Back Pain

The most common cause of acute back or neck pain is a muscle injury, in which muscle fibres stretch too far and often tear. Injury may be caused by overuse, such as from heavy lifting, or by repetitive movements that put continual stress on a particular set of muscles. Pain can also result from lack of use, i.e. a sedentary lifestyle, or bad posture, such as sitting all day working on a computer, or watching several hours of television.

While a muscle injury may not sound like a serious issue, the resulting pain can be severe. If the pain persists and movement is restricted even after a few days, medical attention may be necessary. The longer the problem is left unattended, the longer the healing takes

Underlying changes in the spine’s anatomy and mechanics are usually the cause of chronic lower back pain. The most common causes of chronic disc pain are:

Lumbar disc herniation – A herniated disc is when the soft, gel-like interior of the disc bulges or leaks outward, irritating nearby muscles, joints, or nerve roots. A herniated disc typically causes sharp, stabbing pain down the backs of the legs (sciatica).

Lumbar degenerative disc disease – Wear-and-tear of the spinal discs causes this type of chronic lower back pain.

Osteoarthritis – Spinal osteoarthritis refers to the wear and tear on the facet joints, causing excess friction when twisting or bending the body. This friction can lead to pinched nerve roots and produce sciatica pain and stiffness around the joint.

Sacroiliac joint dysfunction – The sacroiliac joint connects the hip bones (the ilia) to the sacrum, a triangular bone at the base of the spine. When the sacroiliac joint experiences too much or too little motion, it may cause pain in the hips, pelvis and lower back.

Spondylolisthesis – Isthmic spondylolisthesis occurs when one vertebral body slips forward straining the disc and joints around the spinal segment. Slippage is caused by a fracture in the back of the vertebrae. Lower back pain, stiffness, leg pain, numbness, and/or weakness are common symptoms.

Spinal stenosis – Narrowing of the spinal canal due to a bone spur, herniated disc, or another irritant can cause leg pain and back pain.

The course of treatment depends on the intensity of the condition. Punarjani’s medicines are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and offer great pain relief.

The series of treatments done to relieve pain and remove inflammation are:

• Abhyangam
• Dhanyamla Dhara
• Virechnam
• Saravanga dhara
• Kizhi 

Severe or chronic cases may require a full course of treatment, lasting up to 41 days. All treatments are administered in the doctor’s presence.