5 Ways to Relieve Back Pain
- Written by Brigitte Evans
Back pain is one of the most common issues a lot of people are dealing with on a daily basis, so be sure to keep on reading if you’re one of them, too. Here are five effective ways to relieve back pain, so check them out and learn something useful today!
Switch between heat and ice
Switching between hot and cold can do wonders for back pain, and this is certainly one of the best and quickest ways to relieve back pain. Regular applications of ice to the painful areas of your back can reduce pain and inflammation from an injury, so be sure to use a cold pack in the first few days. Just wrap the ice pack in a thin towel and use it several times a day for up to 20 minutes each time. After a few days, switch to heat – apply a heating pad or warm pack to relax your muscles and increase blood flow to the affected area. Warm baths are also a good choice.
Try simple pain medication
Even though pain medications won’t eliminate the main cause of your pain, a lot of people use it to control the pain so that they can be active on a daily basis. Needless to say, the simplest pain relievers are usually the safest and the most effective, and we’re talking about over-the-counter medications. These include acetaminophen (generic Tylenol) or anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen (generic, Advil, etc.) or naproxen (Aleve). Apart from relieving your pain, some of them can also reduce inflammation as well. Of course, we can’t emphasize enough the importance of checking with your healthcare provider before you start any new medications, so bear that in mind, too.
Get expert advice
As already stated, consulting with your doctor is absolutely essential when you want to start using new medications. The same goes for chronic back pain that won’t go away, so don’t wait any longer and talk to your doctor about a referral to a physiotherapist or chiropractor. They are experts in the field who can be helpful with suggestions about some back-friendly activities and stretches. Besides that, they can also physically evaluate and manipulate your back, which is another advantage you shouldn’t overlook. On the other hand, you should know that seemingly irrelevant back pain can sometimes be a sign of a serious condition, so make sure to book a consult with a renowned neurologist such as Timothy Steel. This man has changed the lives of thousands of patients, so be sure to check out some of their results and you’ll see what we were talking about.
Physical therapy is always a good idea…
Physical therapists are the experts who can teach you how to sit, stand, and move in a way that keeps your spine in proper alignment, which will significantly alleviate strain on your back. Apart from that, physical therapists will show you some specialized exercises that can strengthen your core muscles and support your back, which is crucial when dealing with chronic back pain. The fact is that a strong core is one of the best ways to prevent more back pain in the future, which is exactly why therapists focus on this aspect so much. Even though it takes time, we can freely say that increasing your strength, flexibility, and endurance will gradually decrease back pain, which should be your top goal.
… As well as yoga
Last but certainly not least, yoga is undoubtedly one of the most beneficial activities when it comes to relieving back pain. This is particularly true for the lower back, which is a sensitive spot for many people due to a weak core and poor posture from sitting all day. As you probably already know, yoga is great for working on flexibility and core stability, as well as for correcting breathing and posture. All these factors are essential for a healthy back, so be sure to give this ancient Hindu practice a try as soon as possible. However, we must say that seeing a physical therapist is a must before doing any exercises – especially if you have a history of lower back injuries, problems with your discs, or experience pain that lasts more than 72 hours before improving.
As you can tell, there are a lot of ways to relieve back pain, and these five are definitely the most effective ones out there. So, if you’re experiencing back pain at the moment and you don’t really know what to do, all you have to do is to stick to our tips and guidelines. Of course, if you have an issue that requires medical attention, make sure to address it before it becomes worse!
