Far too many people struggle with back pain for years… even decades. If you’re one of them then you need to know about one of the most common reasons people can’t seem to beat their back pain: mixed pain syndrome.
In a nutshell, mixed pain syndrome describes how pain arises from multiple causes at the same time. Just because you have a herniated disc doesn’t mean it is the sole source of your back pain or even a source of pain at all.
There are two primary causes of pain: nerve compression and soft tissue pain. Nerve compression may be caused by conditions like a herniated disc or spinal stenosis causing direct pressure on a nerve. Soft tissue pain can occur from inflammation, scar tissue, trigger points, muscular micro-tears, or even decreased local cellular oxygen levels.
So what happens when you have a herniated disc pressing on a spinal nerve root, multiple trigger points in that area of the back, and local inflammation at the same time? Then you have a mixed pain syndrome condition that will take multiple approaches to eliminate your pain! Treat just one and you will end up frustrated and still in pain. This is why those suffering from back pain are encouraged to experiment with different types of treatments, often simultaneously, to get lasting back pain relief faster.
Need a starting point for treating mixed pain syndrome back pain? Begin by treating your back pain with safe alternatives to anti-inflammatory drugs:
- Reduce pain with a rub on pain relief cream
- Lower inflammation with a natural anti-inflammatory
- Improve circulation and release toxins with far infrared heat
- Decompress the spine with inversion therapy
Once painful spasms have been reduced and at least limited mobility has been restored, begin identifying underlying patterns and causes of your pain and eliminate them to prevent future back pain:
- Identify and eliminate muscle imbalances
- Relax muscle knots and eliminate trigger points
- Eliminate inflammation-causing foods like wheat, dairy, sugar, and fried foods from your diet
- Change your mental attitude towards pain
Remember, every person is different. There is no “one size fits all” approach to getting back pain relief, so what works for one person may not be as effective for another. Experiment until you find what works best for you.
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