I am happy to say that I don’t have ANY back pain and the reason is that I make regular visits to a chiropractor. But there are lots of folk who don’t want to go to a chiropractor, or they don’t believe in the entire concept of chiropractic. Obviously I don’t agree and the number of these specialists is growing rapidly so I guess I’m in good company. But if you don’t want to go, don’t despair. There are other options beside surgery (extreme!) and drugs (which only mask the pain, not cure the underlying condition).
If you are wondering why a person experiences back pain at one time or another, you should know that there are many possibilities behind it. Back pain is actually one of the reasons some adults, and even younger persons visit the doctor. When you feel back pain, you may be experiencing it from any of the muscles, bones, joints, ligaments, and tissues that you have in your back. Therefore, there are also many possible causes for it. To make it simpler though, your back can be divided into four sections in terms of feeling the pain. These sections would be the lower back pain, tailbone pain, upper back pain, and the pain that you can feel in your neck area.
Experiencing back pain can be excruciating at certain times, and there would also be instances when it is only mild. Aside from the fact that it can come and go, there are also people who experience chronic back pain. There are back pains that can originate from one spot in your back and gets distributed to other parts of it, in just a matter of minutes. In fact, some people even experience back pains that radiate to the other parts of the body such as the legs, feet, arms, and in rare instances the head. Understanding the source or the possible causes of back pain is crucial, in order for one to gain relief from it, as well as prevent it from happening again.
Back Pain Causes
One of the more common causes of back pain is the muscle strain in the lumbar part of your back. Lumbar muscle strain can be caused by lots of things, which would include improper posture, constantly carrying things that are too heavy, gaining too much weight, and many more. The good thing about this kind of back pain is the fact that it usually subsides in time. In fact, the longest time that you may need to endure it would be around a week or two.
Back pain can also be caused by scoliosis, which is a condition that is characterized by the improper development of the bones. Scoliosis can occur in the upper, middle, or lower region of the spine. If you have it in the lower region, you will feel lower back pain whenever you gain too much weight, since the lumbar part of your skeletal system is the one that supports your weight. Therefore, when your weight becomes too much for it to handle, it will send you a signal to stop gaining by causing pain.
Many people today work in offices, where their tasks require them to stay in front of their computers for the whole day. If you are one of them and you are not conscious in practicing proper posture, then you will most likely feel lower back pain, upper back pain, or pain in the neck.
These are the things that can make it possible for back pain to occur. Take note of them, so that you will be able to prevent feeling the pain at a certain degree.
Back Pain Treatments
Back pain is something that lots of persons experience nowadays. There are actually several possible causes of it and the best thing about it is that, in most cases, the pain in the back can be taken cared of by applying certain kinds of pack pain treatments. It should be noted though that proper identification of the cause of back pain is important in order to treat it effectively. On top of that, when the back pain persists, it is vital that a person seeks medical help for it.
The best way to start with any kind of back pain treatment is to identify its caused first. Back pain can vary from mild to severe; however, if proper treatment is not applied on the milder cases, it can further develop into something more serious. Some of the possible causes of back pain would include muscle strain, arthritis, injury, bone fracture, osteoarthritis, and many more.
When it comes to back pain treatments there are lots of options you can choose from, but selecting it may vary from one person to another. In other words, since your friend’s back pain may be caused by a different factor as yours would, then the best treatment for him may not be the one for you.
For non-serious cases of back pains, the following are five simple treatments that are known to provide back pain relief:
1. Cold pack: one of the best ways to treat back pain can be done with the use of ice. You can utilize a bag of ice or a cold pack for it, and apply it on your back for about 5 to 10 minutes. Most doctors would actually recommend this, especially for the first 48 hours, after you start feeling the pain. This treatment option is best for muscle strain or injury, since it will help in reducing the inflammation and swelling. Aside from that, it would also numb tissues, which will help in reducing the pain.
2. Hot bath: it is said that heat and cold are among the best mediums to treat back pain. A hot bath is sure to give soothing relief to aching back and inflamed muscles. Most people prefer to use a cold treatment first to calm the spasms in the back muscles. When the spasms subside, a heated pad is applied on the aching back to loosen the tighten muscles.
