Lower back pain is one of the most common complaints as a person gets older. It is often the number one symptom of aging. We may still look young, perhaps we even act young, but Father Time has a way of bringing us back to reality. Making certain body parts ache is a wake up call for those that believe they are going to live forever.
The problem is that there is no one solution that works for everybody to alleviate back pain. What might work for your friend, might not work for you. Because of this, you have to attack it all angles and do a bit of sleuthing. The key is to find out why your back is hurting and how you can fix it. Below are a few ideas based on home remedies and science on how to relieve back pain. However, if your lower back pain is truly unbearable and nothing seems to help it, go in and speak to your doctor.
Lower Back Pain Relief Methods:
Lose Weight to Help Your Back Pain
As a personal trainer that has been working with people for over a decade, I have acquired a bit of information here and there. If you are overweight, you are definitely putting a strain on your body. Excess pounds can have your knees, ankles, hips, and back hurting. More than likely, you probably know others facing the same problem. According to the National Institutes of Health, 66 percent of people in America are either overweight or clinically obese.
The spinal doctors at the Southeastern Spine Institute say one of the first solutions to alleviate back pain is to lose weight. The extra poundage is placing a strain on back muscles and ligaments. If you are overweight, this could be the cause of your lower back pain. But the good news is that it is truly fixable through a healthy diet and exercise.
Stand Up Straight
Give credit to any adult that told you as a kid to sit up straight. Mary Ann Wilmarth, DPT, a spokeswoman for the American Physical Therapy Association and chief of physical therapy at Harvard University says poor posture during daily activities is straining many backs across the globe. “Little things add up,” she said. “You can increase the pressure on your back by 50 percent simply by leaning over the sink incorrectly to brush your teeth. Keeping the right amount of curvature in the back takes pressure off the nerves and will reduce back pain.”
Make Your Core Stronger
Even though your back may be hurting, strengthening your abdominal muscles could fix the pain. There are core exercises that you should be doing on a continuous basis. “The torso is a combination of many muscle groups working together,” said Frank B. Wyatt, EdD, professor of exercise physiology at Missouri Western State University. “If the abdominals are weak, other areas must pick up the slack. When we strengthen the abdominals, it often reduces the strain on the lower back.”
Take Yoga to Improve Your Back Pain
You might be one of those guys that think yoga is strictly for women. It seems like it is a whole lot of slow stretching performed by women in black yoga patients. However, it is actually very good exercise. Plus, all that stretching can both prevent and relieve symptoms. When your spine and pelvis are in alignment and your muscles are stretched and relaxed, your back will be better off. A great program for women wanting to do yoga from the comfort of their home is Yoga Burn.
Alternate Heat and Cold
Heating pads and ice packs are go to remedies when dealing with pains, sprains, and strains. If the pain has just started, use cold for the first 24 to 48 hours. If it has been lasting for longer than that, switch over to heating pads. Determine which one helps it feel best, and then use it off and on when it starts acting up.
Correct Sleep Posture Effects Your Back
If you are experiencing lower back pain, you probably have already realized that sleeping in different positions can make your backache before you even get out of bed in the morning. But, you may be surprised to learn that the cause of your back pain is also how you sleep. People that sleep on their back should always place a pillow underneath their knees to take off some of the pressure. Sleeping on your side requires putting a pillow between your knees to keep everything in alignment. Purchasing a good body pillow could fix your back pain and give you a cuddle buddy on those cold nights. It is a win-win situation.
Medication
If you are dealing with throbbing back pain and just want a break from it for awhile, medication can definitely do the trick. However, it is just a temporary fix, not a permanent one. Some of the more popular over the counter ones include Tylenol and ibuprofen. If those are still not doing the trick, speak to your doctor about getting something a bit stronger. It can become easy to get addicted to pain relievers, so remember to address the original issue on why your back is hurting in the first place.
Get a Massage
It is amazing what just having someone rubbing your back can do for your soreness. While a massage therapist might bring the best results, you can still see great improvement by having a spouse or a friend massage your back. A professional could charge you quite a bit of money for a massage, but a friend might just charge you a dinner or two.
Visit a Chiropractor
If you have never gone to a chiropractor before, you might find it a bit strange at first. Just by having them twist, turn, and pop your body into place can work wonders. Millions of people worldwide visit chiropractors as soon as their lower back starts aching. There is good reason for this. A chiropractor can look over the patient’s medical history, perform lab tests or diagnostic imaging, and then make an educated treatment plan. It may involve multiple adjustments by the chiropractor, but it should pay off in the long run.
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