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3 Things You Can Do Today to Manage Your Back Pain
Back pain can come on for a number of different reasons, including an injury or a degenerative condition. Whatever the cause, back pain can make even the smallest movements excruciatingly painful, so finding relief is your top priority.
Our team at Integrated Body and Medicine, helps you when your back pain seems like it’s ruling your life. We specialize in a number of different treatments for your back, and we can show you what you can do at home to ease your symptoms.
What causes back pain?
You’ll most likely experience back pain at some point in your life, if you haven’t already. Whether it comes on suddenly and dissipates or it lingers for a long time, the pain puts a damper on your life.
But what exactly causes pain in your back? There are a lot of conditions that lead to pain, some of which include:
- Arthritis
- Osteoporosis
- Spinal stenosis
- Herniated disc
- Degenerative disc disease
- Spinal fractures
Injuries from car accidents or falls may also lead to pain in your back, often due to muscle strains and inflammation. These injuries may seem like they take forever to heal.
You don’t always need medical treatment for back pain. With proper home care, your pain may go away on its own within a few days.
How you can manage your pain at home
When back pain hits, your first instinct may be to panic and to lie on the couch. Neither one is a good option, but there are steps you can take at home to reduce the pain in your back immediately.
Rest is good initially, but too much rest may actually hurt you more than it helps. Here’s what you should do instead:
Start moving
Although your brain may be telling you to take it easy, don’t stay on the couch too long. Back pain can actually get worse if you sit around too much. You should move, even if it’s just taking a walk.
Once the pain begins to subside, a little low-impact exercise can loosen your muscles and relax your body. This helps in the long-term management of your pain.
Watch your posture
Posture is a huge factor when it comes to back pain. Slouching for hours at a time can wreak havoc on your musculoskeletal system and lead to chronic pain. Practice good posture whether you’re sitting, standing, or lying down.
Changing your posture for the better can significantly reduce pain and discomfort in your back and helps you fight off back problems down the road.
Change your diet
Your diet has a huge impact on pain in general, especially in your back. Processed foods and sugar cause widespread inflammation in your body. Your back is one of the areas that’s often affected by this inflammation.
And if you’re suffering from a condition that leads to chronic back pain, this inflammation only makes it worse. Changing your diet to include whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and lean protein helps you not only maintain a healthy weight, but decrease inflammation in your body.
When to see a doctor
Most of the time, back pain is manageable without treatment. But if your pain doesn’t subside, you need to seek medical help. Contact us if you experience:
- Pain that continues for longer than a week
- Bowel and bladder problems
- Numbness or tingling in your legs
- Pain that’s severe
- Pain that causes weakness
- Pain that occurs with unexplained weight loss
These symptoms can be signs of a more serious problem in your back.
If your back pain just doesn’t seem to quit, call our office or schedule an appointment through our online system today. We serve the greater Highland, Indiana.
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