Back pain can negatively affect your life in several ways. It can make daily activities difficult, or prevent you from going out or exercising. If you have chronic back pain, keep reading to discover what you can do in order to start feeling better.
Stay away from movements and elements that trigger back pains or back spasms for you. Some of the things that cause back spasms are lack of sodium, lack of sleep, anxiety, dehydration, caffeine and stress. If you have a back spasm, try heat on the area, and rest your back to keep from worsening the pain.
If you suffer from back pain, put away the cigarettes. Smoking decreases blood flow, which results in increased back pain, and possibly even degeneration of the discs in your spine.
Anyone who has recently suffered a bad back injury might have to wait a day or so to schedule an appointment to deal with it, and comfortable sitting and lying are difficult in the meantime. A lot of people have discovered that lying flat on their back with knees bent is the position that is most comfortable if they have a ruptured disc. This position reduces the stress on the muscles and tendons from the legs up to the back.
If you spend long hours sitting in an office chair, bring a small footstool in to use if your back starts to hurt. Put your footstool under your feet and allow the elevation and new position to ease the pain. The best case scenario is that the stool helps to you get rid of back pain before it ever becomes a real problem.
Make sure you get the rest that your body and mind needs. Getting the sleep you need is essential. Lay down and put pillows underneath your legs. Stretch your whole body and relax before going to sleep. Notice the aches and pains of your body so that you can properly soothe the pain in your back.
Compression can help back pain immediately. To compress, wrap your back and try not to move too much to help speed healing. Be careful not to to wrap your back too tightly.
It is always best to start with a basic approach to relieving back pain. Take a few days off and get some rest. Anti-inflammatory medication, such as naproxen and ibuprofen, can ease pain and inflammation as your back heals. Analgesics such as acetaminophen will also reduce pain, but always follow label directions. Of course, the tried-and-true methods of cold and heat, both separately or alternating, can help to calm down aching muscles
If you’re feeling back pain, the first thing to do is to place a heating pad on your back where you feel the pain. The heat helps to dilate blood vessels in this area, which stimulates better circulation to increase the oxygen flow to the back muscles, which provides relief. Heating pads are easy to use anywhere you lay or sit down.
Take heed of the information above and use it to help you to manage your back pain, so that your quality of life can improve. Any type of back pain can be a significant issue; it’s best to get it diagnosed and treated.