By Jerry Corners, MD

Back pain and sex don’t go together very well and if you or your partner are among the 35 million people who have back pain, you know that back pain can disrupt your relationship. Sex is an important part of the intimacy between couples, and attitudes about sex, about rejection and about our self-image when we don’t feel up to a sexual encounter can haunt a couple for a long time.

Sex is supposed to be pleasurable for both of you and the fear of hurting yourself or your partner inhibits the spontaneous joy that you probably felt before your back pain developed. But what can you do about it? Most couples in which one or the other is restricted by back pain will eventually get around to realizing that back pain does not automatically mean no more sex. What it does mean is that you will need to make some accommodations to the pain and or the fear of it. It also means you will need to talk about sex in a slightly different way than you are used to.

Let’s back up for a second and begin with a very strong suggestion. Because pain has both a psychological component and a physical component, getting a sound diagnosis is critical to putting your mind at rest about what is wrong and secondly having a sound diagnosis will also give you guidelines for your physical limitations.

Secondly, after you have the diagnosis, involve the doctor or physical therapist in a frank discussion about dos and don’ts. Maybe that’s an uncomfortable subject for you, but these days we are talking more openly about sex and you should tap into the doctor’s experience here. In a perfect world the doctor would open the discussion for you, but if they don’t you may have to initiate it. Ideally your partner should be present because he or she will have his or her own questions and concerns.

To start sex off right, start off with a massage, or ice down the painful area. A warm shower together might help too. That way the muscles are relaxed.

Try These Positions Tonight…

Here are some sexual positions that can help you enjoy a pain-free experience.

For males:

1. Lay on a firm surface and use pillows to support your knees and head. You might like to try placing a small rolled towel under your lower back.
2. Try a side-by-side position.
3. Place a pillow under your lower back while your partner straddles you on top. You can also sit in a sturdy chair instead of lying down.

For females:

1. Try missionary position with the legs bent toward the chest.
2. Sit on the edge of a chair and have your partner kneel between your legs for entry.
3. Rear entry may also be more comfortable for women with back pain. Try it kneeling on the bed or lying on your belly with a pillow under her chest.
4. Sit on your partner’s lap as he sits in a chair.

Remember, the health of your back is dependent on many dynamic factors. Your symptoms may change over time so you may need to work with your health care provider from time to time as you go through the many stages of recovery. A word of caution is in order at this point. It is pretty common to begin feeling better and then overdo it and have your back pain symptoms flair up. We call this, the whoopee effect and it can happen to anyone. Just remember that as you improve gradually, so should your activity level also increase gradually.

As I mentioned earlier pain has two parts. There is the physical part. This is the actual stimulation of the nerve, like a painful tooth or a herniated disc pressing on the nerve. And then there is the subjective or the psychological part. This is how it feels to you and includes, among other things, such attitudes as fear that it will get worse or last forever, what will it means to be chronically disabled, and what you believe your partner thinks about it as well as how you are coping with your condition.

So, at the top of your agenda there needs to be a frank discussion of your pain limitations and expectations about sex. It is a mistake to believe that your partner understands what it feels like. It is your responsibility to communicate those limitations as clearly as possible; it is their responsibility to listen and try to understand.

Pain, after all, is invisible and subjective. That means your pain is unique to you. We have heard people liken back pain to everything from a hot poker going down one or both legs to a chronic aching sensation localized to the lumbar area. It doesn’t matter what words you use, just try to explain the pain, what causes it (position, certain movements, or whatever), and what feels good or is what is comfortable for you.

Is it obvious that if it hurts, don’t do it is generally good advice but some positions and techniques hurt more than others? It may require some gentle experimentation to find out what works but as in most sex advice, “gentle” is the best place to start.

In terms of maximizing yours and your partner’s sexual pleasure, it is very important to stress that all you really need is your imagination and the willingness to experiment to open up new areas of intimacy. But it all begins with willingness to try. And given that, you just may find that the lemon of back pain can be turned into the lemonade of new sources of mutual pleasure.

