It should not come as a surprise that thousands who suffer from the symptoms of back discomfort can control the pain and continue to live happy and active lives. If you suffer from severe back discomfort, this statement may come as a surprise for you.
Take one or two days to rest after you start having back discomfort. This can help you assess how seriously you injured your back and also prevent further injury to it. If the back discomfort subsides in a short time, it’s alright to assume it’s a minor injury. If you are still experiencing pain, or if it gets worse, you should call your physical therapist for further guidance on a remedy to relieve 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 weaken even more.
When your back is hurting, lay down with knees and hips at a 90 degree angle. This position is comfortable and will reduce stress on your back more than most other sitting positions. However, whatever position is most comfortable for you is probably best, as long as you are not twisting your spine.
If you are predisposed to back injuries – either genetically or through your lifestyle choices – then protect yourself by getting in the habit of regular physical therapy visits before you feel pain. These regular visits to the physical therapist are often the only thing that helps keep a small back problem small, or gone all together.
Try not to stress out about your back discomfort. You need to learn to relax so that you do not increase your chances of having a muscle spasm. Take the time to rest and apply moist heat to the injured areas to alleviate the pain in your back.
If you are experiencing severe back pain, a trip to the doctor or physical therapist is in order. Your doctor will be able to take other factors in consideration, analyze your blood, and maybe take some X-rays of your back.
For some people, back surgery will help ease their pain or help with a disorder they might have. If other methods haven’t worked, then surgery is usually required. Certain back problems may actually need surgery, as nothing else works for certain types of injuries or conditions.
It has been proven that even conditions, as severe as paralysis, can be reversed with back surgery. Surgery is also the only option for some other uncommon back conditions, as well. Most of the time, these situations involve degenerative diseases or some other situations that don’t have cause and effect.
Research has stated that around two-thirds of the population will develop some type of back pain. Many think that the pain is triggered by something that occurs right before the pain, or by one singular event. It can actually be an accumulation of smaller injuries that will finally result in a painful back.
If you are breastfeeding, do it in a chair rather than a couch. Positioning is very important while breastfeeding to avoid suffering from back pain. Your back will feel better if you rest against a comfortable pad while breastfeeding.
Drinking Coffee
While it may be hard to believe, chronic back pain can be eased by drinking coffee. The reasoning behind the “coffee fix” is a recent medical study that demonstrated how the caffeine within the drink blocked adenosine, a chemical directly related to back discomfort. This chemical can stiffen your back. Drinking coffee prevents pain by helping the muscles in your back stretch.
One good way to avoid back discomfort is to avoid situations that cause back spasms. Some of the most common spasm triggers are caffeine, stress and dehydration. If you do suffer a spasm, heat the affected area as quickly as possible, and avoid straining your back to prevent the problem from getting worse.
Add more vitamins to your diet, starting with vitamin B12. Having a B-12 deficiency has caused some people to have back discomfort. Eating food that are high in B-12, like veggies, can combat back discomfort. Consult your doctor to check your blood for deficiencies and then customize your diet based on your needs.
Chronic back pain can have damaging consequences on both your private life, as well as your career. Back discomfort can strain social relationships, and affect your work.