Can Tapping Cure An Aching Back

I have recently been "experimenting" with a technique called Tapping or EFT. EFT stands for emotional freedom therapy. Basically you tap with your fingers on key meridans located on your body. I find that it helps when I have some aches and feel crampy after a long day at work. I have also used it for other things like boosting energy, helping to settle down and get a good night's sleep.

The great thing about tapping is it's easy to learn, you can do it yourself, there's lots of free info and there are no side affects. The best source is http://www.emofree.com give it a try.

84 Year Old Playing Tennis Again!

I wanted to post this from the "Lose The Back Pain" Newsletter. At 84 years old, Wayne Wall is back on the tennis court and I wanted to share with you his recent comments:

"As a result of far infrared heat applications and the stretches you recommended, my sciatica is no longer troubling me and I am again playing tennis 5 times a week at age 84. Thank you!"

Wayne Wall

That's great... and that's just from our free videos... Wayne's not even a customer yet! So don't make the mistake so many others do and under estimate the effectiveness of the things we teach you...

Pretty amazing I just hope I'm alive at 84. Being able to play tennis would be amazing. (Especially considering I never could play the game!) This shows how great the lose the Back Pain Program is and how willing they are to share free info. Click on their link and begin receiving the same info that Wayne Wall is getting.

Does Stretching Help or Hurt My Aching Back?

If you are suffering from an aching back, stretching may not cure your back pain and in fact may only make it worst! Now I know what you are thinking - You are saying to yourself wait a minute I thought stretching was great for a bad back. Doesn't stretching relax and strengthen my muscles? Doesn't it relieve pain? Aren't stretching exercises the first thing all athletes do before beginning and event like running, swimming, etc.?

The answer is yes. But consider is: Are these types of stretches the ones I should be doing to stop my pain? The answer is no. I know this is frustrating and probably makes you angry. If, like me you have suffered from pain caused by a herniated disc or other back problems you are probably going through a treatment program for your back pain. Right now you are working with a chiropractor or physical therapist, or trying your own exercise program (Yoga, Pilates, pumping iron at the gym, etc.), and not getting relief. Like me you want relief from your pain now! Let me share with you a widely known "secret."

The secret is "Knowledge is Power". Understanding your situation and the condition of your back will enable you to get better care and faster results. The second part of the secret is you have to be your own advocate. By doing this you have more control.The problem is the person working with you may be a caring dedicated professional but they simply don't have the time to share with you everything they know. I realized this myself when I started physical therapy after my back surgery. After a few sessions I began to realize that everyone else at the clinic was doing the same exercises. Regardless of age, sex, health, etc, we all started with the same stretching exercises!

Being a Little more assertive than some I started asking questions. The therapist was patient and explained that these exercises were shown to be effective in most cases and designing custom programs for each patient would be too time consuming. Here's the problem with most stretching movements - they generally work one muscle group against another. For example: The therapist may tell you that your hamstrings are tight and begins to stretch them. But what he/she fails to do is to take other body imbalances into consideration. Failure to consider these imbalances may cause you more harm than good.

Try An Ice Massage For An Aching Back

Is an ice massage the answer for relieving my aching back? The answer is yes! If you are experiencing a sore back an ice massage maybe just what the doctor ordered. If you are like me and have played a lot of sports you know that coaches usually carry several packets of "instant ice" in their first aid kits.

When there is an injury on the field the first thing a coach reaches for is an ice pack. The coach quickly activates the package placing it directly on the injured area. The ice does several things:

1. It reduces the swelling and inflammation.

2. It temporarily relieves the pain by stopping pain signals to your brain.

3. Prevents damage to injured tissue.

Now if you have a sore back you don't need a fancy ice packet. Just crush some ice, put it in a ziplock bag, wrap it in a towel and place on your sore back. Limit the ice to about ten minutes. Even a bag of frozen peas will work if you are in a rush.

To further improve on using ice to relieve your sore back try an ice massage. Simply take your bag of frozen peas or ice pack, place on the injured area and move it in a circular monition around the sore muscle. Don't put the ice directly on your skin, always have some protective cloth, towel or clothing between the ice an skin. Ice massage is a quick, free and effective way to quickly bring relief to your aching back.

However ice massage does not get at the root cause of your pain. For that you need a program or system that addresses the underlying cause of your pain/injury. Many times the real causes are weak muscles and/or muscle imbalance.

Working With An Aching Back

I just finished one week of working and feel pretty good. A little tried after not being constantly on my feet and of course putting in a 12 hour day (includes 2 1/2 hour roundtrip commute) does wear you out, but all in all not a bad week.

