Back pain is the worst. Whether the pain strikes in your upper back, middle or lower back, somehow it often feels like your whole body aches. For this weeks, Relaxation and Rejuvenation Sundays, I want to discuss ways to give yourself self-massage, through free, economical strategies targeted towards eliminating everyday back pains and strains!

1. Break out the tennis balls:

While you may not think “tennis ball!” when you’re seeking relief from back pain, believe it or not, simply rolling a tennis ball up and down along your back can bring the same relief as a deep-tissue massage; try standing against a wall and bending your legs to roll the tennis ball up and down, or you can do the same by lying on the floor and using your feet to help you roll up and down.

2. Apply a magnet:

Magnet therapy is a still-emerging field of scientific study, but there’s some tangible evidence that magnetic fields, such as a standard “heavy duty” refrigerator magnet, applied with band-aids, can deliver results; please note, patients with pacemakers and insulin pumps should not try this tip..

3. Talk it out:

If your back pain has occurred during a challenging time in your life, talking to someone—a spouse, a close friend, a mentor, or someone else you trust who cares about you, can help bring back pain relief.

4. Boost endorphin production:

You can try light aerobic exercise, such as swimming, even laughter, and certain foods such as dark chocolate, walnuts, candied dark cherries, bananas and salmon, can help produce endorphins and ease back pain.

5. Skip the brace:

Finally, physicians and naturopaths all agree—when it comes to easing back pain, back braces can do more harm than good. The reason is simple. The more blood flow there is to the injured area, the faster healing will occur. Blood flow is facilitated by activity. Back braces immobilize the injured area and keep you from engaging in the types of movement that can actually speed healing.

Enjoy the heal!