Lisa "Koz", LMT
The 7 natural things to do for a sore back
You get done running, or working out, or just WORKING, and there it is... a sore back. Whether it happens in the lower back or upper back it's there, and frustrating.Whatever the cause the results can inhibit us from being able to do the things we need to or want to be doing.
Let's look at a couple things we can naturally do to help support our body getting back to the balance and homeostasis it craves, shall we?
Massage - Who here is SHOCKED this is my first suggestion?? No one? Well that's because most people know that having a great massage therapist to help calm, lengthen, engage, and work the muscles in a therapeutic way can really help to relieve your body of the tension and cause of this sore back. Add some essential oils, a good plan for stretching, exercise and treatment plan can make chronic sore back pain a thing of the past.
Warm baths - This one is amazing for several reasons. Not only does the warmth of the water help the muscles but the relaxing nature of a bath helps calm more than just the sore muscles. You can add Epsom salts to the bath to help the muscles relax and recover further. Some like to add essential oils, I alway suggest using "bath salts" that you make with Epsom salts, essential oils and a carrier oil to help dilute down the essential oils. Remember to stay away from oils that are have methol in them (peppermint, eucalyptus, wintergreen), also hot oils like cinnamon, oregano, lemongrass (can be very irritating to the skin neat... Do your homework on the essential oils for your bath before using them. We will be doing more education on here also so be watching!
Essential oils - There are SO many beneficial oils that can help soothe soreness and promote healthy muscle inflammation levels. I LOVE using essential oils to help calm and soothe during massages. You can also look to help relax your whole mind and body which can create a great restful period for your back to start healing and getting past this soreness.
Vitamins - maintaining proper nutrition levels and helping that with a good natural vitamin can help to get your body back on track and get back to homeostasis faster. Your body naturally works to help keep balance, pain keeps you from over doing things so make sure you are listening and also supporting that need for balance by supporting vitamin levels that support those systems working to get you back on track.
Heat/Cold packs - alternating between these two can help bring inflammation levels back to being supportive and not damaging. Use each 10 - 15 minutes at a time allowing for 20 minutes in between sessions. The cold can help decrease inflammation and pain, while the heat can relax, and restore healthy blood flow to the area.
REST - We are terrible at just stopping and allowing our bodies the time they need to heal. Remember your body does a lot at night during sleep to heal and repair so ensure you are getting plenty of sleep.
Watch that posture - We spend a lot of time looking down at phones, computers, gaming devices, and yet not a lot go time thinking about what that does to our posture and ultimately the risk of injury due to poor muscle positioning. Make sure to take time out of your day to do several "posture checks" to keep yourself inline.
