Herbal Remedies That Could Relieve Your Lower Back Pain

If you suffer from lower back pain then you'll be only too aware of how painful this condition can be. Even if you've been lucky enough to escape this problem until now, you should read on as it's been estimated that up to 80 per cent of us will be affected by the condition at some stage in our lives (Spine 1998; 23: 1860-6). The reason why it's so common is because your lower back bears the most weight and stress.

Getting to the root of lower back pain can be difficult, but common causes are bad posture, poor muscle tone, being overweight and disc problems. Thankfully, lower back pain clears up quickly in most cases, but for some people it can develop into a chronic condition. If you have back pain that doesn't get better within a few weeks, you should see your doctor to rule out the possibility of serious conditions like nerve damage, arthritis, osteoporosis, kidney disease or a spinal tumour.

Painkillers are usually the first port of call for most people when back pain strikes, but they can cause a range of adverse effects. Fortunately, herbal remedies exist that can help you safely and effectively overcome the misery of back pain.

Make sure medication doesn't lead to another set of problems

The conventional treatments on offer rely heavily on drugs to relieve pain, relax muscles and reduce inflammation. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and naproxen are usually tried first, but if these fail to bring relief, steroid creams or injections may be prescribed. NSAIDs may numb the pain, but they can act as an irritant to the digestive system - so an anti-ulcer drug may be given alongside them, which increases the risk of even more side effects like dizziness and headaches.

More worryingly, NSAIDs actually sabotage your body's own healing efforts by accelerating arthritic degeneration. The news doesn't get any better - steroid drugs are even worse, with a list of documented side effects that just goes on and on, including mood changes, acne, peptic ulcers, immune suppression, raised blood pressure, diabetes and osteoporosis (British Medical Association New Guide to Medicines and Drugs, 2001).

Fortunately, there are several nutritional and herbal remedies that can help relieve lower back pain. The amino acid D L-phenylalanine (DLPA) reduces pain by blocking an enzyme called carboxy peptide A that destroys endorphins -- the body's natural painkillers (Prog Clin Biol Res 1985; 192: 363-70).

In one clinical trial, an impressive 73 per cent of people with lower back pain who took DLPA reported good-to-excellent relief (Northwest Acad Prev Med 1983; 3(5): 8). The recommended dose of DLPA is 1,500 to 2,000mg a day.

Nature's very own aspirin

The bark of the white willow (Salix alba) contains a compound called salicylic acid. Aspirin (acetyl salicylic acid) is a synthetic form of this chemical. Taking a supplement of white willow bark can provide all the pain-relieving benefit of aspirin without the drug's notorious side effect of stomach irritation. In a placebo-controlled trial, 39 per cent of patients with lower back pain who took white willow bark extract reported a significant reduction in pain, in most cases within the first week of treatment. This compared with 6 per cent who reported an improvement while taking placebo (Am J Med 2000; 109: 9-14). Take 100 to 250mg of white willow bark extract (standardised to 15 per cent salicin) a day.

B-vitamin supplements can prevent relapses of common kinds of back pain. In two independent trials, a combination of 50-100mg each of vitamins B1 and B6, with 250-500mcg of B12, three times a day, not only reduced the number of lower back pain episodes but also reduced the level of medication needed during each episode (Ann NY Acad Sci 1990; 585: 54-62; Klin Wochenschr 1990; 68: 107-15).

The dosages used in these trials were higher than those normally recommended. Take a balanced B-complex supplement that gives you at least 50mg each of vitamins B1 and B6 per day. Higher doses should only be taken under medical supervision.

Devil's claw (Harpagophytum procumbens) is a herb that is better known for treating arthritis. However, two clinical trials in Germany have shown that it is also effective in relieving lower back pain. Pain intensity, muscle spasms and muscle tenderness were all substantially reduced in patients taking devil's claw extract, compared with those in the placebo group (Schmerz 2001; 15: 10-18; Eur J Anaesthesiol 1999; 16(2): 118-29).

There was no evidence of side effects from taking devil's claw in either of these trials, but this herb is not recommended if you have a peptic ulcer since it can increase acid production. Take 600 to 900mg of devil's claw extract (standardised to 5 per cent harpagosides) daily.