We all hope it never happens to us, but unfortunately, the reality is that millions of people suffer from lower back pain every day. This can be short-term discomfort that goes away within a few days or weeks or something that becomes chronic and long-term, especially if caused by a significant accident or physical structure or other medical issue.
Lower back pain is one of the most prevalent causes of hurt and causes millions of workdays to be lost each year. If you’re currently dealing with this issue yourself and having to miss events, work, and generally feel miserable, it’s good to know some helpful ways to feel better that go beyond simply taking pain relievers.
Change Your Mattress
Work out if it’s time to upgrade your bed or not. Lower pain is often caused by or exacerbated by a bad mattress, so if your current product sags in the middle, has lumps, is too firm or soft, or generally doesn’t suit your sleeping style or body shape and size, it’s worth investing in a new, quality, affordable mattress. An updated bed will help you sleep in a more supported position and thus feel less pain when you’re trying to rest and when you get up in the morning.
Mattresses typically need replacing after around seven to eight years, but take a look at the condition of yours and see if it needs tossing sooner. We spend many hours in our beds, so having one that doesn’t support our backs and bodies in the right way can push our spines out of alignment, make our muscles tighter, and generally increase pain levels and worsen pre-existing conditions. A medium to firm mattress is often best for back troubles, but you might like to speak to your doctor or another practitioner for advice.
Take Advantage of Ice Packs and Heat
If you’ve recently hurt your back, you should be taking advantage of ice packs. These are worthwhile in the first two days after back pain begins. Apply an ice pack several times per day to the affected area for around 20 minutes. This can help with the discomfort by easing swelling due to restricting blood flow and capillaries. The less swelling you have in your lower back, the fewer pain signals your nerves will signal to your brain.
After the first couple of days, switch from cold to heat. Start applying heating pads to your lower back or take some hot baths (you might like to add some Epsom salts to the water to help soothe your muscles, too). Heat helps increase circulation, boost oxygen in the cells, and loosen tight muscles, which all work to reduce pain levels.
Stretch and Do Some Gentle Exercise
When we’re in pain, it’s natural to want to move about less and be very cautious about how we move when we are mobile. However, when it comes to back pain, it’s wise to add some movement to your day rather than constantly laying or sitting down. Low-impact, gentle exercises such as walking, swimming, yoga, and Pilates will help stretch out muscles and joints without being likely to add to discomfort.
Work on Your Posture
Bad posture can create back problems and exacerbate them, so do what you can to improve how your neck and back and other body parts align with help of 10inprogress.com and move as you sit and stand. Be more mindful of how you sit and stand and straighten up as much as possible (though not to the point where you hurt yourself). Take regular breaks if you spend a lot of time hunched over a computer or cell phone screen or end up watching TV, reading, etc., slumped in a chair for hours at a time.
Use an ergonomic work chair, place your computer at a height that means you don’t have to constantly look down, and try to remember to lower your shoulders and pull your neck back whenever possible.
Try Out Some Specialists
Finally, don’t be afraid to see some specialists for advice and treatment for your lower back pain. There are all sorts of practitioners who can help you make positive changes and feel better, such as physiotherapists, osteopaths, acupuncturists, chiropractors, and masseuses. Always see highly-trained and properly qualified medical experts who can suggest low-invasive treatments to aid you in managing your lower back pain and the problems the discomfort stems from.
Sadly, your pain isn’t likely to go away overnight, but you can manage it more effectively if you’re proactive. Try some of the ideas above to see what helps your body over the short and long terms.
