxidant found in red wine.

• Devil’s Claw has been used in Southern Africa for many years.  The main ingredients in Devil’s Claw are Harpogoside and Beta sitosterol.  They are both an anti-inflammatory that help to support joint, ligament and tendon problems.  People with gastric or duodenal ulcers should avoid this herb.  You should not use it if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. 

• White Willow Bark Extract – This is where aspirin comes from.  For cautions on this ingredient, see “Naturally Protect Your Joints Today to Prevent Pain Tomorrow".
 

Imagine your life pain free and start living life the way you used to.