Help for Back Discomfort

A listener to a podcast I was recently on emailed me to ask how to address spinal curvatures and back discomfort. She had tried physical therapy at clinics, but was frustrated that she had not found relief. Back discomfort is such a common and difficult issue to deal with, but which can be relieved

Easing Back Discomfort

Below are the natural alternatives I would recommend, and still do, that are known to help reduce physical discomfort:

PEA (​Palmitoylethanolamide​)

PEA (​Palmitoylethanolamide​) is a molecule found naturally in the human body. It is known for its powerful support in relieving discomfort, among other health benefits. I recommend taking 600 mg twice daily for one month followed by 1,200 mg twice daily for two months. After three months, a user should assess its effect and can often maintain the benefits with a much lower dose. This is discussed in more detail at my PEA information page, The study that I reference in that article has a link  to a video (I highly recommend taking the two minutes to watch it) as well as a study PEA  using PEA where nerves are being pinched. As in back discomfort.

Study participants reported an average 70% decrease in discomfort from taking PEA! However, in supplementing with PEA, absorption is critical. So, it's important to use a product that provides easy absorption. PEA Healthy Inflammation Response is a product that does this through a proprietary technology called "GammaSorb." This supplement decreases the central sensitization or brain pain and microglial activation that routinely amplifies ongoing occasional pain of most types. There are over 300 studies using this supplement that demonstrate this benefit.

Curamin®

Curamin® is a mix of four natural compounds that powerfully help with most types of physical discomfort. I recommend taking one capsule three times a day or two twice a day. Give this six weeks to see its full effect. Several head on studies comparing it to Celebrex® have shown it to be equivalent, but without the toxicity.

Fatigued to Fantastic™ Energy Revitalization Drink Mix

It is likely that most cases of back discomfort include not only joint discomfort but secondary (or even primary) muscle discomfort. A high potency multivitamin that has high levels of B vitamins and magnesium can help this. Given the problems with the current American diet, I think this multinutrient powder, which is one simple drink daily, is a good idea for everybody. Called the Energy Revitalization Drink Mix, I have seen cases where this by itself eliminated back discomfort.

Glucosamine Sulfate

Less critical but worth considering would be nutrients that help the joint cartilage itself to heal. This would be a mix of glucosamine sulfate 750 mg twice a day and chondroitin 400 mg three times a day. These take about six to 12 weeks to start kicking in.

Low-Dose Naltrexone (by Prescription)

If not taking a tramadol or narcotic medication, then a prescription called low-dose naltrexone, or LDN, can be very helpful for many kinds of discomfort (LDN cannot be taken with narcotics). But the dose needs to be limited to 3 mg a night. Higher doses do not work. See this study on LDN for more information and consider sharing it with your physician.

Hope this is helpful for you and your physician. Again, it takes time to get ongoing discomfort under control, even though they can start working fairly quickly. So, give  the PEA 2-3 months (although much quicker with the higher dose I’m recommending above), and the other supplements 6-8 weeks to show their full benefits.

Except for the low-dose naltrexone, which should not be taken with narcotics, the above approach is compatible with prescription pain medications and most other medications (though if on the blood thinner Coumadin,  people should have their bleeding tests checked with any medication or supplement changes).