#1 Perform Mckenzie exercises. Lay flat on your stomach with your forearms flat on the floor at shoulder height. Rise up on to your elbows so that your spine is an extension. Then lift your chin and hold for 3 minutes.
#2 Use capsaicin cream. Capsaicin is the substance found in chili peppers that makes them spicy. It is a commonly known, natural pain reliever. It has been shown to affect substance P, a neurotransmitter involved in pain transmission. To use: apply topically, at least twice per day, for maximum relief.
#3 Get some exercise. It seems counter-intuitive but the less you move the more pain you will experience. Low impact, moderate intensity exercise is the safest option. Listen to your body and avoid movements that trigger pain. Take 5-10 minutes to warm up prior to exercising. Walking will do. Always include static abdominal/ core exercises like a plank or glute bridge.
#4 Follow an Anti-Inflammatory Diet. Reducing inflammation throughout your body can have a profound effect on joint pain overall. Following an anti-inflammatory diet is the easiest way to reduce system-wide inflammation.
#5 Lose excess weight. As we gain weight, stress, and pressure on the lower spine and back muscles increases. Increased abdominal weight at the front of the body can cause an increased arch in the spine and may lead to increased stress on pain sensitive tissues. Losing weight reduces the tendency to arch the back and relieves pressure on the lower spine.
If your back pain is persistent or excruciating, you should see your personal physician urgently.
While these are some home remedies for the occasional back pain and flare-up, we do recommend seeing a physician for chronic pain, any injury or strain. This is the only way to be certain of the level of the pain and best course of action to treat it.
Please contact San Diego Orthobiologics, if you are in the Carlsbad / San Diego area, for a consultation.
After suffering a potentially career-ending knee injury, Brian Farber of the San Diego Sockers in the Professional Arena Soccer League searched for a treatment to get him back in the game. After a few failed attempts, Farber turned to regenerative medicine. He would later become one of the first people in San Diego to receive this innovative regenerative medicine treatment.
Farber had suffered a knee injury and torn patellar ligament about two and a half years earlier. Initial treatment with physical therapy and platelet-rich plasma injections were unsuccessful. He was not a candidate for surgery and was told that he would “just have to live with the pain”. But, the pain made it difficult to resume professional soccer and his other favorite daily activities such as jogging with his wife and teaching at his soccer academy. Farber had even considered retiring from professional soccer.
Fortunately, a colleague introduced him to Dr. Christopher Rogers, founder of the San Diego Orthobiologics Medical Group. Dr. Rogers had treated many other patients successfully and was confident that stem cell therapy would heal Farber’s injury. Dr. Rogers is the first physician in San Diego to offer this state-of-the-art and FDA compliant treatment known as Lipogems®.
Lipogems is a medical device which uses a patient’s own fat (adipose) tissue harvested with a legally marketed lipoplasty system (mixed with a specific FDA approved solution) Dr. Rogers uses high-resolution ultrasound imaging to visualize the injury and to inject the solution into the injured tissue.
Farber decreased his activity for ten days to facilitate the healing process. Follow-up care included physical therapy, progressive strengthening, and BEMER technology, which uses pulsed electromagnetic waves to stimulate cellular activity and improve circulation. Within three months Farber was feeling strong and by six months he was feeling good enough to play competitive soccer.
Farber, who is known to his soccer fans as “Flash” is pleased that he can stand up to his nickname once again. He says that “it feels great to run without pain”. He was recently voted Comeback Player of the Year and selected to the Indoor National Team. He is preparing for the Indoor World Cup.
Dr. Rogers and his team at the San Diego Orthobiologics Medical Group are excited for Brian. We are rooting for Brian and his team this year.