Dr. Vinod Jain

One of the most common complaints of men and women is that of a back ache with lower back aches being the most common. Apart from an improper posture, this may be caused by old age, lifting heavy weights or an injury to the back. A consistent back ache can affect your daily life and make performing regular tasks uncomfortable. Luckily, it can be managed quite well with simple natural remedies.
According to Ayurveda, backaches are triggered by an excess of Vata dosha. Thus, the natural remedies for a back ache aim at reducing the Vata dosha. 

For this reason, they can be prescribed to both children and adults. Some such remedies are:

1. Cut down on spices: One of the main characteristics of the Vata dosha is dryness. This can be caused by pungent spices such as wasabi and green or red chillies. The internal dryness caused by these spices can lead to constipation which in turn can be one of the causes of low back aches. Hence, if you suffer from a chronic backache that may or may not be accompanied by constipation, cut back on the spices and try eating food that is slightly blander.
2. Eat food before it gets cold: Eating cold food or cold drinks can also increase the Vata dosha levels in our body. Coldness creates congestion and constricts the internal organs while warm food allows the digestive and stool carrying channels to stay open. This allows for the easy expulsion of waste and reduces toxins in the body. Hence, opt for warm drinks like tea or coffee instead of soft drinks and juices and try to eat your food while it is hot.
3. Padahastasana or the standing forward fold pose: This yoga asana is very effective when it comes to treating back pain as it allows the Vata dosha to flow easily through the body. In doing this it opens up the digestive channels that may have been causing constipation and back pain. It also relieves problems associated with sciatica. To practise this asana begin by standing upright with your feet beside each other. While inhaling, lift your arms over your head till they touch your ears. Bend forward from your hips while exhaling and try to keep the back and your legs straight. Touch the floor or wrap your hands around your calves. Bring your head as close to the knees as possible and hold for 5 – 10 seconds. Inhale and the slowly roll your body upright again. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can ask a free question.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a type of arthritis that affects the spine. This chronic disease is caused due to inflammation of the joints in the spine and usually affects young men. It causes the vertebrae to grow or fuse together, causing a rigid spine. Actually, it affects the discs in between the vertebral column. These discs get swollen, causing a limitation of spine motility. It is an autoimmune disorder and its symptoms are lower back pain and stiffness, which usually moves to the legs.

• The deformity due to AS can be mild or severe. In extreme cases, the patient gets a stooped spine. 
• Early diagnosis can prevent significant deformity as well as help in controlling the pain and stiffness.
• Allopathy doesn’t really know the real reasons for this disease and here is where Ayurveda scores.
• According to Ayurveda, AS is caused due to aggravated vata or wind, which causes an imbalance in vata dosha.

Ayurvedic treatment
Ayurvedic treatment starts with detoxification and elimination of toxins. It relies heavily on the right diet and lifestyle as well as Ayurvedic herbal preparations. The panchakarma techniques called kati vasti, sarvangadhara and patrapinda svedana are very beneficial too. The basic explanation for the disorder is that AS occurs due to an accumulation of ama or toxins in the body. Where ever ama deposits in the body, pain is caused. Ayurvedic treatments aim at digesting the ama by using herbs as medicine and balancing the aggravated vata.

1. Herbs used in the treatment of AS are dry ginger (saunth), guggul, turmeric, fenugreek, ashwagandha and giloy. Gugul, curcumin, amlaki, haritaki, and ashwagandha are all very effective in treating AS.
2. Avoid getting constipated and ensure proper evacuation of bowels.
3. Include ghee in your diet for lubrication and for lowering the vata dosha.
4. Apply heat on the affected areas to control the pain and stiffness.
5. Eat light foods and strictly avoid oily foods and curd which increase ama.
6. Avoid sleeping during the daytime.
7. Yoga asanas like pawana muktasana, bhujangasana, dhanurasana, paschimottanasana and vakrasana should be practised regularly.
8. The practice of pranayamas such as and shodhana, chandrabhedi sheethali and bhramari also helps.
9. Chewing 2–3 raw garlic buds on an empty stomach in the morning with water helps in alleviating lumbar pain in AS.
10. Use a powdered preparation of dried ginger root, celery seeds and cumin seeds in equal quantities with rock salt for taste, and have one teaspoon of this mixture with warm water at bedtime to reduce flatulence as well as lumbar stiffness.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!