Laser Therapy is considered an FDA approved treatment. However, you should always do adequate research before choosing a doctor. Injuries often lead to disruption of the cell activity in the body. The lasers are able to penetrate beneath the skin and can stimulate normal cell activity. This procedure has been around for about 10 years, though testing of similar products began testing in the 1990′s. Some forms of laser therapy have been used in Europe for the past few years.

Simply put, cold laser therapy is designed to stimulate cells, speed up healing and reduce inflammation.

Like most treatments, cold laser therapy has its limitations. For example, if there are muscle imbalances in the body or excess pressure on a nerve, cold laser therapy will not address these issues. Another downside to this treatment is that it can be costly and not something that can be done from home. The best herniated disc treatment plans will include multiple methods. It is important that you treat the causes, not just the symptoms of your pain.

There are other ways to reduce inflammation and heal herniated disc pain.

First, visit the herniated disc section of our website. Be sure to watch the videos on causes of herniated discs and listen to our free program called Herniated Disc Healing Miracles.

If you would like to learn about our all natural Anti-Inflammation formula – click here

The lack of good sleep caused by fibromyalgia can act as a double edged sword. Your body needs the rest badly, yet the pain makes it difficult for you to get quality sleep. Many people with fibromyalgia say that they get out of bed slowly and stretch before trying to get out of bed. Things like going down stairs can be painful after being inactive through the night. If you experience severe foot pain in the morning, you can roll your feet on a tennis ball before putting pressure on your feet.

For some people, a hot bath or shower is a great start to the day. The warm water temperature can loosen those stiff and tight muscles. You can also take a warm bath before going to bed, to be as relaxed as possible before you go to sleep.

The Impact of Weather on Fibromyalgia

Though it is difficult to explain, many people experience more severe fibromyalgia pain during extreme weather conditions. Very hot and humid weather or extremely cold weather can amplify the amount of aches and pains that you feel.

Additional Tips for Coping with Morning Fibromyalgia

Avoid Drinking Water Before Bed – It is important that you try to get a good night sleep. Having to go to the bathroom is an unnecessary interruption, if you can avoid it of course.

All Natural Pain Relief – Many pain killers and prescription sleep aids have harsh side effects. There are natural alternatives that work just as well and won’t take a toll on your liver. You can learn more about our natural pain relief products by clicking on the links below.

Heal-N-Soothe – All Natural Anti-Inflammatory formula comprised of the strongest natural pain relievers
Rub on Relief – Natural pain cream – Considered one of the most effective topical pain creams

Heating Pads – Far-infared heating pads can help you stay lose and provide penetrating heat to the achy areas.

Mattresses – Your mattress matters. If you are sleeping on an old or inexpensive mattress, you may want to reconsider. Although a quality mattress can be expensive, it can make a huge difference in the amount of pain you feel in the morning.

You can learn more about how to get relief from chronic pains by visiting the treatments section of our website.

Over 100,000 people from all over the world have used the “no-nonsense”, practical tips uncovered in this best selling book.

For a limited time you can get the free pdf (online version) of the book right now, so you can start implementing many of the pain relief techniques right away.

If you prefer a physical copy of the book to be mailed to you, click here. You can still get the book for free, you just have to cover a small shipping charge for us to mail it out to you.

Just tell us which email  you would like us to send the book pdf to and you will get it it just a few seconds.

Download the 7 Day Back Pain Cure – FOR FREE!

Reader Reviews of The 7 Day Back Pain Cure by Jesse Cannone

For the sake of remaining unbiased, let’s look at meditation in simple terms by removing any religious element and analyze it strictly as a method of reducing back pain. In order to understand how meditation can help with pain, we need to break down pain into multiple parts. The most obvious aspect is the physical form of pain. For example, if you step on a tack it will send pain signals to the brain. Many people experiencing back pain have a “physical” issue, meaning something in the body is not as it should be. It could be that pressure is being placed on a nerve, or a disc is deteriorating. Meditation will not fix these types of physical issues. However, someone without a physical ailment can also experience pain. Excessive stress or emotional pain can send actual pain signals to the brain. This is an over simplification and if you would like to learn more about this, look for our videos called The Mind Body Pain Connection.

