What You Can Do About Your Own Back Pain

The first thing to consider is, "What is the originthe following instructions:(NOTE: If your problem is
of the sharp or sudden pain of a back injury?" Tosevere, (numbness or tingling in your extremities)
some, it feels like a sharp, stabbing pain; tosee your doctor to rule out a medical emergency.
others, a seizing grip that interferes withThat done, find a Hanna Somatic Educator (for
breathing. Perhaps it is just that: the seizing grip offastest results) or use the procedure shown
muscles going into spasm, causing stabbing backbelow or other self-help resources found
pain and interfering with breathing, nothingbelow.)Simple Somatic Coordination Exercises to
more.Back Pain Treatment and PhysicalHelp End Back Pain
TherapyMedical practitioners, including physicalDo these movements as a way of creating
therapists, face a peculiar quandary with regard tosensations of movement.
back pain and muscle spasms in general: so often,Move slowly and smoothly.
the pain they encounter in their patients comesBe gentle, working within the range of sensations
from muscular spasticity, so much of their effortyou're willing to experience. Done gently, they are
goes into ending muscular spasms, and yet sosafe to do even with disk problems. If in doubt,
many of their patients return with the sameconsult your physical therapist before proceeding.
muscle spasms and back pain for which theyAlways separate repetitions of a movement with
have been treated in the past. According to onecomplete relaxation.If you do these movements
physical therapist, the likelihood of a patient whomechanically (for example, by counting repetitions
has had back pain returning again with the sameinstead of feeling movement), if you do them too
problem is about 80%.Let's take another look atquickly or too hard, you deprive yourself of the
back pain, in particular.Overview Of Back Pain Andsensations needed to discover your own control
Muscle SpasmsUnless you have had a violentover yourself. You may make yourself tighter,
accident, your back pain, whether sudden orinstead of looser. You will get better results by
chronic, has been coming for a very long time.doing too little than by doing too much. You will
Muscular tension builds up for a long time beforehave an easier time if you have somebody read
crossing the point of no return and becoming athese instructions to you. The movements should
back spasm. Then, like the straw that broke thefeel comfortable to do; if they create pain, do a
camel's back, a small movement is sufficient tosmaller amount of movement. Move more slowly,
trigger a crisis.We return to the quandary of backmore gently.
spasms. What causes the build-up of tension?A: STARTING POSITION:
What controls muscular tension?The answer mayon your belly
be obvious to you: your brain controls yourface turned to the right
muscular tension; your brain causes your musclesright hand under your left cheek (like a pillow,
to go into spasm.Why?Muscle Spasms -- Usually apalm down)
Brain-Conditioning ProblemHere, the answer mayleft arm loosely by your side
not seem so obvious -- but obvious it is when
you think about it: brain conditioning. Your brain,Slowly lift just your left leg.Feel the first
the master control organ of your muscles, is ansensations of muscular effort. Go slowly.Slowly
organ of conditioning (learning). People acquire theirlower your left leg.Feel the last sensation of
tensions through conditioning: repeated overuse,relaxation, as it happens. Take a deep breath and
repeated overstrain, repeated stress. Repetitionlet everything go.REPEAT THIS LEG LIFT FOUR
leads to habit formation and habit formation leads(4) TIMES AT DECREASING LEVELS OF
to involuntary habits of tension. Back pain is aEFFORT.Simultaneously lift your left leg, head, and
nervous tension habit conditioned into you throughright arm.
the repetitive strains of life. At that point, yourSlowly lower yourself down, take a deep breath
nervous tension is no longer a reflection of aand relax all the way.REPEAT 4 TIMES AT
momentary emotional state, but set in theDECREASING LEVELS OF EFFORT, THEN
habituation operation of your brain and muscularSWITCH SIDES.B: STARTING POSITION:
system.So the problem is simpler than you mightOn your back
expect. You probably do not have a medicalknees up
problem; you probably have a conditioningfeet near your buttocks
problem. With tingling or numbness, the musclesFingers interlaced behind your head.
of your back are so tight that they are pullingElbows out flat on the floor
your vertebrae (the small bones of your spine) soArch:
close that they are pinching nerves. By relaxingInhale.
those muscles, you can take the pinch off theGently, gradually turn your tailbone down into the
nerves.Fortunately for those using the rightsurface (arch your low back).
methods, a muscular conditioning problem canGently press your elbows down.
often be cleared up fairly quickly -- pastTug your heels toward your buttocks and
experience notwithstanding.Perspective onhold.Curl:
Therapeutic Methods to End Back PainTheBegin to exhale. When you can feel your back
problem with most methods used to relaxtighten, relax your back and gradually press your
muscles -- mental methods, manipulative methods,back onto the surface.
therapeutic methods in general --is that they mayBring your elbows together. (pause)
not adequately teach muscular control. MuscularPress down on your feet. Continue to exhale.Use
control has two parts: the ability to createequal strength to curl as you did to arch.Point
muscular tension and the ability to relax muscularyour elbows at your knees.Curl forward and look
tension. Both abilities are needed; otherwise, youat your knees.
are either musclebound (and prone to cramping)Exhale completely.REPEAT THIS "ARCH AND
or weak. Such methods also often neglect anCURL" MOVEMENT FOUR TIMES
important part of control: sensory awareness.MORE AT DECREASING LEVELS OF EFFORT.
Too often, people are given therapeutic exercisesDo these movements for ten minutes daily for a
but no instructions in how to do them; they'reweek or two. Many people get just the results
told, "These are strengthening exercises," sothey need.Dr. Hanna's definitive article on clinical
people go for strength instead of control; they gosomatic education: "Clinical Somatic Education - a
for effort instead of sensory awareness. If youNew Discipline in the Field of Health Care," by
can't feel how to regulate your muscular tension,Thomas Hanna, Ph.D.See also:
you can't feel how to relax your muscular tension."The Psoas Muscles and Abdominal Exercises for
You feel pain with no connection to the sense ofBack Pain"Lawrence Gold served for two years
contracting those muscles to the point of fatigue.on staff at the Wellness and Rehabilitation Center
Progress comes slowly, at best, from workingof Watsonville Community Hospital, California and
too fast and too mechanically.So you need tofor two years as part of the Novato Institute
improve both muscular control and the ability totraining team for new practitioners. As part of the
feel your muscles.Then, you develop freedom ofteam, he presented Hanna Somatic Education at
movement, and then, you can relax moreEsalen Institute, Big Sur, California.He has published
completely than you ordinarily do and stay morebooks for professional practitioners and
relaxed without thinking about it. "Freedom ofmovement therapists, and self-care instructional
movement" means it's your natural state.To,programs on back pain and movement health, for
show you how do-able this is, I'll present somethe general public.Click for a preview of the
coordinated movements that can often restoreself-help program, Free Yourself from Back
your comfort. Before I do, read and understandSpasms.