Back pain is a widespread problem, causing more disability worldwide than any other condition.
So, if you’re experiencing back pain, you’re not alone.
More than 80% of adults will experience some type of back pain at least once in their lives.
Here are 5 common causes of back pain.
Your back muscles and spine support most of your body’s weight, so when you have back pain, it can affect your entire body.
Everyday movements like walking, running, sitting, and standing can be difficult if you’re experiencing any pain in your back.
There are over-the-counter pain medications such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen that you can take to help ease the pain.
Unfortunately, there is no “one size fits all” approach to alleviating back pain.
For many people, it takes a lot of trial and error to figure out what works best for them.
That could mean testing many different kinds of pain medications.
For people who don’t want to put their body through the side effects that come with pain medications, there are natural remedies you can try.
In the article below, we will discuss some of the natural remedies for back pain that people have the most success with.
Exercise To Stimulate The Muscles
Exercise is probably the last thing on your mind when you’re dealing with back pain.
Admittedly, it can be challenging to get up and move at all when you have back pain, much less exercise.
But yoga, water exercise, any low-impact activities, or even a short walk can help alleviate your back pain.
Exercise will loosen tense muscles and release natural endorphins, which are your brain’s natural painkillers.
If you have chronic back pain, starting a daily exercise program, including strength training and stretching, could be in order.
This will help keep your muscles flexible and strong, which will help prevent back pain from occurring.
Try An Epsom Salt Bath
If you’ve been looking for an excuse to take a nice, relaxing bath, here it is.
Epsom salt will work its way through your skin and into your sore muscles.
Soaking for 20 minutes can help to ease sore back muscles, especially after exercise.
When you take your Epsom bath, make sure the water is warm but not too hot.
Hot water can cause muscles to swell, and cold water can cause them to cramp.
The Arthritis Foundation recommends a temperature between 92 and 100°F. Temperatures higher than that aren’t recommended, especially if you have heart problems.
To enhance the effectiveness of the bath, bring a tennis ball or any other small rubber ball with you to the tub.
Put it on the small of your back and move side to side. This movement simulates a massage, further loosening your tight muscles.
As a bonus, Epsom salt is excellent for your skin. It will exfoliate dead skin cells, soften your skin, and reduce areas of itchiness.
Get Enough Sleep
A lack of sleep can cause a variety of health issues, back pain included.
Research has shown the sleep disturbances can actually make your pain worse.
Lack of sleep can also affect how much pain a person can tolerate.
An uncomfortable bed, pillows that are the wrong size, or a lack of sleep could all become triggers for back pain.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, in a perfect world, all adults would be getting about 7-9 hours of sleep every night.
Proper comfort and alignment of your back is essential for sleep quality and avoiding any back pain when you wake up in the morning.
Your pillow should keep your back and neck in a straight line, and if you like sleeping on your side, you should sleep with a pillow between your knees.
If a lack of sleep or getting enough quality sleep becomes a problem, contact your doctor.
Sleep disorders are often treatable, and getting enough restorative sleep can improve your overall health.
Engage Your Brain And Keep It Happy
It’s been long understood that pain is not absolute; it’s much more complicated than that.
The way your brain processes and interprets pain signals plays an important role in how your pain is perceived.
The good news is that you can develop skills for your brain to reduce or ignore the pain signals.
Developing these skills will go a very long way to have at least some degree of influence over your pain.
Ongoing pain can disrupt your life completely, affecting your relationships, your career, your hobbies, and your ability to keep up with housework and finances.
It can also make it impossible to get any rest and keep you in a sour mood, making it hard for people to spend time with you and vice versa.
Studies have found that doing three simple things that they enjoy every day, like having a cup of coffee, reading a good book, or walking your dog can make the pain more tolerable.
Even if you’re experiencing severe pain and undergoing medical treatments, it’s important to still make an effort to remember the simple things you can do for yourself to help you heal and get stronger over time.
Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care is an all natural alternative approach to back pain treatment.
Regular chiropractic treatments focus on spinal manipulation and alignment to aid pain management and stimulate the bodies ability to heal itself.
Realignment of the spine can reduce pressure on the central nervous system, allowing your body to function at a high level.
Your first visit to the chiropractor will include a physical evaluation as well as gathering your medical history.
Your Nashville chiropractor will ask you to describe your symptoms, and if necessary, they can order tests and x-rays that will help them understand your condition better.
During the initial visit, your chiropractor will develop a treatment plan based on your specific needs.
Pain management usually requires multiple visits over a long period to provide you with the best results.
And the best thing about chiropractic care is that it doesn’t have any unwanted side effects that that other treatments do, like pain killers and surgery.
If you’re interested in seeing a chiropractor, but don’t know where to start, contact the back pain chiropractors at Advanced Injury Care Clinic today.
They will get you started with a chiropractor, and if your back pain is the result of an accident, they can refer you to a lawyer as well.
Click the button below to get started.
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Table of Contents
- Exercise To Stimulate The Muscles
- Try An Epsom Salt Bath
- Get Enough Sleep
- Engage Your Brain And Keep It Happy
- Chiropractic Care
- Advanced Injury Care Clinic
