FreeRange News - August 28, 2022

If your back pain is like mine, then bromelain, curcumin and kava kava are the answer. Our dog swears by MSM.

Back pain is an incredibly common problem. Most of us will experience at least one episode of back pain in our life, making it among the most common chronic conditions.

Anti-inflammatories & Antispasmodics
Anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic herbs work great for back pain. Two of the best anti-inflammatories are bromelain and curcumin; two of the best antispasmodics are kava kava and passionflower. MSM is also a great anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic and analgesic that is good for back pain.

White Willow Bark & Devil’s Claw
Several herbs have proven effective for back pain. Two great ones are white willow bark and devil’s claw. White willow bark really works. When 191 people with chronic low back pain were given either a placebo or white willow bark extract containing either 120mg or 240mg of salicin for 4 weeks, only 6% of the placebo group were pain free in the fourth week compared to 21% on the low dose willow bark and 39% on the high dose willow bark. That difference is significant. Significantly more people in the placebo group also had to take tramadol as a rescue medication (Am J Med 2000;109:9-14).

A 2009 review of the research found 3 studies that indicate that white willow bark is “not inferior to” the NSAID drug rofecoxib (Vioxx) for low back pain. The researchers concluded that the review “provides evidence for the use of ethanolic willow bark extract in managing low back pain” (Phytother Res 2009;23:897-900).

The highly respected Cochrane group has conducted a review of controlled trials of herbal medicines on low back pain. It concluded that white willow bark extract (standardized for 240mg salicin a day), devil’s claw (standardized for 50mg harpagoside a day) and cayenne plasters all reduce low back pain better than a placebo (Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2006;(2):CD 004504).
The reviewers included a study of 228 people that found that white willow bark was as effective as Vioxx. Vioxx has been taken off the market because it increases the risk of heart attack, stroke and angina. That makes white willow look pretty good!

The Cochrane review also concluded that devil’s claw, which is better known for treating arthritis, is superior to placebo for low back pain. The reviewers included a study that found that devil’s claw, too, is as effective as Vioxx for people with low back pain.

If your back pain does not radiate to your legs, then 800mg of devil’s claw extract 3 times a day is an effective treatment (Phytomed 1996;3:1- 10). The lower dose of 200-400mg 3 times a day has also been shown to work (Eur J Anaesthisiol 1999;16:118-129).

When people suffering from lower back pain or osteoarthritis were given devil’s claw for 54 weeks, the number of people experiencing no pain at all increased from 3% to 31%. The number of people in moderate pain went down from 45% to 21%, the number of people in severe pain went down from 25% to 11%, and the number of people suffering from excruciating pain dropped from 5% to only 1%. Overall, 75% of the people given devil’s claw responded (Phytomed 2007;14:371-376).

back pain. For some reason, the study did not find this result for men (J Am Geriatr Soc 2008;56:785- 791). Vitamin D levels have also been shown to be lower in pregnant women with back pain (Clin Rheumatol 2007;26:1895-1901).

Magnesium
A double-blind study added either magnesium or a placebo to the treatment of 80 people with chronic low back pain who were unresponsive to physical therapy and medication. At the end of the 6 month study, pain had diminished from 7.5 to 4.7 in the magnesium group but only from 7.4 to 7.2 in the placebo group. Lumbar spine range of motion only improved in the magnesium group (Anaesthesia 2013;68:260-266).

B Vitamins
Another addition to the back pain regimen that is not well known is vitamins B1, B6 and B12. When researchers gave either the NSAID diclofenac alone or combined with B1, B6 and B12 to people who were in acute pain, the addition of the vitamins brought about a significantly greater benefit. All measures of pain relief and movement were significantly better with the combination. People who added the B vitamins also got better faster and were able to take a reduced dose of the NSAID (Klin Wochenschr 1990;68:107-115).

PEA
Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) is a still little known supplement. It has strong anti-inflammatory, immune, pain relieving and antidepressant effects. PEA is naturally made in your own body. PEA influences control mechanisms in our cells that control cellular stress and inflammation. Adding PEA to the opioid tapentadol safely brings about significantly greater reduction in pain intensity, neuropathic, pain and disability (BMC Anesthesiol. 2017 Dec 19 ;17(1):171).
Double-blind studies have shown 300mg and, especially, 600mg of PEA to be significantly more effective than placebo for lower back pain or sciatica.

Topical Help
Three of the best topical pain killers are cayenne cream, homeopathic arnica and peppermint essential oil. When the nerve is involved, St. John’s wort oil used topically is helpful. Comfrey root is also helpful. When 120 people with acute pain in the upper or lower back were given either comfrey root extract ointment or a placebo 3 times a day for 5 days in a double-blind study, pain intensity went down by 95.2% in the comfrey group compared to only 37.8% in the placebo group (British Journal of Sports Medicine 2010;44:637-641).

Acupuncture & Acupressure
Acupuncture is incredibly effective for back pain. It is better than anesthetic injections (Acupunct Med. 2009 Dec;27(4):174-7). A review of the research concluded that acupuncture is effective for lower back pain (Arch Intern Med 1998;158:2235- 2241). Another research review concluded that

Vitamin D
Vitamin D is not usually thought of as a pain killer. But most people who suffer from low back pain are low in vitamin D: in one study, the number was 83%. When researchers gave them vitamin D, they all improved. When 68 people who had low vitamin D and chronic low back pain were given 60,000IU of vitamin D a week for 8 weeks in an unblinded study, they had significant improvement in pain and functional ability (Pain Physician. 2017 Jan- Feb;20(1):E99-E105).

Vitamin D may help low back pain even if you are not low in vitamin D. In the study, 69% of people without deficiencies also improved (Spine 2003;28:177-179).

A second study also found that women who are low in vitamin D are almost twice as likely to suffer acupuncture is beneficial for people suffering from slipped disc and sciatica (J Altern Comp Med 1997;3:55- 76). A new systematic review and meta-analysis of 23 controlled studies found that acupressure is better than physical therapy or “usual care” for lower back pain (Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2021 Feb 24;2021:8862399).

Stop Smoking!
And one more surprising thing. Everyone knows that smoking is bad for you. But did you know it is bad for your back? Well it is. Smoking may contribute to low back pain (Spine J 2010;10:918- 940). A survey of over 29,000 people found a significant association between smoking and low back pain (Spine 1998;23:2207-2213).

The Newest News in Fighting Back Pain
When your intervertebral discs compress, you get friction and compression on the nerves. And that hurts! Standard therapy includes spinal elongation and flexibility, back pain and disk mobilization exercises. Better than standard therapy adds the herbs boswellia and gotu kola.
Standard therapy increased height and spine length. But adding the herbs increased them significantly more. Adding the herbs also improved spinal elongation faster and more effectively. Disc space and disc density increased significantly more in the herb group. The people who added the boswellia and gotu kola also had significantly greater improvement in symptoms and mobility, and they needed significantly less pain medication. They also missed less work.

The researchers made the striking conclusion that adding boswellia and gotu kola doubles the effectiveness of standard therapy (Panminerva Med 2020 Sep 08;doi:10.23736/S0031-0808.20.04028-8).

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Contact Ted Snider at tedsnider@bell.net or at 416.782.8211.

For comprehensive natural help with your health, make an appointment to see Linda Woolven now. Linda’s clinic is now open for virtual appointments. Linda is a master herbalist, acupuncturist, and solution-focused counsellor with a practice in Toronto.
Linda is also an artist whose paintings hang in galleries and private collections across North America. You can see some of her painting here.