Both Yoga and EarSeeds are incredible tools for living a balanced life, managing pain, and feeling good!
And its not just our opinion – it is science proven
!In a 2013 study, Participants were lead through a 4 week trial to test the feasibility of auricular point acupressure used to treat chronic low back pain. Participants who used EarSeeds noticed a reduction in pain by at least 75%!
Clinical guidelines released by the American College of Physicians recommend yoga and other non-drug options as a first step to treat chronic low back pain.
Utilizing strategies, like yoga and earseeds as a first defense, are particularly appealing because they are relatively safe and inexpensive.
But how can these modalities help low back pain?
First, we need to understand how pain in the lumbar spine is categorized and what the main causes of discomfort in this area are. There are many ways to categorize to low back pain but the two we will cover today are:
- Mechanical Pain: (Sometimes called axial pain) This implies the source of pain is in the spine and/or its supporting structure (surrounding muscles and ligaments). Typically, Mechanical Pain is local to the low back, buttocks, and sometimes the top of the legs, influenced by loading the spine and may feel different based on activity (sitting, moving, twisting, etc).
- Radicular pain. This can occur if a spinal nerve root becomes impinged or irritated. Typically, radicular pain is a specific sensation that could feel sharp and is associated with numbness or weakness (sciatica). One way to identify Radicular pain is if the pain is only felt on one side of the body.
Lower Back Stiffness or Sprain is one of the most common forms of mechanical back pain and typically occurs when fibers in a muscle begin to tear from being overstretched or overused. When these fibers are overstretched the surrounding area will typically become inflamed and start to feel sore or painful. Mechanical low back pain often originates in lumbar spine (L1-L5). Most of the body’s weight while moving is absorbed by these five levels, and things such as poor posture, week abdominal, and repetitive motions can make this area more susceptible to injury.
A regular yoga practice strengthens your deep core muscles and stabilizers to support your spine throughout your daily activities. Because the lumbar spine bears most of the weight of our body, strengthening these key muscle groups responsible for posture and stability is especially important. Strong abdomen, pelvis, hip, buttock and lower back region create an internal girdle to keep you pain free and mobile.
Sciatica is a common form of radicular pain that is caused by pressure on or irritation on one of the five roots of the sciatic nerve. This can cause shooting pain on one side of the body, orginating in the lower back, usually around L4 or L5, and travels through the hip or buttocks. Sciatica is often a result of excessive lumbar flexion (rounding of the lower back). Much of our live involves so much sitting, forward bending, and lifting heavy objects improperly, which can cause irritation of these nerve roots.
A yoga practice that focuses on certain gentle movements, while avoiding movements that increase pressure on the nerve roots, may decrease sciatica symptoms
Ariculat therapy has many benefits on sciatica related symptoms. One theory is that stimulating certain ear points produces an effect by communicating with your central nervous system. This trigger the release of chemicals that either alter the experience of pain or produce other changes that promote a sense of well-being and helping curb any unpleasant symptoms.
You can start a home practice, or a simple earseeds condition kit. There are so many articles, and online classes to guide your wellness journey. Once you learn the basics of auricular therapy and yoga, you can intuitively go with what feels best for your body.
The above list is not comprehensive. It merely highlights some of the more common issues causing back pain and our favorite avenues to manage symptoms. Always consult your doctor or practitioner is pain persists or becomes more severe.
Next time you’re feeling a little stiff, before you reach for the Advil, try EarSeeds placed on back pain points or a quick Sun Salutation instead!
