Popular Back Pain Relief Products…And Why They Fall Short!

back pain relief products most don't workIf you do a quick internet search on back pain relief products, you’ll find a multitude of products available. You’ll find everything from machines, herbs, multi-vitamins, and miracle creams. You’ll even find a back pain relief system or two claiming they can eliminate your back pain in as little as 24 hours to a few days.

 

I see a lot of patients that come to physical therapy frustrated that they’ve tried a number of treatments to relieve their back pain but are still searching for answers. In general, people are cynical and tired of being sold back pain relief products or systems that don’t work. As a licensed physical therapist, that is upsetting to me.

 

Let’s review a few common back pain relief products, and then I’ll tell you why none of them are going to successfully give you lower back pain relief and keep it from returning!

 

Pain Medications/Muscle Relaxers

 

  • Can be effective for temporarily decreasing the symptoms of back pain
  • No substantial research to show that medications are effective in the treatment and prevention of back pain when used alone
  • Do nothing to change what caused the problem in the first place
  • Helpful in giving temporary pain relief to allow an individual to start a rehabilitation/exercise program

 

T.E.N.S. (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) Machines

 

  • Battery-operated machine that sends mild electrical signals into the body
  • Designed to interfere with the nerve’s ability to transmit pain signals to the brain
  • Seems to be a lack of scientific evidence supporting their effectiveness for eliminating back pain, but I do have patients that have experienced good results with TENS

 

Magnetic Belts/Devices

 

  • Magnetic patches/belts are placed over the affected area
  • Like T.E.N.S. in that it is designed to interfere with the nerve’s ability to send pain signals to the brain
  • Like T.E.N.S. in that there seems to be an overall lack of scientific evidence proving their effectiveness

 

Inversion Therapy Table

 

  • Table that allows you to lie on your back in an inverted position
  • Designed to decompress the disks and ligaments of the spine
  • Shown to be effective in decreasing pressure on the disks of the spine; thus, decreasing pain

 

Back 2 Life Machine

 

  • Allows you to lie on your back while the machine passively moves your knees up toward your chest and back to the starting position
  • Designed to loosen tight back muscles and help re-align the spine
  • Passive range of motion has documented benefits
  • Passive motion can help flush inflammation out of the joints/tissues in the spine

 

 

Herbs/Multi-vitamins

 

  • It is important to make sure your body has the nutrients/minerals it needs for good health in general
  • Have looked into a number of these products and give them very little credibility in their ability to help give true back pain relief
  • Remember, there are no such things as miracle cures

 

Why These Back Pain Relief Products Fall Short

Let me be the first to say that some of the products above do provide some temporary pain relief. However, all of highly promoted back pain relief products listed above are designed to treat the symptom of back pain, not the cause of the pain itself. The fact is you cannot effectively treat back pain without treating what caused the pain in the first place!

 

The majority of back pain cases are mechanical in nature. That means they are caused from things like muscle imbalances, poor posture and movement patterns, and weak core stabilizers. None of the back pain relief products mentioned above do anything to address the physical factors most commonly causing back pain, which is why they fall short in successfully giving back pain relief. Unfortunately, even if you get temporary pain relief from some of these products, you’ll be fighting the same battle again a few months down the road if you don’t treat the true cause of your pain!

 

Professional Back Pain Relief Products From The Back Pain University

At The Back University, we want you to take control of your back pain. We want to give you the tools you need to not only eliminate your back pain in the short term, but to know how to keep it from coming back. Visit the link below to find out how you can take control of your back pain and ensure a healthy back for life by accessing the most cutting-edge back pain relief products available today!