Surprising Drug-Free Secret to Easing Back Pain
By
Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Posted June 22, 2024
Back pain is serious business. But it’s seldom taken seriously.
It can affect almost everything you do, interfering in daily activities, from walking to everyday chores like cooking and cleaning.
The pain can range from a dull ache to debilitating muscle spasms. At its worst, it can even be hard to get out of bed.
Once thought of as a young folk’s problem, we now know back pain is also quite common in seniors. In fact, up to 85 percent of older adults have musculoskeletal pain, with 70 percent of them suffering from back pain.
But what if I told you that you already have access to a back-pain fix that’s safe, free, and EFFECTIVE?
If you’ve ever gone to your doctor about your back pain, you already know there’s a disturbing lack of quick, safe, and effective solutions.
Risky painkillers, heavy-duty muscle relaxants, and some vague advice about “strengthening your core” are the most common “treatments.”
But it turns out the real fix might be hiding right inside your own mind
Now wait, before you roll your eyes and dismiss this as some hippie-dippy nonsense, hear me out. Solid scientific evidence shows that practicing mindfulness can significantly reduce back pain.
In fact, a clinical trial published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology supports using the mind to ease back pain.
Using a randomized, double-blind, crossover study, researchers compared the effects of mindfulness meditation training to a placebo-mindfulness technique.
Mindfulness meditation was the CLEAR winner, proving to be more effective at reducing movement-evoked chronic pain.
So, what exactly IS mindfulness? It’s simple: paying attention.
As strange as it sounds, focusing on your breathing and shutting out distracting thoughts can train your brain to better manage pain.
Mindfulness doesn’t require you to be in a particular location, there’s no chanting, and props like incense or candles aren’t necessary. Instead, you simply need to focus on “the now.”
The cool thing is, you can turn almost any activity into a mindful one. For example, washing the dishes. Next time you have a full sink that needs washing, concentrate fully on the task, not allowing any outside thoughts.
Pay attention to the warmth of the water on your hands, the sounds of the dishes clinking together, the way your feet feel on the ground, and even the texture of the sponge and dish towel. If you find your mind wandering, refocus on the task.
You can practice mindfulness meditation anywhere: in the shower, mowing the lawn, talking to a friend… it’s that easy.
But if you’d like a little more guidance to get started, free or low-cost smartphone apps will walk you through different kinds of mindfulness sessions, including ones that focus specifically on chronic pain. You can also check online for free videos.
Don’t just take my word for it, though. Try mindful meditation and discover the difference it can make in relieving your chronic back pain.
P.S. Mindfulness isn’t the only effective back pain solution. Check out my other drug-free hacks for true back pain relief.
Source:
Khatib, L., Dean, J.G., Oliva, V. et al. The role of endogenous opioids in mindfulness and sham mindfulness-meditation for the direct alleviation of evoked chronic low back pain: a randomized clinical trial. Neuropsychopharmacol. 49, 1069–1077 (2024).
Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.
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