A Lifestyle & Parenting Blog

Monday 6 March 2017

Standing Up To Back Pain

It’s a danger that is going to affect a lot of us at some point in our lifetime if it isn’t affecting you now. One in 10 people suffer from lower back pain, making it the cause of more disability than any other condition. However, it doesn’t have to be debilitating if you move quick and treat it right.



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Mind your posture

One of the growing common causes of back pain is how many of us spend a majority of our time sitting. Especially for those of us sitting at a desk to work, that sedentary behaviour is a cause of several problems. Besides back pain, repetitive strain to the legs and wrists are also common. 

When you’re dealing with back pain, you want to ensure that you have an ergonomic workstation, including a properly supportive chair, and that your desk is at an appropriate height to make sure that your arms can rest while using the keyboard and mouse, rather than having to reach up to do it.

Chill out

Temperature effects back pain as well. Cooling packs are often recommended after an injury, whether it’s caused by incorrect lifting posture or a bad workout, to stop inflammation. For prolonged treatment, patients may be recommended to wear cooling packs like a belt above their waist. 

A hot bath or hot water bottle can be a great help in easing the pain as well, though they don’t offer anything particular in terms of treating the cause itself.

Talk to any expert

Back pain can be caused by several different things, from slipped disks to minor damage to ligaments. Various stretches can be recommended but not unless you have an expert telling you which to do. Experts like a chiropractor can help not only ease the pain but help identify the exact cause of it, so you know not what to do and can avoid exacerbating the situation. If you’re looking to get back into exercise quickly, a physiotherapist can help you find the appropriate ways to keep exercising with and in treatment of your back pain, too.

Move more

It might sound like it makes sense to seek bed rest, but after one or two days, it can actually be worse for your back. In most cases, you need to seek ways to get more active instead. Wearable fitness technology can make it a lot easier make smaller goals and gain some progress every day. Swimming, walking, cycling and the like can help you recover. 

In terms of stretches like toe-touches and yoga, again you should speak to your healthcare expert first. If your ligaments are the cause of your pain, for instance, then those stretches can put more stress on them, extending your pain.

The most important thing to do when you’re suffering severe back pain is to talk to someone about it. Any of the treatments mentioned can work, depending on the cause and circumstances of the pain. However, some can also be the exact opposite of what you need so you need to get to the bottom of what’s causing your back pain.
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