Correcting the Physical Issues That Are Causing Your Back Pain

Meditation is an effective method for reducing stress and improving your breathing, which provides much needed oxygen to the brain. Most people live hectic, over stimulated lifestyles and meditation would provide a few well deserved minutes of quiet, uninterrupted down time. Meditation does not have to coincide with prayer, although many people would tell you otherwise.

Yoga and meditation sometimes go hand in hand. The combination of mental focus and stretching actually make for a great combination for back pain sufferers. Do not be intimidated by yoga and or meditation. They can be very powerful components of your pain relief plan.

Remember, you can even practice “meditation” without being an overly spiritual person. You can take just the elements that you are comfortable with and adapt your own form of mediation. For you meditation can be as simple as you sitting in a quiet room, without noise and distractions, focusing on the positive aspects of your life and visions of a happy, pain free future.

Don’t forget, you will also have to address the underlying physical causes of your pain. You can visit the conditions section of our website to learn more about the causes of pain.

More importantly, we need to address what kids are doing when they are not exercising. Children spend hours in a chair at school, then a few more hours in front of the TV and computer. Sitting for extended periods of time is not good for adults, let alone children whose bodies are still growing. Poor posture and lack of muscle use creates weak and tight muscles.

It is possible for children to complain of aches and pains as their bodies develop. However, chronic pain is most likely a warning sign that something may be wrong.

If your child is complaining about back pain, please consider the following factors;

Are they sitting too much?

Are they getting adequate exercise?

Is there diet full of nutritious foods?

Are they showing signs of low self esteem and depression?

Are they carrying excessive body weight?

Children that are overweight tend to have higher chances of chronic back pain. Additional weight in the mid section tends to place uneven pressure on the lower back. Chronic pain often comes with chronic inflammation. Foods that your children are eating can contribute to the amount of inflammation in their body. Processed foods, fast food and things like dairy can increase pain causing inflammation.

Please keep in mind that there is a direct correlation between the mind and body, and your child’s emotions can also impact the amount of pain they are experiencing. Depression affects millions of children all over the world. Be sure to communicate with your kids to be sure that they know that you are there to support them.

If you child’s pain persists, visit a doctor. Before you commit to any prescription pain drugs, please consider natural treatments as a way to address their pain.

Safe Stretches That Eliminate Back Pain in Children

You can do yoga from home or at a health club or studio. If you have never done yoga, you might want to take a class first. Some stretches and poses are difficult and will require modification. Once you get the hang of it, you can continue on your own if you desire to do so.

Neck and Shoulder Pain

There are certain stretches that are targeted for neck and shoulder issues. If you are experiencing neck or shoulder pain, speak with the yoga instructor before class to let them know that you may have difficulty with some of the poses. They will show you how to modify the positions so that you don’t do further damage. Many of our customers have reported that weekly yoga has proven to be more effective, if not more effective than chiropractic care.  Although some people find relief after just one yoga class, you may need to go at least a few times before you start feeling a difference.

Poses to Avoid

Keep in mind that there are a few positions that should be avoided entirely if you have severe neck pain. If you feel that a certain position is too painful, just rest in childs pose until the next pose is instructed. One of the great things about yoga is that it is not competitive, and people are usually too worried about their own challenges to judge some one else for not being able to complete a pose.

Additional Benefits of Yoga for Pain

Most people hold tension throughout the body, often cumulating in the neck and shoulders. Yoga helps you learn how to breathe properly and release the tension that is contributing to your aches and pains. Stress and tension is one of the biggest causes of neck and shoulder pain. Yoga will help you correct and muscular or postural imbalances as well as teach you how to let go of stress and tension.

