Ayurveda for pain and injury management

Lower back pain is the most common reason people visit us. Up to 80% of people experience back pain at some stage of their lives. It can have a major impact on your lifestyle. It can be caused by injury, general wear and tear, muscle strain, poor posture, inactivity, repetitive loading, and incorrect lifting or bending.

Lower back pain may have a sudden onset, or it can be a chronic pain. The pain can be constant or fluctuating, stay in one place or radiate to other areas. It may be a dull ache, or sharp and precise.

Frozen shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis, is a common source of shoulder pain. It causes pain, stiffness and severely limits the range of movement in the shoulder.

As the neck is a highly mobile area of the body, it is susceptible to pain and injury. Neck pain is common and can be influenced by posture, work habits, stress, injury and degenerative conditions.

As well as poor posture, neck pain can also be caused by awkward movement, trauma, general stress and degenerative diseases such as arthritis. Neck pain can cause headaches and vice versa.

Joints form the connections between bones providing support and helping you move. Damage to the joints from disease or injury can cause pain and reduce your range of movement. Joint pain can range from mild to severe. Many different conditions can lead to painful joints, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, strains, sprains, sports injuries and other injuries. Joint pain is extremely common, especially as we get older.

Sciatica is a result of irritation of the sciatic nerve, which is formed from nerve roots in the lower spine and travels through the buttock and down the back of the leg to the foot. This irritation can be due to pressure on the nerve anywhere along its path. Sciatica is a symptom, not a diagnosis. Your sciatica may be a one-off occurrence, or it can flare up at times depending on the underlying condition.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which the joint lining becomes inflamed. It causes pain and swelling in the joints, and stiffness in the mornings may occur.

Sports injuries include strains, sprains, cartilage injuries, muscle tears and injuries to the joints, tendons or ligaments. Sports injuries are usually caused by participating in a physical activity though not necessarily through a formal sport.

There are two kinds of sports injuries: acute and chronic. Acute injury – occurs suddenly, such as a sprained ankle from an awkward landing. Chronic injury – caused by prolonged wear and tear of a body part.

There are many types of headaches with different causes or triggers. Different headaches need to be treated in different ways. Some of the more common causes for headaches are lifestyle related, such as dietary triggers, stress, muscle tension, and lack of exercise.

One of the most common causes of heel pain is plantar fasciitis. It involves pain and inflammation of a thick band of tissue, called the plantar fascia that runs across the bottom of your foot and connects your heel bone to your toes. Plantar fasciitis is an overuse condition, and those affected often have pain of the heel and midfoot that becomes exacerbated by prolonged standing and walking. The pain is usually worst with the first few steps in the morning.