Ease Lyme Back Pain: Top 5 Naturopathic Treatments for Long-Lasting Relief
When most people picture Lyme disease, they think of a bullseye rash, achy joints, brain fog, and fatigue. However, for many, back pain is a debilitating symptom.
Lyme disease and its associated co-infections cause widespread inflammation, contributing to pain throughout the body, including the back. Naturopathic medicine can help!
Healing from Lyme Disease requires a multifaceted approach of fighting the infection and associated co-infections, supporting the detox pathways, restoring the nervous system, and correcting imbalances, all while helping the body realign and build its innate vital force.
Back pain will often be ameliorated when the Lyme bacterial and co-infection burden levels are reduced. However, for some folks, this may take some time. Easing pain should always be a high priority for healthcare providers. Fortunately, Naturopathic Medicine offers a wide range of tools to ease back discomfort, restore function, and reclaim your life!
Let’s dive into the Top 5 ways naturopathic medicine can help ease Lyme-related back pain!
Anti-Inflammatory Diet: The Foundation of Healing
Fuel Optimally: In a culture that gives us many wild messages about food, the simple truth is that food is fuel. If you put the wrong kind of fuel in a car, it doesn’t work. Our bodies are the same way. Processed foods, refined sugars, and simple carbohydrates like those found in cookies, cakes, soda, candy, white bread, and alcohol all fuel inflammation in the body.
Food as Medicine: Think of your food as another form of medicine. It can often be just as powerful as the medication, supplements, and other therapeutics you use. Anti-inflammatory foods such as blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries, leafy greens including spinach, kale, and arugula, and lean proteins like free-range eggs, salmon, and halibut alongside minimal grains like brown and wild rice can be incredible in propelling healing forward.
Shift the balance: Diet changes can be one of the hardest things to do. Start by adding IN more anti-inflammatory foods. Nobody is perfect, but try to shift the ratio toward more anti-inflammatory foods continually.
Need more information about the Lyme Disease Diet? The Recipes for Repair: A Lyme Disease Cookbook provides comprehensive guidance on the Lyme Disease Diet and contains delicious, healing recipes!
Topical Relief & Lyme-aware touch
From at-home remedies to practitioner-led therapies, topical and touch-based approaches can offer significant relief for Lyme-related back pain.
Homeopathic Arnica Cream: Homeopathic Arnica cream is best used for muscle aches and bruising. It’s natural, gentle, and affordable, making it an easy option! You can purchase a bottle of homeopathic arnica cream here.
Massage: A skilled massage can reduce muscle tension, improve circulation, and promote overall relaxation—all key for managing back pain. Massage with Lyme can be tricky as it can mobilize the tissues, causing a Herxheimer reaction. Seek a massage therapist who is experienced in treating Lyme patients and follow your provider's instructions regarding possible Herxheimer reactions.
Hot & cold therapies: Harness temperature power with cold plunges, natural hot springs, heating pads, ice packs, and constitutional hydrotherapy. Different temperatures increase or decrease blood flow, bringing nutrients to the area and speeding up healing. Ask your naturopathic doctor for personalized recommendations on the best methods for you.
Mindful Movement for Lyme Back Pain: Beyond Rest, Towards Better Function
The Movement Paradox: When you’re in pain, it's tempting to rest; however, for most people with Lyme disease, complete inactivity is harmful in the long run. Gentle movement offers a middle ground, allowing you to slowly move towards better function and less pain.
Yin or Restorative Yoga: Moving slowly and supported with many props allows the body to ease into greater flexibility, release tension, and, most importantly, counteract some of the stiffness that Lyme can bring.
Tai Chi or Qi Gong: Ancient practices have been proven to improve balance, circulation, and mind-body awareness, reduce stiffness, and increase your capacity for pain-free activity. Check your local park or recreation department for group classes.
Physical Therapy: A PT experienced in Lyme can design a custom program to rebuild strength, improve joint stability, and provide changes to your daily activities to reduce pain.
Beyond the Physical: While movement can help reduce pain associated with Lyme disease, gain flexibility, and restore function, the benefits for the mind and spirit are just as significant. Being out in the fresh air or with other people can bring a new perspective, support, and a sense of belonging that many with Lyme disease crave.
Stress & Lyme Disease: Taming the Pain Amplifier
Whether we like it or not, it’s no secret that stress can turn any problem into Mt. Everest, and Lyme disease is no different. Healing from chronic illness often carries with it an emotional and spiritual toll in addition to the omnipresent physical one. Managing stress, reducing it where possible, and befriending it is one way to reduce the physical pain of Lyme, particularly Lyme back pain.
Square Breathing: This simple breathing pattern signals to your nervous system that it's safe to relax, easing the tension that contributes to pain. Square breathing is a super simple practice in which you breathe in for the count of 4, hold your breath for four counts, exhale for four counts, and hold empty for four counts. Regulating your breath is one of the easiest ways to slow your thoughts. It is particularly helpful for racing thoughts that can happen when you're in pain and trying to fall asleep.
Meditation: Meditation isn’t sexy, but man, is it impactful. The constant stress of Lyme disease can worsen inflammation and make back pain feel unbearable. Meditation helps counter this effect by helping give you better sleep, improved pain tolerance, and a calmer mind. There are many different types, including mantra meditations, kundalini, guided visualization, silent sitting, and more. If initiating a meditation practice yourself is hard, consider an app such as Insight Timer, Calm, or the Gabby Bernstein app.
Supportive Supplements & Herbs
Beyond primary Lyme treatment, targeted herbs and supplements can provide additional relief for back pain while supporting your body's overall healing. Like everything in this blog post, always consult your personal healthcare provider before beginning any new protocol. However, a couple to consider:
Vitamin D: Did you know that Vitamin D can help regulate mood, reduce the severity of acute illnesses, and reduce inflammation, which is a major contributor to Lyme back pain? Most people are deficient in it, and while it doesn’t directly decrease pain, maintaining optimal levels can support the immune system in healing Lyme. Your doctor can test your levels and determine the correct dosage for you.
Ginger: Ginger is traditionally thought of as a food and not a supplement. However, ginger is a warming herb that can help improve circulation, which promotes pain and inflammation reduction. Ginger also has anti-inflammatory properties and may ease nausea, a common Lyme symptom. Ginger is contraindicated in people who are taking blood thinners.
Recovery is Possible!
Finding relief from Lyme and Lyme-related back pain is possible. While the journey might feel long at times, know that every step – a nourishing meal, a mindful movement session, or a meditation – moves you closer to feeling better.
You don't have to do this alone.
If you'd like personalized support in finding relief and reclaiming your strength and vibrancy, book a free 15-minute phone consultation with Dr. SG Gettman, ND!
Book your phone consultation here.
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Ease Lyme Back Pain: Top 5 Naturopathic Treatments for Long-Lasting Relief
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This post is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please speak to your physician before implementing any changes related to your health.
