Low back ache

Low back ache is a common disorder that may involve muscles, nerves and bones of back. The pain can be mild to severe.

Causes of low back ache

There are a large number of causes.

Strain, sprain, spasm osteoarthritis, herniation, stenosis and fracture are some of the musculoskeletal causes.

Inflammatory conditions like ankylosing spondylitis, Arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and irritable bowel syndrome also cause low back pain.

Some malignancies like breast cancer, prostate cancer, bone cancer and thyroid cancer cause pain in the lower back area.

Osteomyelitis and abscess are infectious conditions that can cause low back pain.

In some conditions like kidney diseases and gallbladder diseases, there can be lower back pain as referred pain.

Osteoarthritis, degeneration of disc etc are the most common conditions of low back pain.

In women conditions like endometriosis, ovarian cyst, ovarian cancer and uterine fibroids also present with low back pain.

Management of low back pain in Ayurveda

First of all the exact cause of the low back pain is to be determined. The physician may use techniques like X-rays, MRI to diagnose the condition. After diagnosing the condition, the physician decide what treatment is to be given.

In low back pain due to ankylosing spondylitis  etc. the treatment may be as follows:-

• Lepanam:- medicated paste is made and applied on the area and left their for a specified time.
• Kati abhyanga:- it is the massaging of low back area with oil
• Kashaya Dhara:- medicated decoctions are made and used to pour over the painful area
• Different pinda Sweda:- according to the condition of the patient and the disease the physician chooses appropriate type of pinda Sweda. That maybe Patra potali Sweda, jambira pinda Sweda, churna pinda Sweda etc.
• Sodhana chikilsa:- purification therapies especially basti, can help alleviate the condition.

Along with the treatment appropriate exercises that can help strengthen The structures in the lower back area can also help in overcoming the pain.

The pain caused by other reasons are treated accordingly.