Ways To Alleviate Your Back Pain
Millions of Americans deal with back pain. For many people, they must deal with back pain on a day-to-day basis, which impacts the quality of their life. When back pain persists and worsens, it can make the most simple day-to-day-tasks unbearable. Read on to find some valuable ways to cope when the debilitating back pain hits.
Conventional methods to alleviate your back pain
To assess the severity of back pain and prevent further straining or tearing, give yourself a couple days of rest after the back pain begins. If your pain goes away during this time period, then it was most likely a small injury. However, if the pain does not subside and only worsens, then you know that it’s time to visit a doctor or a back specialist to figure out what’s causing the pain. Resting for more than two days really won’t cure the problem and might actually make it worse, as the supporting muscles will atrophy.
To prevent some back discomfort from getting worse, always attempt to avoid putting stress on the muscles that cause you pain. This stress can occur in any sitting or standing position, so make sure to stay mindful of it. Regardless of the types of repetitive motions you partake in during the course of a day, try to alter the rhythms. Make sure you switch the way you are standing and move around frequently.
Pay attention to your posture at all times in order to protect your back from unnecessary pain, even when just sitting or lying down. A lot of people erroneously think that back injuries result from intense physical activity. Actually, improper posture while sitting for long periods of time – as is the case when people hunch over computers – can injure back muscles over the long-term.
Don’t slouch for anything you do, for instance, vacuuming your floors. If vacuuming is something you bend consistently over for, then you are inviting back pain later in your day. When you are vacuuming, maintain good posture by standing up straight and using your legs rather than your back to move the vacuum. This can prevent any back pain.
Don’t hesitate to alleviate some back pain with over-the-counter medications that lower inflammation, including ibuprofen and acetaminophen. Older solutions that have stood through the test of time will work wonders as well, like the application of hot and cool cloths to the suffering area.
The second most popular reason for doctors’ visits is lower back pain. Many times there are things that you could be doing differently in your everyday life that will help reduce back discomfort. Make sure that you are always taking the necessary precautions to protect your back. Since back discomfort is so inevitable, it is smart to prevent it if you can.
If these conservative measures haven’t helped, then it might be time to contact a chiropractor for more assertive treatment. If you have chronic back pain that is resolving through conventional means, then call Georgia Spine & Disc for your hassle-free assessment.
