Ayurveda for back pain in San Ramon

A stiff lower back each morning, an ache after a day at the desk, or pain that flares when you lift: back pain is one of the most common reasons people look beyond painkillers. Preeti Gupta at Minute Wonder Ayurveda in San Ramon combines a consultation, daily routine and warm oil therapies, after your physician has assessed the pain.

Preeti does not diagnose pathological conditions from a Western perspective, so her work sits alongside the care of your physician and never replaces it.

What Ayurveda looks at

Ayurveda links the spine, muscles and nerves with vata, the dosha of movement, which tends to rise with cold, dryness, irregular routine and long sitting. Preeti looks at:

• How you sit, lift, sleep and move across a normal day.

• Digestion and sleep, because Ayurveda looks beyond the sore spot.

• Season and temperature: whether it is worse in cold, damp weather or after skipped meals.

What a First Visit covers

A First Visit is 90 minutes ($250). Preeti reviews your daily routine, diet, digestion, exercise and sleep, using a health history, pulse analysis and tongue diagnosis. For back pain, expect time on:

• Where the pain sits, what sets it off, and what your physician found.

• Your activity, work posture and exercise.

• Whether Kati Basti, warm medicated oil held over the lower back for about 20 to 30 minutes, would suit you.

You leave with a written diet, herbal and lifestyle plan. Follow-ups are $125 for 60 minutes. See pricing.

What you can start this week

Two warming dishes, and her oil massage post Rejuvenate, Nourish, and Glow:

• Cumin-roasted sweet potatoes and yam. Her page calls sweet potatoes and yam grounding and nourishing, and good for vata.

• Cumin, coriander and fennel (CCF) tea. A warm spice tea after meals; her page says it suits all seasons. Check first if you are pregnant or nursing.

See your physician first if

• New weakness or numbness in a leg, or loss of bladder or bowel control. Go to emergency care.

• Back pain after a fall or injury, or with fever or unexplained weight loss.

• Pain that wakes you at night and does not ease.

Common questions about back pain

What happens in Kati Basti?

You lie face down while a small ring of dough or black gram paste is built on the lower back and filled with warm medicated oil. It stays about 20 to 30 minutes, kept warm. The price is quoted after your consultation.

Is Abhyanga good for a sore back?

Her page describes Abhyanga as warm oil applied to prevent stiffness while promoting circulation. It is $150 for 60 minutes or $200 for 90, and Preeti will tell you if it fits your history.

Do I need an MRI first?

That is for your physician to decide. Preeti does not diagnose back conditions, and she asks to hear what your doctor has found so that her plan is safe.

Ayurveda is a traditional system of wellness and is not a substitute for medical care. Content here is educational. Please consult your physician about any medical condition. Preeti Gupta is not licensed by the State of California as a healing arts practitioner; Ayurvedic services are complementary to the care of licensed providers.