Ayurvedic Treatment for Low Back Pain in Youngsters and Children

Causes of Low-back Pain in Youngsters and Children

Low back pain is so common to see nowadays, even in children too. Some common causes of  low back pain in youngsters and children are;

• Muscular pain- Musculoskeletal strain is most often responsible for back pain in children, mainly because of wearing heavy backpacks at school, poor posture maintenance, and obesity- a child who is overweight or having obesity can also have pain from the stress that extra weight puts on their back muscles, ligaments and bones.
• Stress Fracture– stress fractures in spine are common causes of back pain in adolescents. The most common type of spinal stress is due to spondylosis, spondylolisthesis etc.
• Disc problems–  disc herniation is another common cause.
• Kidney Infections – are another causative factor of low back pain in children and teens.
• Spine Infections- one of the most serious infections of the spine is meningitis.

But sometimes, low back pain in children is caused due to some other serious underlying causes. Like spine tumors, osteomyelitis, even though it’s very uncommon to see low back pain in children and youngsters, but still considered them a possibility.

Low back pain in Ayurveda is considered to be caused by improper digestion and imbalance in Tridosha, especially Vata dosha. A faulty lifestyle leads to improper digestion, and abhighatam (trauma or injury) causes the accumulation of toxins (ama) in Ayurveda that combine Vata and blocks the srotas ( body channels), finally leading to low back ache.

When To Visit A Doctor 

While it’s not as common as it is in adults, back pain can be a problem for kids and teens. Children who play sports, carry heavy bag packs to school or are obese in nature are more likely to have back pain.

Less commonly, serious conditions like spinal infections and tumours cause back pain in kids. And thus, Red Flag symptoms are to be noted and seek immediate medical attention if it found;

• Fever or chills.
• Unexplained weight loss.
• Night sweats.
• Night pain or pain at rest.
• Saddle anaesthesia ( loss of feelings in buttocks and inner thighs)
• Weakness, numbness or painful leg muscles.
• History of cancer

 Management Of Low Back Pain Youngsters And Children

Ayurvedic lifestyle changes

• Intake of fresh, warm and digestible food.
• Avoid dry foods – like daily intake of chips, biscuits, rusk etc.
• Regularly practise exercise but avoid strenuous exercises, which again aggravate. 

Vata.

The condition causing back pain can be reversed by following Ayurveda therapies and can be treated up to an extent;

Dhara – Full-body dhara with medicated solutions like dhanyamla ( fermented medicinal water) is poured over the whole body, a type of rukshana ( drying procedure) that helps to relieve any inflammation that persists in the body.

Lepanam– application of medicinal powder paste on body parts.

Podi kizhi –is a massage using powdered herbs tied in a cloth.

Abhyanga-  oil massage with suitable taila according to condition is done over all over the body.

Swedanam – sudation therapy 

Vasti – is known to Agraoushada of vata and thus important panchakarma to be done with kashaya (decoction) and medicated oil according to condition.it is the procedure for expelling doshas and toxins.

Kati Vasti- is a procedure in which medicated oil at a lukewarm temperature is kept over the lumbar-sacral area for a time.

Pichu – is a procedure in which a thick layer of cotton cloth soaked in warm medicated oils is placed over the affected area.

 Above mentioned procedures are used even in children but according to the strength and age of the child. Along with these treatments, internal medications are also needed according to the condition, like decoctions, tablets, lehya (lickable), etc. But all the treatments are according to the stage and condition of the disease and patient.Here more than treating symptoms of disease, treating causative factors or root cause is more important. Thus by following a healthy lifestyle along with the treatments and medications, we can treat the low back pain up to an extent in youngsters and children.

Even though it’s quite surprising to know that back pain is becoming very common among children and youngsters, and thus it is very important to find the cause and treat the condition as soon as possible. Dheemahi Ayurveda Centre has an experience of the past 5 generations and follows authentic Ayurvedic treatment with the real essence of holistic science of cure of disease where you can find a cure for low back pain upto an extent for low back ache in youngsters and children.