Get Quick Relief from Back Pain
All of you have experienced back pain at some point in your life. The severity of the pain forces you to go to the doctor or be taken away from your work. Why do people face this frequently? There are many reasons that accelerate it. For instance, strenuous activities such as lifting weights, bending to pick something.
What is Back Pain?
The term back pain or backache is the pain that is felt in the back. Your back is divided into three parts – upper, middle, and lower part. The upper and middle part forms the thoracic region while the lower part forms the lumbar region. The entire weight of your upper part is carried by the lower part. Hence, people are more likely to suffer pain in the lower portion.
Types of Back Pain
To get quick relief, you should proceed for remedy, according to the type of pain you are having. For your better understanding, I will present them in three categories:
- Acute pain: This type of pain exists for less than three to six months. The pain mainly involves damaging, wearing, or tearing of tissues. This kind of pain gives you a sensation of pricking needles.
- Chronic pain: This kind of pain exists for a lengthier period. The continual period of this pain lasts after the tissue heals. They are sub-categorized into two parts: identifiable and non-identifiable.
- Neuropathic pain: In this type, an individual feels like stabbing, severe, or sharp pain along the nerve.
Causes of Back Pain
For various movements and functions, you are completely dependent upon your back. And, the functions of your back are maintained by a bundle of muscle fibers, bones, tendons, branches of neurons. When any of them are unable to do their work, you feel pain in your back.In fact, your back pain may be the result of your poor posture or have any medical conditions. Here, I have come with some most probable medical causes of your back pain.
Spinal Osteoarthritis
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In this case, space for spinal cord narrows and is called spinal stenosis.
Muscle or Ligament Strain
Strenuous activists like lifting weights, bending to pick something, gives constant pressure on your back. This results in muscle spasm.
Ruptured Discs
Intercalated disc acts as a soft cushion in between your vertebral column. Any rupture or dislocation of it causes back pain.
Osteoporosis
In this condition, your bones become brittle & fragile, which causes back pain.
Back Pain Needing Immediate Medical Attention
Fortunately, most of the time you get rid of pain in the back with the passage of time. Sometimes, simple home remedies like turmeric supplements, taking rest and self-care brings good results within a few weeks. Otherwise, you must consult with your doctor. Because it could be a red signal of serious medical conditions.
When to see a doctor:
- If you feel weakness or numbness in either or both legs.
- If pain spreads in both or one leg, especially when it involves the lower portion of the knee.
- In case of failure of self-care as well as home remedies.
- If you have any medical conditions described above.
- If this alters your bowel or bladder habit.
Erase My Back Pain – Emily Lark’s back pain stretches program that can ease your lower back ache and help prevent it in the future.
Ways to get a quick fix over Back Pain
1. Try Standing for a Change
You may feel good sitting down at this moment but changing your position may give you relief. A sedentary lifestyle is considered as one of the most common causes to get frequent back ache. Because prolonged sitting puts pressure to your lower back resulting in damage, wear or tear of tissues. So without a second thought, stand up.
2. Grab an Extra Pillow
Your sleeping position is another vital cause to give you back ache. If you habitually sleep on your back, you can simply place a pillow under the knees. In the case of side sleepers, place the pillow between the knees. For stomach sleepers, turn over your pelvis upward with the help of a pillow.
Whatever your sleeping pattern is, follow the above suggestion to prevent your spinal misalignment.
3. Get a Massage
A good massage chair may help relieve back pain. Others include handheld back massagers.
4. Stay Active in the Right Ways
Those with sedentary lifestyle can compensate for their back problems by keeping exercises in their regular routine. If your back ache is caused by a medical condition, you have to consult your doctor. Then, you can start any exercise or yoga with his permission.
ACP Provided Recommendation for Treating Back Pain
American College of Physicians published a treatment guideline for treating acute or sub-acute low back ache with non-drug therapies. They advise doctors to start their treatment without involving any type of medication.
Of the three types, lower back ache is the most common. In this part, I will mainly focus on providing tips in getting relief from lower back pain.
ACP provided recommendation are described below.
Physical Therapy
Regular exercise helps you to ease your back stiffness and also strengthen your back muscle. I will highly recommend you to go for stretching to get relief from back ache. Read this, to get general tips for stretching.
● Back Flexion Stretch
● Knee to Chest Stretch
● Kneeling Lunge Stretch
● Piriformis Muscle Stretch
● Standing Hamstring Stretch
● Chair Hamstring Stretch
● Towel Hamstring Stretch
● Wall Hamstring Stretch
Acupuncture
Researchers from China, the United States, and other countries have done an extensive study on the effectiveness of Acupuncture in treating pain in the back. And a number of studies suggest that it is extremely helpful in treating neck pain as well as pain in the lower back.
Image source: ES. com
Yoga and Tai chi
Yoga is considered as a complete package of mind-body therapy. You can try these yogas given below. This will make you relax and give strength to your back.
● Cat-Cow
Image source: wikihow.com
● Downward-Facing Dog
Image source: verywellfit.com
● Extended Triangle
Image source: doyou.com
● Sphinx Pose
Image source: lessons.com
Application of Heat or Cold for Low Back Pain
Researchers found moderate evidence about applying heat wrap therapy and cold treatment for relieving pain in the back. Actually, it’s unable to provide you with longer protection. It can only give you additional benefits.
Electromyography Biofeedback
The Surface Electromyographic (SEMG) biofeedback is a process to measure your biological information. It actually provides feedback that helps, both clinician and patient, to gain adequate awareness for controlling over physical domains.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Daniel Cherkin, Ph.D., a senior investigator at Group Health Research Institute, said, ” We’re constantly looking for new and innovative ways to help our patients”. The researchers of this Institute found that after training your brain to respond differently to any of your pain stimuli, gives quicker relief other than traditional medical therapy and medicines.
In Summary
The suggestions I described above are all good enough to ease your back pain. But, you must accept the fact is, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. So, you should go for a smarter move to avoid your pain rather than wasting energy curing it. A simple adjustment in your day to day life like – correct posture, sleeping pattern, re-setup of the working station is more than enough to prevent back pain.