Back pain is a chronic problem in America. According to WebMD, 80 percent of Americans will have lower back pain in their lifetime. Pills and surgeries to correct and remove spinal discs are common ways of dealing with pain, but some say nothing has given them the relief they need.

This is the brace I wore for several months to keep my neck in place so I wouldn’t put strain on my back. I didn’t want to pop pain meds for the rest of my life and my arthritic back wasn’t degenerated to the point of surgery. So I sought out natural therapies and now have my back pain under control. I haven’t had to wear that brace in more than seven years. Here are the methods that helped me (and one a friend of mine shared that helped her):

Crack my back—I am a huge proponent of chiropractic care. This is the main therapy that got me out of my neck brace. Though some see chiropractic practitioners as quack doctors, they have studied the spine’s relationship to all the body’s main systems and align the spine so those systems operate at their maximum capacity. When I go get my back cracked, more formally known as a spinal adjustment, I feel immediate relief from stiffness in my back and other limbs that have been affected from my weak back.

Stress less—The more you have stress in your life the more your back will hurt, or any part of your body for that matter. Stress has no bounds and can attack any part of the body at any time. The back, housing the spine—our connection to the body’s main systems, seems to get most of the pain.

Unstore my core—I have had to work hard to strengthen my belly, to get rid of the stored up fat. This is an ongoing process but every time I’ve slimmed my stomach there has been less strain on my back. This happens every time we strengthen our core muscles. There is less weight falling forward and bringing my back with it, making good posture hard to have.

Sit straight—Whether I was sitting or standing my mama wouldn’t let me slouch. Sit upright; walk straight with your head held high, she would say. And though her admonishments had everything to do with the appearance of confidence, her teachings have helped me seek to maintain good posture, which has supported my back. Firm, straight back chairs and elevating my feet while sitting have greatly helped my posture.

Increase Vitamin D—My friend was having so much back pain that her 42-year-old body would be bent like an old lady on a cane. Her doctor found she had a Vitamin D deficiency and after three days of her first prescribed dosage of the vitamin she didn’t feel any pain.

Of course there are other ways to strengthen your back, like stretches and other exercises, but, as always, I wanted to share with you the natural remedies that have worked to heal me. Do your own research and make sure you consult your doctor about the best methods for you.

What natural methods have you found that help with your back pain?