3. Medications: pain relievers such as ibuprofen and aspirin are among the commonly recommended back pain relief medications by most doctors today. These anti-inflammatory drugs control stiffness, pain, and swelling.
4. Acupuncture: as acupuncture becomes a popular alternative cure for a number of health conditions today, it is also a perfect complementary remedy to simple back pain conditions. This type of back pain relief treatment can stimulate the body’s central nervous system to discharge natural pain-relieving endorphins.
5. Massage therapy: another back pain treatment option is massage therapy, which is usually being done by physical therapists. Massage therapy can also be done in conjunction with electrotherapy with the help of osteopaths and chiropractors. Such a treatment option would require you to visit the clinic where it would be applied. Although this option comes with a price, many people still choose to go with it, since they offer lots of benefits aside from that fact that the doctors can also give you advice in preventing the back pain to recur.
6. Surgery: when a back pain develops into something that cannot be addressed by the simple methods mentioned on top, even with the use of drugs for pain relief, then surgery may be recommended by a doctor. This however, becomes the solution when the back pain is being caused by a certain disorder in the spine. Remember, though, that this should be your LAST option!
These are the back pain treatment options that are available today. Keep in mind that some of the best ways to prevent it is to maintain proper posture at all times, getting enough exercise, as well as giving yourself enough rest. Furthermore, a healthy diet with good calcium and other essential minerals would also ensure healthy bone formation, which will help prevent the occurrence of problems that can cause back pain.
Back Pain Exercises: Simple Exercises To Do To Prevent Back Pain
Experiencing back pain is something that anyone does not want to go through time and time again. This is the reason why lots of people today, want to learn how they can best prevent it from affecting their lives again. When it comes to back pain, you may feel it in varying degrees. In some instances the pain may just be tolerable, but there may also be times when the pain prevents you from doing certain things that you need to get done for the whole day. Therefore, it is time for you to know one of the best ways to prevent it, which is through performing various types of exercise routines on a regular basis.
The back pain exercises that you need to do are those that will enhance the muscles in your thighs, back, as well as your stomach. The reason for that is these muscle groups are the ones that help in stabilizing the core of your body. In other words, if these muscles are weak, you will eventually feel back pain especially if you gain weight.
Wall Slide Routine: This type of exercise will enhance your back, leg, and thigh muscles, in order to better support your body. This is actually very simple to do, all you got to do is to start by positioning yourself in a way that your back would be leaning against a wall. When you do this, make sure that your feet would be apart and they are parallel from each other. After making sure that you are positioned well, slowly slide down your back until your knees would reach a 45 degree angle. Hold your position at this point for a few seconds then slide back up. You should repeat this for about 10 to 16 times to develop your muscles well.
Leg Raise: The leg raise exercise routine will help in enhancing your leg and abdominal muscles. To do it, you need to be lying down on your back. While your legs are extended, you need to lift one leg off the ground to a certain degree. Raise it as high as you can, and once you attain the maximum height hold it on that position for about 10 to 12 seconds, before bringing it back down and lifting the other leg. Repetition for this routine should be similar to the wall slide.
Swimming: Swimming is considered a beneficial activity in alleviating pain. It is also great in developing most of your body’s muscles. It is great for your back, thighs, as well as your shoulders. By doing it a number of times per week, you will attain a more balanced body figure, which will contribute in being free from back pains.
These are some of the exercises that you can do to prevent back pain. Include them on your daily schedule, so that you no longer have to deal with the excruciating pain in your back, and attain better health.
Back Pain Relief
Back pain is a problem that not only causes pain but also brings inconvenience as most activities grind to a complete halt until the problem is properly treated. However, there are simple steps that can be taken to prevent back pain and that is to keep muscles well conditioned by improving your sitting, standing, stretching postures. Also, keep the back straight by standing straight and not lifting very heavy objects incorrectly. You can also implement changes to your daily life such as sleeping on a firm mattress and wearing low-heeled shoes. Just by applying these small changes, you can expect your back to benefit greatly.
Nonetheless, if you are currently suffering from back pain, do not be disheartened as there are many treatments available which you can explore to alleviate your pain.
Leave a Reply