Yoga for Chronic Back Pain?

[KathyM]

My husband suffers from chronic lower back pain due to degenerative disk disease. His docs treat him with epidural shots and numerous medications.

Personally, I'd rather learn to cope with chronic pain than have to surrender the rest of my life to prescription pain meds. However, I'm just stubborn that way, so I've tried to keep my mouth closed about all those pills.

Problem is I don't see much improvement after 3 years, and the side effects are a little frightening. To top it off, I think those meds are starting to effect his liver and kidneys.

Over the years I've seen people talk about yoga for back pain, but I think it's a certain type of yoga. I searched in my community, and can't find any classes.

Do any of you know if there is a special type of yoga for back pain, and if so - can I find it on DVD or videotape?

Thank you :)

[Laura]

Kathy,
I just caught your post. Unfortunately I don't do yoga so I can't answer your question, but I definitely think it could help. What I would caution against though is trying to learn it from a book or DVD. I currently take Pilates, which I think has similar results, it promotes balance, core strength, and flexibility like yoga, and have a history of severe low back pain as well as having broken my neck and surgery following that. Pilates has helped me ALOT but my instructor is also a PT and modifies the exercises as necessary for me, as well as monitoring that I do them CORRECTLY. Doing exercises incorrectly, or doing the wrong ones, can end up doing more harm than good.

Is your husband even interested in yoga though.......... or is this your idea? Something like this takes motivation and persistence. You don't get instant results like you do with meds and injections, it can takes weeks or even months to start seeing results. Muscles have become stiff and atrophied from inactivity and it takes time and perseverance to slowly build them back up and stretch them out. I still have to take a fair number of medications (no narcotics though anymore), I have permanent neurological damage, but it has been worth it to be freed from disabling chronic pain and to have a relatively normal life back. Just my experience...........

[Lara]

Over the years I've seen people talk about yoga for back pain, but I think it's a certain type of yoga. I searched in my community, and can't find any classes.

Hi Kathy! :)

I did Hatha Yoga for years. There are different types of Hatha Yoga too, but I have no idea what type I was doing. It seems to be the most common around my parts too. It's a good starting place. It's gentle and it's great for mobility. Just important to take it slowly.

This is not yoga, but Tai Chi would be a good way to go with problems like your husband has. It's really gentle and balanced. That's where I'd probably start.

With the yoga, if he did decide to do that, your husband should talk to his doctor first. I found it more helpful in the beginning to take actual classes than to do it own my own. It's important that the instructor knows of any health issues like back problems.

I looked around and was able to find someone who knew what they were doing. Some yoga classes in gyms, for example are a little like an aerobics class, where everyone just arrives, and gets straight into it. Someone with injuries or back problems should get more personalized attention because some positions might not be recommended and also some positions can be adjusted, so that instead of having a straight leg position, someone with back problems can adjust the position by having their knees bent... etc.

Start off very slowly and gently. If it hurts, stop!

[copperhead]

Your husband should look into trying some DLPA or phenylalanine. This amino acid prevents the breakdown of enzymes that deplete your body of endorphins and enkalphalins. This can work for chronic pain but not accute pain. This is not something your body can become addicted to or lose effectiveness with use.

Barry Fox as a book on DLPA for pain and depression that might help with this. In this book he says that some people take DLPA for several days and then stop for maybe two days. I take DLPA to help with dopamine levels. But when my levels of DLPA drop too low one symptom I can experience is neck or shoulder pain that will come on pretty quickly.

That book will tell you what other nutrients you need to take besides the DLPA.

[jd3]

I hope you have come up with something useful during the past month. However if you are still looking you can find a number of books on amazon.com by runnig: yoga back pain. Having some titles to work with the next step could be the locaal library(s). I have done both yoga and tai chi (not for back pain) and in both cases my very good teachers have instructed people, including myself, to work around problems. Tai chi is definetly the more gentle. :)

[TongRen]

I have moderate arthritis in my lower back and hip and found Tong Ren Therapy to be very helpful. I now practice it (thus my name) and use it on myself. I use a variation of it on my back as described below.

The best treatment for backpain is to get a plastic doll and aim a laser pointer at the doll while the sitting or sleeping, with the doll located nearby and parallel to the patient's torso. We use standard acupuncture teaching dolls that are about 10" tall. The laser is pointed right at the spot on the doll that hurts the patient.

You can check out the various web sites and YouTube clips under Tong Ren Therapy. The best laser is a Bushnell Laser Level available on Amazon because it can be pointed up or down depending on the position of the doll.

I don't have much pain because of TR therapy and I don't take any drugs for it.
Please let me have any questions.
TongRen

[HermanVanderpoel]

hi,

I hope you have come up with something useful during the past month. However if you are still looking you can find a number of books on amazon.com by runnig: yoga back pain. Having some titles to work with the next step could be the locaal library(s). I have done both yoga and tai chi (not for back pain) and in both cases my very good teachers have instructed people, including myself, to work around problems. Tai chi is definetly the more gentle.*banjo

[Naominjw]

My daughter has had back pain since she was a little girl. After telling us for years that it was all in her head, It wasn't until she was 16 that they found she had multiple problems that led to osteopoerosis. She has problems now with her spine, and they sent her to physical therapy. The physical therapy was YOGA! Well, she'd been doing yoga already because it was the only thing that helped her to live with the pain. So they taught her more advanced yoga techniques.

She had started with just a book on basic yoga for children. I had actually gotten it for ME because that's my level... just some really basic stuff.

If insurance will pay, I would definitely recommend physical therapy... However, My daughter has been to several different PT places over the yars and they are not all created equal.

[Homeopathy]

Someone I know was totally cured form arthritis with hatha yoga, meditation and raw food. The person has been without any symptoms of arthritis for nine years after the recovery. The reason for the arthritis was psychological (acquintance with an aggressive person) and caused a shift in the immunological state of the body which led to the arthritis.