Reported as affecting 80-percent of all people in America at one time in their life or another, back pain is one of the most common afflictions in our country today.  Be it in the form of spasms, sharp pain, dull aches, or even a tingling sensation, back pain happens when one or more of these symptoms emerge in someone’s back area as either a short or long-term condition.   The back is not only comprised of many different bones, muscles, connective tissues (like ligaments and tendons), and cartilage-based discs in between the vertebral bones. It is also the home of the spinal column and a complex array of nerves and nerve-endings.  The high incidence of back pain is often attributed to this sophisticated anatomy.

Western medicine claims that the cause of back pain can be from structural maladies such as nerves getting disturbed from herniated discs or strain to the muscles and ligaments that then cause injury.  It is also said that it can be from certain diseases such as fractures caused by osteoporosis, stress on the body caused by irregularities in the spine through diseases like scoliosis, and even more extreme diseases like cancer of the spine.

The Western approach to resolving back pain is varied and can include both medicinal and therapeutic intervention.  Many doctors may prescribe painkillers such as aspirin or ibuprofen to help lessen the pain, and in more extreme cases may prescribe muscle relaxers as well.  A patient may also be offered a physical therapy regimen, massage, or some form of either hot or cold therapy to help lessen their symptoms.  In particularly extreme cases, back pain may be treated with surgery with the intention of reversing damage to the nerves and other tissues.

Within the Western model of medicine, however, there is also a movement to reverse back pain through the diagnosis of what is known as tension myositis syndrome.This cites suppressed emotional pain as the cause and encourages the alleviation of symptoms through knowledge therapy and sometimes psychotherapy.

As noted above, many if not most instances of back pain are the result of what happens when a structural problem like a herniated disc causes trauma to surrounding nerves.  Ayurveda considers trauma to the nervous system to be indicative of an aggravation and even derangement of the Vata dosha.

The Vata dosha is primarily based on the energy of movement and elimination in the body.  When the body is functioning properly and the Vata energy is in balance, the body retains the necessary moisture and grounding to ensure that the elimination of stool can happen with regularity.  When Vata energy gets aggravated from too much movement through activities like frenetic exercise and travel, and from consuming too many items encouraging coldness and dryness; the body can become cool and dry as a whole.  This dryness inhibits healthy elimination of the stool, and when this downward movement out of the body is hampered, the energy instead moves back up through the body and delivers the toxicity of the stool to the rest of the body through the nervous system.

Ayurveda considers the many incidences of back pain that are indicative of nerve damage to be associated with this particular doshic imbalance.  Ayurveda also considers back pain to be symptomatic of dryness and dysfunction of the connective tissue in the spinal joints, which is indicative of excessive Vata energy as well.

If a person creates a lot of movement through quick and nervous actions, the back will be the first place to suffer. Similarly, if a person has many thoughts and movement in the mind creating pressure and stress, this will also end up as a physical ailment as the body cannot take the constant pressure of this energy.

Ayurveda’s main goal in treating back pain is to balance the aggravated Vata energy so as to strengthen the nervous system and reduce dysfunction in the joints. Accomplishing this goal requires the patient to favor the consumption of oils and cooked foods which will lubricate the system, avoid Vata-aggravating foods that further dry out the body, self-administer various therapies and treatments that help to nourish the body, and retain the services of a trained Ayurvedic practitioner to administer more sophisticated treatments like enemas and other therapies that help to create greater regularity and nourishment in the body as a whole.

Pineapples

Mangoes

Grapes

Rice (white basmati)

Milk (warm)

Oats (cooked)

Papaya

Apricots

Fresh figs

Sweet potatoes

Olive oil

Peaches

Asparagus

Carrots

Ghee

Sesame oil

Apples
Pears
Watermelon
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Tomatoes

Celery

Eggplant

Oats (dry)

Corn

Barley

Raw and cold foods

Most legumes including green lentils and garbanzo beans

Dry foods like raisins and cold cereal