Back to basics: Conquering the pain

By Zenab Ishtay,
Aromatherapist & Cosmetologist

I encounter cases of back pain nearly every day. The causes of back pain can be varied and in general are from the mistreatment of our own body. Wrong movements, such as twisting to reach for something, are some common causes of backache.

The word massage is derived from the Arabic word masah and massage is performed by the hands for the purpose of producing effects on the vascular, lymphatic, muscular and nervous systems of the body.

The magic of massage

You will not believe what a manual massage by a professional can do! An aromatherapist, chiropractor and physiotherapist are your go-to people, in this case.

Massage is much more than simply manipulating the soft tissues of the body. It is a healing art and has deep physiological implications.

Let me share with you the story of my client and renowned photographer Zohrab; despite him being fit with a good posture and healthy muscles tissues, he suffered from back pain.

After I evaluated him and checked his back, I found that he had muscle spasms in the left side of his back between the hip and the intercostal side — a group of muscles called latissimus dorsi.

A holistic approach

In aromatherapy, we use a holistic approach for treating a person. So, I proceeded to take notes of his lifestyle, including diet, exercises, sleeping pattern, stress levels and his perception of the pain.

Zohrab told me that he was doing some exercises and after that he felt some discomfort in his back — this increased over the span of 20 days. We started testing

essential oils to find which ones were more suitable for his physical and emotional state.

An emotional experience

One to three essential oils can make a blend. It is interesting to see how patients react to the different smells, remembering areas of their lives. Hidden or

forgotten memories emerge and this is the emotional part of healing.

These emotions may be hidden in the subconscious and perhaps bother and worry people, but they sometimes cannot pin point the source of discomfort.

Because Zohrab is a professional photographer, his job entails sudden rotations of his body to “catch the moment”. On the other hand, he has to stand for many hours and this situation entails considerable challenges for his back.

I recommended a schedule for treating his back and after several sessions, he felt well.

Reprinted with permission from Family Flavours magazine