Most people experience at least one bout of back pain during their lives, but for some, back pain becomes a chronic condition. Studies have shown that most back pain goes away within a few weeks regardless of the treatment provided. However, there are things that can be done to alleviate back pain in the interim.
Always take time to stretch, regardless of whether you will encounter strenuous activity. If you stretch, you are giving your back more preparation for the day ahead, without which you could be allowing yourself to experience pain and even injuries. Even if you aren’t planning a stressful day, you want to make sure that you are stretching sufficiently to loosen those muscles in the back that are used so often.
To aid your body in healing from painful back injuries, invest in a firm mattress. Many people mistakenly believe that a soft mattress will be more comforting to their injured back. In truth, a soft mattress will not help you to maintain your posture through the night while a firm mattress gives your back the support it needs to repair itself.
Time constraints and often laziness result in people trying to lift things that are far out of their reach. This can be a recurring problem for people who are in a hurry. Try moving closer to the object you are reaching for and focus on doing things the right way to avoid further aggravating your back problems.
Apply an ice pack to the painful area. Despite its simplicity, an ice pack is one of the most effective methods for reducing back pain. Applying ice or a cold pack to the painful area reduces swelling and blood flow, which also reduces the pain. It can also help relieve stiffness.
To help prevent back pain, have adequate back support when lounging. Furniture isn’t always designed with this in mind, so remember to use good posture and back support when sitting and reclining. For example, give your lower back a little support by placing a rolled up towel in the small of your back.
While anesthetic and steroid shots are common for back pain, this is not effective for everyone. In addition, prolonged episodes of this can actually sometimes cause more back pain to the person. However, these methods are popular and necessary for treatment of back pain in some scenarios. Again, it is your physician that will determine the treatment.
Back pain can be nagging or excruciating, and can interfere with all aspects of a person’s life. Various treatments are available to help alleviate the pain, including lifestyle adjustments, exercises, oral and topical pain relievers, physical therapy, chiropractic adjustments and acupuncture. When back pain strikes, the aforementioned tips can help provide relief.