Millions of people suffer from back pains every day. Around 65 million Americans suffer from back pain at a certain point in their lives. It is considered as one of the most costly ailments in the U.S., ranking in 6th place. Severe back pain is even worse, and it affects an estimated 16 million adults.
Back pains can be caused by different reasons, including slipped discs, bulging discs, accidents, and injuries, among many others. They can also be caused by a lifetime of wrong posture or lifting. The symptoms can range from muscle ache to a sharp, shooting pain. Some worsen with a range of movements such as bending, lifting, twisting, or even as simple as walking. Some even shoot down, and can be felt in your legs.
There are many remedies that you can do to help manage your back pain. You can use the following remedies to augment your treatment and medications.
Drink an anti-inflammatory concoction.
Anti-inflammatory foods and drinks can help reduce inflammations in your body. You can try turmeric tea, ginger tea, and tart cherry juice. Turmeric, for instance, has anti-arthritic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties.
You can make turmeric tea, or you can add it to a glass of milk. The curcumin found in turmeric lowers prostaglandin production in your body. Prostaglandin causes inflammation and swelling. Turmeric can help lessen the pain and helps improve mobility.
Avoid prolonged sitting.
You increase the pressure in your spine when you sit for a long time. Stand up every hour and walk around to ease up the load off your spinal discs. You can also use a standing desk every once in a while.
Whether sitting or standing, you should always maintain proper posture. Your posture should support your head and neck without stressing your spine. Poor posture can lead to back problems or worsen the pain.
Seek chiropractic care.
A visit to a chiropractic clinic may help manage and reduce your back pain. Chiropractic care works on the premise that the misalignment of your spinal column causes back pains. It involves spinal manipulation techniques such as physical pushing and pulling. A chiropractor may also reposition your head, neck, shoulders, or back to help reduce pain.
Chiropractic treatment usually lasts from six to twelve sessions. It is a holistic approach to healing, and patients must also change their diet and lifestyle if needed.
Get enough sleep.
You may be surprised, but the amount of sleep that you get affects the severity of your back pain. A full night of restful sleep can help lessen the pain the next day. It can make you feel refreshed and invigorated. Your body does a lot of regeneration and healing while you are sleeping, including releasing growth hormones. This is necessary to alleviate and heal any pain and condition that you have. Not enough sleep hinders this process, thereby slowing down the healing of your back.
Lack of sleep can also reduce your pain tolerance. You become oversensitive, and it can magnify the pain that you are feeling. It also facilitates an increase in inflammation. Most of the time, back pains come with inflammation. An increase in inflammation results in even more severe pain.
Of course, back pain also makes going to sleep a challenge. Since you are starting to wind down, you may be more attuned to the pain. The lack of activity can make you more aware, making it more difficult to sleep. Finding a comfortable position can also prove to be difficult.
To make it easier to have a restful sleep, check your mattress. If it is old and saggy, it may be time to get a new one. You can also try to loosen your back muscles with a heating pad. Relaxation techniques such as meditation can help keep your mind away from the pain.
Vitamins C and B6 are natural sleeping aids, so make sure to take some supplements to help you sleep better. The sleeping hormone melatonin can also be taken as a supplement to help you.
Try yoga.
Yoga is known to help improve and maintain your back’s flexibility and strength. It can also help ease lower back pains by strengthening and stretching your back muscles.
Yoga allows you to be more attuned to your body. You get to know which muscles are tensed. The poses that you will learn with yoga help you relax these muscles and strengthen and stretch them. The slow and fluid movements, along with focused and relaxed breathing, can help reduce your stress and anxiety. If you are unsure where to start, you can always enroll in a yoga class where a teacher can help and guide you.
Back pains are never easy. Finding the method that will work for you is a process. Some methods will work for you, while some will not. Try these methods and more, and see which one helps relieve your pain. Of course, if the pain still does not go away, you should seek medical attention.
