Healing back pain - naturally
Pain in the back for days? A classic case for the orthopedist. The prescribes ointments, painkillers or massages that relax the nerves and relieve discomfort. It works for a while. Until the cross again causes grief - and even the experience that conventional medicine reaches its limits.
The way out is offered by alternative body therapies. Through expert hand pressure and guidance on healthier movement patterns, these bodywork techniques can cure tight neck as well as hardened back muscles, blocked lumbar vertebrae or foot deformities.
The only question is: Which therapy is the right one? The girlfriend swears by Rolfing, the boss advises chiropractic, and the greengrocer raves about his finger-ready osteopath. There are dozens of manual therapies, postural or connective tissue treatments. Traditional methods of conventional medicine compete with naturopathic or alternative approaches that are experiencing a boom.
After all: Despite different approach and methodology behind all therapies the same principle. "It is about stimulating the self-healing power of the organism," says the Munich body therapist Dr. med. Robert Schleip. The naturopath and human biologist has been working for years with Rolfing and Feldenkrais. "When choosing the right method, individual preferences also play a role: Do I want to actively participate in recovery or prefer to remain passive? How gentle or gripping should the therapy be? How much esotericism is allowed in it?"
On the following pages we present successful techniques that cure typical everyday complaints.
The problem: a lumbago shot in the cross
Monday morning, just happily hopped out of bed, bent over in the bathroom after the towel - and, ouch, like a knife stab the pain runs across the back. Erecting is impossible: classic case of lumbago. The lower back muscles cramp together after a bending movement like wild, tense and hardened.
Deeper causes can often be minimal eddy shifts or blockages. To protect this vulnerability, the body tightens the muscles. A pinched nerve is not always behind it. However, the low back pain is favored by a slack and sluggish back muscles.
What helps me? Chiropractic, especially with blockages in the lower back, sometimes shows resounding success after only a single treatment. Through techniques such as gentle pressure ("mobilization") or a well-controlled jerk ("manipulation"), the therapist returns the joint to its statically correct position and makes the vertebrae movable again.
Chiropractors often deal with movement restrictions of the spine. But even with pain in the shoulder, hips or knees, the therapy is promising. Unfortunately a bit confusing: In addition to chiropractors (alternative practitioners) also treat chirotherapists (doctors with appropriate training) and chiropractors. The latter have acquired their skills in four to six years of study abroad, often in the US.
But beware: Chiropractic has its limits. An acute disc herniation accompanied by paralysis of the bladder or bowel is considered an emergency and belongs immediately to the doctor. When manipulating the neck area, chiropractic may cause paralysis or even stroke if sensitive neck vessels are injured. This happens very rarely, but it does happen.
Alternative: In case of dysfunction of the spine, spinal column therapy according to Dorn / Breuss shows good results. In this case, shifted vortex be reestablished by gentle pressure. For the regeneration of nerves and discs, the practitioner massages the back extensively with St. John's wort oil. Also suitable for pelvic obliquity and functional spine curvature.
Info Chiropractic: A treatment lasts between 20 and 50 minutes and usually costs between 40 and 70 euros, usually between two and eight sessions are needed. Statutory health insurance companies pay for the costs of chiropractic.
Addresses of therapists about: German Society for Chiropractic and Osteopathy e. V., www.dgco.de, German Chiropractors Society (DCG), www.chiropraktik.de
The problem: The neck and shoulders of computer work are strained
For days incubated on Excel spreadsheets, clarified open balance sheet items, reconciled accounts. The neck feels tight, shoulders hurt. Even the voice sounds quite hardened. What is in demand now is not the usual magic massage that kneads away the symptoms temporarily.But a permanent guide for a better movement behavior.
What helps me? The Alexander Technique. This method, which was founded by the Australian actor F.M. Alexander a good hundred years ago, has specialized in the axis of head and neck spinal column - here lies an anatomical weak point. Even a retracted chin, which shortens the spine, can lead to painful tension. Alexander teachers teach their patients how to sit, walk and stand in a relaxed way with explanations and gentle movements.
