Some of the treatments which I have tried were done to reduce the back pain that I have had on and off for over thirty years. I wanted to reduce the pain and restore my normal functioning as soon as possible. My aim was to avoid surgery but still do all the activities that I considered normal, walking, jogging, sitting, playing sport, swimming and standing. I look at this list and see the things that I could not do when I had severe back pain. Not being able to walk, sit or stand is terrible. Being able to lie down and get some relief from the pain is good but you cannot go through life lying down, on the beach on vacation is great but not the rest of your life. Some the short term relief things I have tried have been hot and cold treatments(compresses, heat lamps, ice bags), medications like anti-inflammatories, creams with arnica, massage, exercise, manipulation and acupuncture. All of the above treatments worked some of the time but none of them gave me permanent relief from my back pain. The only treatment that has given me long term relief is one yoga exercise that my wife showed me. I have showed this exercise to some of my work colleagues (we are truck drivers) but only one has tried it. That was about a month ago and he still thanks me for showing him when I see him. His back pain has almost disappeared