Learn More about How to Heal Neck and Shoulder Pain

Fusion surgery often requires longer recovery time than other procedures. The healing process varies and your surgeon will want to monitor your progress before you return to a more active lifestyle. Many people will require anywhere from 4 weeks to several months to recover from a spinal fusion procedure. Most of the time, a patients activity will be limited for the first few weeks after surgery, as that is how long it takes to make sure proper healing is taking place.

What to Expect When Recovering from Surgery

As with most surgeries, the worst pain and discomfort occurs during the first few days after the procedure. As the body begins to heal and the inflammation and soreness fades, you should start to feel a little better. Most patients are given pain medication to help with the more painful days. If you feel like you are not getting some relief as time passes, please let your doctor no right away.

After you have healed, your physician may prescribe a rehabilitation program to make sure you maintain as much mobility as possible after the procedure.

If you have had surgery and are still experiencing pain, you should also consult your physician. It is possible that the procedure only corrected one of the pain causing variables that you are experiencing. For example, you can have a herniated disc operated on and corrected, and still have high levels of inflammation in your body. The surgery may have corrected the structural issue but the pain causing inflammation still remains.

Be sure to read about the other common causes of pain, as well as the most effective ways of treating pain, by visiting the treatments section of our website.

Different Aspects of Pain

There is much more to pain than just the physical symptoms that you feel. The amount of pain that you feel is associated with things like your nutrition, sleep patterns, emotions, and of course the condition of your body. Most people with fibromyalgia realize that they need to stay active to maintain good health and healthy weight.

The problem is that exercise is difficult when you are in severe pain. The most effective way to stay active with fibromyalgia is to create a lifestyle plan. This plan will include changes to your diet, making improvements to your sleep patterns, and beginning a personal fitness program. If you feel pain in your lower back or legs, you can start with exercises that allow you to sit in a chair. By doing even just a little exercise, you will start to feel better and stronger, and may start to develop the confidence to attempt more challenging exercise.

Pain, Emotions and the Human Mind

One of the most challenging aspects of fibromyalgia is the emotional strain it places on you and your family. Did you know that the level of your pain can absolutely be affected by your thoughts? That’s not to say that you can just ignore the pain and run around the house, skipping and whistling with joy. What it does mean however, is that it is vital that you occupy your mind with positive and encouraging thoughts. Spend as much time as you can doing something you love, something that you can do everyday that will make you feel productive and happy.

The Big Picture

These lifestyle changes will help you tremendously, but you will also need to address physical issues that are causing your pain. Chronic pain is typically a result of postural and musculoskeletal issues and high levels of inflammation in the body. A common symptom of fibromyalgia is pain felt throughout the whole body. If you have excess inflammation, you can reduce it drastically with a healthy diet and a natural anti-inflammatory product.

Click Here to Learn More about Inflammation – How it Causes Pain and How to Treat it

We are not here to criticize doctors and modern medicine; after all, we probably wouldn’t be here without them. However, it is a little concerning that most doctors do not tell patients about more natural remedies for conditions like back pain, herniated discs, and others spinal issues.

Natural Alternatives to Pain Medicine

It is one of our main goals here at The Healthy Back Institute to inform people about all the remedies that are effective, so that they can chose what is right for them. For example, there are natural alternatives to pain killers that are as effective in providing relief from chronic pain. Heal-N-Smoothie is an all natural ant-inflammatory that contains some of the strongest natural pain fighting ingredients. Unlike prescription pain medicine, Heal-N-Soothe does not come with scary side effects. You can learn more about Heal-N-Soothe by clicking the link below.

All Natural Pain Fighting Supplement

We review a wide variety of natural remedies on the products section of our website. In addition to natural pain creams and anti-inflammatory supplements, there are several products that will enable you to treat your pain without drugs or surgery. We professionally review dozens of products each year and only recommend items that we feel can help you help yourself.

Click Here to Visit the Products Section of Our Website

We also have dozens of videos that demonstrate other natural remedies for common spine conditions, including simple stretches and exercise that you can do right now. Click on the link below to visit the videos section of our website.

Click Here to Visit the Video Section of Our Website