The focus of the individual work is the head posture. If the head moves smoothly on the upper cervical vertebrae, the neck and neck muscles remain relaxed. Actors and dancers love the Alexander Technique because it conveys a changed self-perception and new possibilities of movement.
Alternative: Feldenkrais also helps when poor posture causes pain in the head, neck or back. In the group, the participants learn the familiar habits of their motor skills and experiment with new combinations of movements.
In one-to-one tuition, small movements are carried out on the patients, who rest on a couch, for example. For example, the arm is gently bent over the head to give the shoulder joint more play. In this way, new movements are learned and - partly unconsciously - taken over into the everyday repertoire.
Info Alexander Technique: A session lasts 30 to 40 minutes, a successful series of treatment usually comprises 25 to 30 meetings. Cost: 30 to 60 euros per individual session, cheaper in the group.
Addresses of therapists about: Society of Teachers of the F.-M.-Alexander-Technik e. V., www.alexander-technik.org
The problem: I have a bad posture
The shoulders are hanging, the back is crooked - attitude six. It is no longer noticeable that you seem to walk grief-stricken through the world. At most parents or friends draw attention to it. Or you come across the shopping window suddenly in the shop window - and startled. Because this slack appearance does not fit the lifestyle of a self-confident and sporty woman.
What helps me? Rolfing. This connective tissue massage is ideal to correct a chronically bad posture. In particular, the fasciae are treated, ie the sheaths of the muscles. These can harden and stick to permanent tension - and that leads to poor posture and sometimes pain. Often, the bad posture comes from puberty, where it should conceal insecurity and sometimes too small or too big breasts.
With finger pressure and strong hand movements, occasionally even with the elbow, the Rolfing therapist works his way through tense body parts and even dissolves deep-seated adhesions in the connective tissue. This brings the tissue into a more favorable structure. The result: The attitude improves visibly, and spinal complaints disappear.
But beware: In acute inflammatory diseases of the musculoskeletal system, the method is not suitable. Since a Rolfer occasionally accesses strong, there is a risk of fractures in unrecognized osteoporosis. If the back problems are caused by sliding vertebrae or other unstable joints, Rolfing is less successful than in chronically strained people with muscle shortening.
Alternative: The carrier therapy is also well suited to improve the posture. It's a combination of a gentle healing massage that rolls and stretches the body in its own rhythm, and a do-it-yourself tutorial for new and gentler patterns of movement.
Info Rolfing: A treatment takes about an hour. Most of the time, ten sessions build on each other. After the third hour, success should be felt - and visible (some Rolfer documenting photographically). Cost: 80 to 110 euros per session. Private funds pay the costs in whole or in part.
Addresses of therapists about: European Rolfing Association e. V., www.rolfing.org
The problem: Stress and grief hit each other physically
Only the long-planned renovation of the apartment and the trouble with the craftsmen, then the illness in the family. The last months have cost strength. This is noticeable in body and soul. Bad sleep, the hip hurts, the back is as hard as a board, you feel struck.
What helps me? Shiatsu can provide good services for nervous disorders. After understanding the Japanese pressure point massage, which has developed from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), such complaints are due to the fact that the life energy Qi of a person is in imbalance.
Targeted power on the energy channels brings this Qi back to flow. To do this, the client rests on a futon while the Shiatsu practitioner exerts deeply effective pressure on the affected meridians. He uses fingers, palms, sometimes elbows and feet. A Shiatsu massage benefits the entire organism, even headaches or menstrual cramps can improve.
Alternative: The Tuina massage, also from Traditional Chinese Medicine, aims to increase energy flows and release energy blockages. But the classic massage to relax the muscles and better blood circulation of the tissue achieves an effective relaxation effect: The stress hormone cortisol in the blood decreases, the feel-good messenger serotonin is released more.
Info Shiatsu: One session lasts about 60 minutes, experts recommend between five and ten sessions to feel a successful treatment. You have to expect per therapy unit with a price of 40 to 60 euros. Some private funds refund the costs on request.
