Lower back pain is a lot more common than you think. It’s one of the main reasons people of all ages call in sick to work and skip their daily activities. This discomfort can indicate certain illnesses, such as a herniated disc or worse. Some congenital anomalies, like scoliosis or other structural abnormalities, are also potential culprits. However, most of the time, it is the result of an injury or lately, poor posture.
Lots of people suffer muscle sprains due to bad mechanics when lifting heavy objects or prolonged sitting with an improper ergonomic set-up. Sudden movements or a vigorous workout can also cause inflammation and discomfort. Whatever the case is, you should seek a specialist’s opinion. It’s never a good idea to self diagnose or auto-medicate. An expert will be able to provide the best treatment options for you.
Treatment and Care
Many health conditions are preventable, and pain in the lower back is not an exception to the rule. Recurring back pain is often the result of negligence while doing your everyday activities. Maintaining correct posture, avoiding movements that jolt or strain the back, and lifting objects properly are great precautionary measures. They’ll certainly help you keep this condition at bay.
Back pain is not exclusive to people with an active lifestyle. A sedentary office job can also be to blame. Repeated contact between your back’s soft tissue and a non-ergonomic chair is problematic. An awkward posture can also produce back injuries in the long run. To keep your lumbar area healthy, consider following these recommendations:
Exercise regularly to keep your core muscles strong and flexible.
Maintain a healthy weight to reduce the strain on your bones and muscles.
Sleep on your side as this is the best posture to open up the joints and maintain the proper spinal curvature.
Sleep on a firm surface to relieve pressure in the spine.
Lift from the knees to support your back while handling heavy objects.
If lumbar distress is interfering with your personal and professional life, you’re not alone. Nowadays, up to 80% of adults suffer from this irritating ailment to some extent. Most people will experience back pain at least once in their life. However, in this case, “common” doesn’t mean normal. Back pain is a global cause of disability and should be treated to avoid complications.
To better identify back pain causes, you’ll need to provide your physician with your complete medical history. The specialist might then recommend a diagnostic imaging and assessment. . These routine examinations are essential to rule out any serious concerns. When it comes to acute back pain, it might be easy to pin down the reasons and prescribe the appropriate treatment. However, it may be harder to determine the causes of chronic back pain. Your doctor might want to run some additional analysis, such as:
Bone scans
Diagnostic Imaging Tests (x-rays or MRI)
Once your doctor pinpoints the causes, it’s time to take action. Acute pain will often go away on its own. A specialist might prescribe some over-the-counter medications to help ease the discomfort. However, chronic lower back pain is a different story. Keeping it under control can require continuing treatment.
Physical Therapy and Exercise
To complement your recovery, you should also consider physical therapy. A proper combination of medication and physical activity will put your discomfort to rest. There are several exercise programs to strengthen your core muscle groups. These movements will help provide more support to your lower back and will also improve mobility and flexibility. Strong core muscles promote better posture.
Doctors and chiropractors also recommend spinal manipulation and spinal mobilization. These exercises take place at the specialist’s office and provide excellent results. Your physician will mobilize or stimulate the spine and surrounding tissues with localized massages and manual adjustments. These techniques provide short-term benefits in people with chronic lower back pain. However, they’re not suitable for patients with osteoporosis, spinal cord compression, or arthritis.
There’s strong evidence that low-impact exercises can improve mobility and reduce pain. Yoga and pilates have a short-term effect on treating lower back issues. They both stretch and strengthen the body with slow and controlled movements. They also relieve stress, which is another known reason for lower back pain. Some other effective techniques to manage tension are mindfulness meditation, deep breathing, guided imagery, and progressive muscle relaxation.
Alternative Medicine
If you are interested in a more natural approach to caring for your body, alternative medicine is an excellent option for treating back pain. Some studies say that acupuncture is a great way of treating this ailment. It consists of inserting small, thin needles into the body. The objective is to restore energy flow. It helps with pain management by stimulating the release of certain chemicals in the body.
Along with this ancient Chinese practice, you can use natural ingredients to manage your discomfort. Some popular holistic solutions for lower back pain include chamomile tea, CBD oil, arnica, cayenne pepper, lavender oil, magnesium, lemongrass, and turmeric. These ingredients reduce inflammation and promote relaxation.
Make sure to consult your healthcare provider for professional medical advice. Keep in mind that even natural supplements and herbs can cause serious drug-drug interactions. To manage back pain, Lindenhurst residents can schedule an appointment with Natural Care Chiropractic.
We will help you treat your lower back pain naturally. We focus on the physical cause of the problem to provide you with the best solution for your specific condition.
At our wellness center, we specialize in a whole-body holistic approach. We strive to reduce the risk of future injury and illness. Our goal is to restore balance to the body. With this principle in mind, we aim to promote your body’s natural ability to heal itself.
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