Back pain is absolutely debilitating for us. Especially when it is chronic pain. When the cold packs and Advil don’t solve the problem, we are forced into bed rest and stronger opioid medications.

Bed rest and drugs can lead to a vicious cycle of constant pain and further injury if not treated.

The traditional route of going to the doctor and physical therapy can be a good choice for some people. There are a number of basics like don’t lift heavy objects or use ice packs. But there are also a number of overlooked remedies for back pain relief that have proven to be effective.

Here are 5 we see work well:

Meditation and Mindfulness

Chronic back pain is straining both physically and emotionally. The back pain leads to a host of psychological troubles – including irritability and depression. Mindfulness and meditation are low risk activities to improve pain and prevent future issues.

The NIH has proven that incorporating yoga, tai chi, meditation, or other relaxation techniques into your daily routine are effective for pain relief.

It is one of the easiest home remedies.

If you are new to mindfulness, you can start with basic mindful breathing. This powerful meditation practice is just simply focusing on your breathing – the natural rhythm and flow of each inhale and exhale.

Mindful breathing is a great practice you can turn to any time and any place to find relief from back pain.

Using Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) for Pain

If you’re looking for relief from chronic pain, you may have come across rave reviews about Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA). Over 96% of studies show that PEA is effective for treating chronic pain conditions without adverse effects on the body.

Here’s a great article on how Pea Works: PEA Benefits

“PEA is part of the endocannabinoid family (a endogenous fatty acid amide), PEA works via modulation of mast cells and spinal glial cells to be affective against various inflammatory mechanisms. PEA is unique in that it possesses anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive properties. This boosts your body’s natural response to pain by dampening the response of the nervous system cells that cause pain.”

PEA has a number of health benefits and over 40 years of studies. Unlike anti-inflammatory medications, it doesn’t have long term effects on the human body.

Massage Chairs

Massage chairs may be a surprising addition to the list. There have been a number of studies done with massage chairs and lower back pain relief. Many of these controlled studies that have been done by the NIH show that massage chairs are as effective as other treatments that are more expensive.

Surprisingly enough as well – during an interview with Bryan Rider of massagechairs.com we found that almost 50% of chair sales that were made to help with chronic back pain.

Massage chairs are great for low back pain because you are able to loosen the leg muscles (especially the glutes and hamstrings) as well as the rest of your body.

Tight hamstrings are common with people who sit for long periods of time. Their core muscles become weak and they develop poor posture. Massage also improves venous and lymphatic flow—

Massage chairs also have many of the other popular modalities for pain relief like an infrared heating pad, zero gravity recline, and head and foot massage.

Massage chairs are an investment. But that investment quickly pays off when compared to a $120 massage 4 times a month.

When asked what chairs Bryan recommended for back pain – he pointed to 2 models – The high-end Osaki Maestro LE and the Osaki Alpina.

“The Osaki Maestro LE is the best chair I’ve ever sat in. It has a high price point, but when it comes to pain relief and customization it is the best…”

If that’s not in your budget, the Osaki Alpina is the best chair under $3,000. It has many of the same features of chairs in the $3,000 to $6,000 range. With features like a reflexology massage you can’t go wrong there.

On to the next overlooked remedy

Reducing Inflammation in Body

One of the key contributors of chronic pain in the body is inflammation. Many people will tell you to maintain a healthy weight and exercise.

But without reducing the overall inflammation in the body, strength training or regular exercise is rarely affective on its own.

Some signs of chronic inflammation are puffy skin, joint pain, and damage to pain receptors.

One of the key ways to decrease inflammation is to stop eating refined sugars and processed food.

Massage and using massage chairs are an effective treatment at improving blood flow and to reduce swelling.

Walking in Nature

Walking is a simple one of the lifestyle changes that improve overall health and pain. A short walk in nature has shown to be as effective at eliminating chronic back pain as other medications.

In general in our clinical practice we like to avoid medications as much as possible.

Walking can be a great first step to long term health.

If you are sore, you may use heat packs or a warm bath before to relax muscles.

After walking, an ice pack may be helpful to lower the swelling and pain signals.

Try not to walk in high heels which are notoriously bad for back pain.

Best Practice for Treating Chronic Back Pain

Using a combination of the forgotten remedies above is an effective treatment to solving back pain issues.

There is no magic one size fits all. That’s not what we are about at the pain free foundation. We are about empowering individuals to make great decisions on their own and find the right treatment.

What to do if pain gets worse?

If pain gets worse (especially sharp debilitating pain) it’s recommended to see a doctor right away as muscle relaxants may be needed to get over an acute pain.

If pain does not get better with the above remedies, more intense therapy such as traction and decompression therapy may be needed.