Addresses of therapists about: Society for Shiatsu in Germany, www.shiatsu-gsd.de
The problem: Hip and back hurts due to misalignment of the feet
Do not wear lace or high shoes? Reluctantly. But feet are filigree masterpieces, and their complicated mechanics are unfortunately prone to failure. Overstrained by incorrect movement patterns, her connective and supportive tissue relaxes and her musculature is stunted. The result: The foot goes into the width, lowers, kinks. The orthopedist then speaks of spreading, lowering or bending foot. In contrast to the bad ball encephalon, the hallux valgus, such deformities do not usually hurt. The lack of Abrollfähigkeit and the lack of shock absorption but easily lead to tension and poor posture. And they in turn can trigger pain in the spine.
What helps me? Spiral Dynamics. 25 years ago, the Basel physician Christian Larsen and the French physiotherapist Yolande Deswarte developed an anatomically sound operating manual for healthy feet. Larsen realized that the arch of the foot works on the principle of a spiral. Only by the opposite pull of muscles and ligaments with each step the foot reaches its stability.
In Spiraldynamics courses, the participants learn how to strengthen the foot muscles and avoid wrong movements. Continued in everyday life, the exercises achieve astounding successes: threatening bale operations can often be avoided, the arch of the foot is rebuilt and chronic posture problems are improved. Even with scoliosis, the lateral curvature of the spine, spiral dynamics achieves amazing results.
Alternative: Painful foot complaints can also be remedied by foot exercises and foot reflexology massages. Deformations of the feet, however, can hardly be cured with the latter.
Info Spiral dynamics: The therapy is mainly offered by physiotherapists, but also by dance therapists or doctors. A training session lasts 45 to 60 minutes. Depending on the diagnosis, 6 to 15 sessions are needed, sometimes more. Individual lessons cost between 30 and 60 euros, in the group it's cheaper. Important: Decisive for the success is that the exercises are integrated into everyday life in the long term.
Addresses of therapists about: Institute for Spiral Dynamics Zurich, www.spiraldynamik.com
The problem: Chronic back pain, no explanation
The good news: Vertebral body and intervertebral discs are without findings. As the orthopedist puts it, X-rays and magnetic resonance imaging show it in black and white. And yet there are reports of this oppressive pain in the lower part of the lumbar spine. Massages, fango packs, thermal patches or back exercises help at short notice, but unfortunately the symptoms return after a while. And prolonged walking worsens the condition even further.
What helps me? Especially when conventional medicine is at its wit's end, osteopathy can achieve amazing results. The therapy was developed at the end of the 19th century by the American physician Andrew Taylor Still.
Typical of this manual healing method: it seeks the cause of pain in unexpected body regions. For example, an extension of the ligaments on the foot can have a muscular effect on the hips, which then stresses the lower back with a slight misalignment. However, a sore lumbar vertebra can also be caused by a slight malposition of the temporomandibular joint, with which the vertebra is connected via the upper head and the back muscles are connected.
With trained hands osteopaths palpate blockages and hardening in joints, muscles and connective tissue. Through gentle pressure and tension they create a new mobility and help the body to help itself.
Alternative: Back therapies and well-developed muscles support the body's ability to deal with malpractice by itself. For chronic pain, procedures such as eutonia, cantienica, physiotherapy or Kieser training have proven successful.
Info Osteopathy: Doctors, non-medical practitioners and physiotherapists with appropriate training offer this procedure. After four sessions, progress should be felt. The cost of 50 to 80 euros per treatment you have to carry yourself.
Addresses of therapists about: www.osteopathie.de
How to find the ideal therapist
The Munich body therapist dr.Robert Schleip heads worldwide bodywork courses (info: www.somatics.de). He says what you should consider when looking for a capable specialist:
Whether car mechanic or Alexander technician, Good specialists are recommended - from friends, acquaintances, work colleagues. The professional associations of the individual therapy directions also help with addresses. They also provide information about the qualification of their members.
Interpersonal chemistry must be right for body therapies. It can even influence whether an application will succeed or not. Therefore, first arrange a trial lesson. Let the session linger for some time and then decide whether you feel well cared for.
Ask before the first hour, whether you need special clothing or if you want to undress partially. Then you can optimally adjust to it.
Pay attention to good therapy times. Then do not rush to the job directly, but treat yourself to some air. Thus, the treatment in the body can linger ("Repercussion" effect).