Several things helped in my recovery from a herniated disc and surgery:

1. A skilled and caring surgeon: My advice to you is find the best available. One who does a lot of surgeries and is well known in your area.

2. Great physical therapist: Same advice as for your surgeon. Also I stayed away from some of the larger physical therapist companies and went would a locally own business. Not that a larger compay wouldn't give me good service, I just prefer dealing with someone that has a real stake in the community and business.

3. Sticking to a recovery plan and not rushing things. Healing takes time. It important to understand that you will have some good days and bad days. But with time the bad days are few.

4. losing weight: I lost ten pounds which has made me feel better and have more energy. I plan to lose another ten more.

5. Following a program of exercise and the information available @ the Healthy Back InstituteClick Here!" My only regret is not finding out about them before my surgery. Now that I have found them I intend to stick to their program.

As my therapist says I'm a work in progress. My goals are to continue to improve my strength, energy level and live pain feel. I can't wait to be able to ride my bike and kayak with my wife.

Back Surgery: Seven Things You Must Know - But Your Doctor May Not Tell You

Modern medicine is wonderful, all the new treatments, micro and laser surgery, MRI and new vaccines make one feel good they are living in today's world and not 100 or even 50 years ago. New techniques in surgery enable most of us to have a procedure that would have required days in the hospital to now be performed as an outpatient operation. Surgeons for the most part are highly skilled and caring professional. But there are things a surgeon won't tell you when it comes to an operation and in this case a back surgery.

1. Many back surgeries fail to relieve the pain and discomfort. There is even a name for it "Failed Back Surgery Syndrome". This is where the pain returns even though the surgery was a "mechanical success". This was the case with my operation.

2. Risk of infection: My friend had the same procedure I had and was pain free afterward (Lucky Guy!) However a few days later he was back in the hospital with a severe infection (Not so lucky!) and had to endure another more complicated operation. He has recovered, but if the infection wasn't treated quickly it could have led to major complications.

3. Nerve damage: The surgeon is cutting very close to major nerves in your body a slight knick can cause paralysis.

4. Bone chip and other debris: During an operation, especially if the surgeon is removing part of the vertebrae, minute bone chips and other debris are created - if this isn't completely removed it can cause problems later.

5. Anesthesia complications: All surgeries have the risk of complications from anesthesia. Nausea and vomiting can occur as a reaction to an anesthesia. The tube inserted in the throat can can irritation.

6. Blood Clots

7. Bleeding

It's obvious that you need to have a serious talk with your doctor and make sure he covers and completely answers all your questions. After all it's your body. I believe it is also critical to explore other non-surgical, natural treatments and cures before undergoing the knife. There are proven and effective non-invasive treatment programs and systems.

One of the top rated programs is called the Lose The Back Pain System developed by therapists and doctors of the Healthy back Institute. This program has helped thousands by strengthening muscles and eliminating muscles imbalance.

Medications for Treating Back Pain

A few years ago when I was a younger person, if you had an aching back your choice of medication was limited to aspirin, one or two prescription drugs and a spinal injection. Thankfully today they are many effective and relatively safe over the counter medications and prescription drugs you can take. Below are the more common drug treatments in use today.

Of course you need to discuss with your doctor the right drug therapy for your back problem and the possible side effects. Also make sure you tell your doctor of any medications over the counter or prescribed that you are currently taking. Don't forget to tell him/her of any herbal treatments or supplements you might also be taking all of these combined with a prescribed drug may have undesirable results.



Acetaminophen, an analgesic used exclusively for acute pain. It can be used alone or in combination with NSAIDs.

Opioids are carefully prescribed for back pain due to their addictive nature. These drugs are not a first line of treatment, but may be used in select situations.

NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory drugs) help to decrease inflammation and promote healing.

COX-2 Inhibitors (a type of NSAID) may allow patients to take higher doses without the accompanying gastrointestinal side effects from conventional NSAIDs.

Muscle relaxants are often prescribed for severe pain. However, some experts believe that NSAIDs are just as effective.


Again understand that any medications even herbal or OTC (over the counter) may have serious side effects. Talk to your physician before taking any medications for back pain.

Also know that all of these medications although they may relieve the pain do not resolve the underlying cause for the aching back. You need to find a program or system to cure your bad back for good.

One of the top rated programs is called the Lose The Back Pain System developed by therapists and doctors of the Healthy back Institute. This program has helped thousands by strengthening muscles and eliminating muscles imbalance.

As someone who has suffered with a bad back and who has endured months of physical therapy and an operation, I can tell you there are solutions for your discomfort. To help myself and others cope with an aching back I have created this blog.