Lower back pain is a common, everyday problem for many people, but it does not have to be. Taking care of your body, with these 7 effective tips, can help you to relieve your lower back pain today.
1. Adopt Proper Posture
Our bodies have an optimal posture. Use this as an opportunity to practice healthy habits that restore balance. Make sure your head, neck, and spine are stacked in one vertical line. Try to keep your chin tucked slightly in and your shoulders back and down. It is important to distribute your weight evenly on both feet and to keep your body erect and balanced.
1.1 Avoid Unnecessary Stress On Your Back
Be aware of what’s happening with your posture at all times. Holding a hunched posture for long periods of time can cause pain and tension to build up in your back. As needed, take breaks from sitting or standing and use those moments to move and stretch in order to release any additional buildup of tension in the back.
1.2 Stand Straight and Walk with Confidence
Good posture also applies to when you walk – keep your stomach pulled in, shoulders back and feet pointed forward. Also, aim to keep your feet parallel with one another. When you’re in the habit of practicing good posture, your muscles and joints help to keep your upper body centered over your legs and feet – thus enabling you to move smoother and reduce strain on your lower back.
2. Exercise Regularly
Regular exercise can strengthen and stretch your back muscles, alleviate stiffness and ease pain. Rather than focusing on exercises that try to “cure” your lower back pain, focus on ones that prevent it in the first place. Low-impact cardio and stretching are ideal. Yoga is also helpful, as it not only helps to strenghten the back but also to stretch the body out, creating more flexibility.
2.1 Aerobic Exercises for Better Muscle Strength
Aerobic exercises, such as walking and swimming, help to strengthen the muscles in the lower back, enhance your muscular endurance and get your heart rate up. Aerobic exercises increase blood flow, help to flush more nutrients to the muscles, increase your range of motion and reduce chronic inflammation.
2.2 Stretch All Areas That Are Connected to the Back
When doing a lower back exercise program, make sure you target body parts that are connected to the lower spine. These include the hamstrings and hips, core and abdominal muscles, shoulders, chest, and upper and lower legs. Stretching other tight muscles can help alleviate tension that may be transferred to the back and result in lower back pain.
3. Lose Excess Weight
Carrying and maintaining a healthy weight is important for overall health, as extra weight strain the back muscles and creates extra stress on the spine. Even a relatively small amount of excess weight can have a negative effect on your back, putting extra stress on your joints, ligaments and discs.
3.1 Eat Healthy Foods and Cut Out Low-Nutrition, Low-Fiber Alternatives
Start by replacing low-nutrient, low-fiber foods, such as soda and processed foods, with healthy alternatives. Eating foods high in fiber and/or protein can help to fill your stomach and ease cravings, while aiding in weight loss in the long run. Aim to include more fruit and vegetables in your diet, as they are low in calories but high in essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
3.2 Exercise in Moderation
Exercise regularly, but in a mild to moderate intensity. Over-exercising can cause pain and injury and can undo the good you are aiming for in the long run. Aim for a combination of aerobic and strength-building exercises weekly and focus on proper form.
4. Get Good Quality Sleep
Getting quality sleep is essential for any pain relief plan. During sleep, your muscles and joints heal, blood is circulated to the areas that are in need of healing and nerve signals are reset. Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep per night, and practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, or listening to relaxation or sleep music.
4.1 Relax Before Bedtime
Give yourself some time to relax before you try to sleep. Listen to calming music, take a warm bath, sip some herbal tea, or diffuse essential oils like lavender or chamomile. All these activities may help you to let go of stress, fight off tension and improve your quality of sleep.
4.2 Create a Comfortable Sleep Environment
Create a sleeping environment that is comfortable and conducive to sleeping. Keep the bedroom dark, quiet, and at a comfortable temperature. Also sleep in a comfortable sleeping position, preferably with your spine in a neutral position. Place a pillow or two under your knees and keep your neck in proper alignment.
5. Apply Hot and Cold Therapy to Your Back
Hot and cold therapy can offer quick and effective relief for lower back pain. Applying ice or cold packs to a particular area can reduce inflammation, while applying heat to the same area can increase blood flow and reduce muscle tension. Usually alternating between the two works best.
5.1 When to Use Heat
Heat should be used when you feel sore and need to relax your muscles. By adding moist heat, such as from a hot bath, hot water bottle, or heating pad, the source of your achey lower back pain is relieved.
5.2 When to Use Cold
If you suffer from acute pain, such as from a pulled muscle or area where swelling is present, follow with cold therapy to reduce the pain. To use this approach, apply a cold pack or ice wrapped in a towel to the affected area for fifteen minutes or until numb.
6. Get a Massage
Getting a massage on a regular basis may help to reduce inflammation and muscle tension associated with lower back pain. Massage helps to loosen the tight muscles and stimulate the release of feel-good hormones that help to reduce pain.
6.1 Go Professional
Ideally, you should get a massage regularly and they’re best done by a certified massage therapist if possible. Ask them to focus on the areas of your back that are bothering you the most and to work gently and incrementally to reduce inflammation and tightness without overworking the muscles.
6.2 Look for Complementary Treatments
When receiving an in-home massage, there are various massage tools that you can purchase to give yourself a gentle massage. These do-it-yourself tools range from simple back massagers to tools that also massage the neck, head, and other areas of the body.
7. Visit Your Physician
If your lower back pain persists for more than a few days and does not let up with these home treatments, you may need to seek professional medical help. Your doctor may suggest physical therapy, may suggest lifestyle changes that can help you manage your pain.
7.1 Diagnose the Source of Your Pain
Your physician can perform tests to diagnose the root cause of your lower back pain. This is important in order to determine the right treatment plan for your specific situation. It could be anything from a strain or sprain, to arthritis, to a more serious health issue.
7.2 Medication or Surgery
If conservative treatments are not effective enough in managing the pain, your physician may suggest taking medication or even surgery. When used in difficult cases of low back pain, medications and surgeries have a higher rate of success, but with greater risks involving the side-effects of the drugs, areas of invasiveness with surgeries, and long-term recovery time.
Final Words
In conclusion, lower back pain can cause a great deal of distress, but there are many treatments that can help to relieve it. Making small lifestyle changes and incorporating treatments like regular exercise, applying hot/cold therapy and getting a massage can reduce pain and inflammation. Additionally, consulting with your physician can help you find the right treatment plan to suit your individual needs. Start your journey to a life free of lower back pain today.