Back Pain Relief: 9 Tips You Should Know
By Esi House, LMT, Structural Nutrition Practitioner
Back pain can be a body structural issue based on nutritional imbalance. Or it can result from an accident or a fall, whichever the case, read through this article if you are looking for ways to reduce the pain. This article will give you information, tips, and tricks on how you can adjust your lifestyle to prevent further pain. Read through and see which changes you can adopt right now so that you can begin to reduce your back pain. Don’t forget to take note of the exact cause of the back pain.
Don’t wait for the pain to go away: You know by now that not all pain taken to your doctor is cause for alarm. Some pain quickly goes away as soon as it comes, and that could be just it. Other pain could be a warning sign or the start of a long, painful process. Doctors are trained to assess when simple back pain could result from something happening in the body that needs attention. If you suspect your back pain is not due to injury or there’s some underlying general pain, you may want to discuss it with your doctor. Don’t be a stranger, visit your doctor if necessary, don’t wait for the pain to disappear.
Good quality sleep: take my word for it, I know how much you want to meet that deadline. We stay up till the wee hours of the morning, catch up on only 4-5 hours of sleep, and make up the rest with a nice cup of coffee to keep the body awake. Sleep is a must for when there is an injury. The body repairs and resets when you relax, and the energy is focused on healing. Remember, sleep is as important as medicine when you are experiencing chronic back pain.
Stretches and Flexibility: Flexibility exercises, when done right, can go a long way to relieve back pain and, if done right, could improve back pain depending on the cause of the back pain. We have come to learn more about the Eastern techniques of stretches, such as yoga. It is a good idea to incorporate yoga into your daily routine. Talk to your doctor first to make sure this is best for you at this time to improve or prevent back pain. Don’t push the body to a “No pain. no gain” state, which sometimes could be bad news.
Too much sitting compresses: With lower back pain, too much sitting compresses the disc of the spine in your tummy area and stretches the back. A compressed spine in the stomach area pushes the spine backward, and this is not good over a long time. Try standing and stretching at intervals. You could also use a lumbar cushion or take short, frequent walks.
Standing for a long time: As with too much sitting, too much standing for a long time can also cause strain on the back, which could lead to a back injury. If you have a job that causes you to stand for long times, take short breaks, stoop down with your, but- down -knee -up, aka swat position at intervals. You should also rest with your legs up at the end of your shift. Too much rest: Resting is good for the back to revitalize the tissues. People mistake rest for relaxation in one position. Too much resting can delay the healing process as it causes a lack of circulation. So, it’s important to gently move the area when necessary or safe to do so.
Simple massage technique: Do you remember, as a kid, your mom rubbing off the pain when you fell? Massage helps improve circulation and ease the pain. A simple massage or rub is okay for minor aches. However, when there’s significant trauma to the body, simple massage can be harmful. In this case, consult with a doctor for evaluation before applying any massage technique to the area. You deserve to pamper yourself and not wait for the back to hurt before loosening tight muscles.
Wear proper footwear: Your gait can be a result of you wearing your best shoes too often. Occasional use of high heels or flip-flops is not often the cause of lower back problems, but prolonged use or prolonged one-time use of ill-fitted shoes can exacerbate bad gait. Wear proper supportive shoes to reduce the chances of making the back pain worse.
Maintain a healthy weight: A high body weight reading on the scale could be good news for strong bones, and healthy body fat can be beneficial to the entire body. Being overweight can put some strain on the spinal disc, resulting in an increased chance of injury. Work with your doctor or nutritional consultant for diet and exercise recommendations to maintain a healthy mass and bone density.
Consult with your doctor to discuss other ways to treat your back pain. For structural nutrition care, visit us at www.hecmwellness.com