Back Ache
Debra MurrayBad to the Bone: Back Aches and How to Conquer Them
You’re in the yard, watering your flowers and enjoying the sun, when suddenly you feel it. A small twitch of pain in your lower back. Your hand flies to your lower vertebrae, as you carefully shut off the water, trying not to move too quickly.
For many people, back pain is sudden and unannounced. It can come and go without reason, making it hard to go about your typical daily routines and sometimes even being severe enough to force you into bed. An aching, painful back can be frustrating when it limits your activities. But taking the time to understand and treat back pain will potentially help decrease how long you are limited by your back pain.
What causes back pain?
Back pain can develop without warning, but typically not without being linked to a certain activity or symptoms. According to WebMD, these conditions can be linked to back pain:
Click on the condition to see more details.
It is often stress-inducing when you experience a back ache but instead of crawling back into bed and hoping for the best, you can attempt to alleviate your symptoms of pain by trying out any of the following suggestions. As always, it is important to consult a doctor before attempting any vigorous physical activity.
Floatation Therapy
From 2011 to present day, there have been an increasing amount of studies linking floatation therapy to pain alleviation and even chronic pain management. The sensory deprivation tank, developed in 1954 by John C. Lilly, can assist those who use it with relaxation by isolating the senses and allowing the body and mind to completely let go of reality. The floater, clothed in a bathing suit or fully disrobed if they are comfortable, enters the tank which has water heated to skin temperature. They then lean back and allow themselves to float on the water. This gives the body a sense of weightlessness. When the floater feels comfortable, they can close the top of the tank and allow the mind and body to become one with complete and total peacefulness. By allowing the muscles of the body to fully relax, any type of muscle strain or cramping will be apt to let go and flow into a state of complete tranquility. This tranquility is essential for mind and body healing. After floating and a taking warm shower, it may be helpful to use an all-natural pain cream like Blue Stuff brand Super Blue Stuff OTC or Super White Stuff OTC. Considered by many as some of the best all natural pain relief creams, these can potentially provide pain relief in as quickly as five minutes. The combination of relaxation and all-natural over-the-counter pain relief cream should set you on the path to a less painful back.
Yoga for Back Pain
When you experience an aching back, it is often because your muscles are too weak to support the demands on your spine. One of the ways to strengthen your muscles and chase away back pain is to practice yoga. There are yoga moves that specifically target areas of the back that need to be strengthened to decrease your pain. Thankfully, there is a major resource on the internet and specifically on YouTube which provides full yoga sessions for those who might not want to take a class in person. By searching Yoga for Back Pain on YouTube, you will find many instructional videos led by patient instructors who will demonstrate the moves for you. In addition, you can pause or rewind to see a move again, before you attempt it. Of course, it is important to consult a doctor before practicing yoga to avoid further injury.
A Diet Rich in Nutrients
In addition to strengthening and relaxation, it is important to fuel your body with the proper vitamins and nutrients. A diet that is rich in calcium can help decrease your liability to degenerative bone diseases. It is also important to have a diet that is rich with the right kinds of proteins, lean white meat or fish like salmon, are great sources of protein. In order to provide the body with energy and muscle building blocks, you must consume protein. Fresh fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins and minerals, which all contribute to better bone and joint health. In addition to the healthy balance of vitamins and nutrients, eating better will help you maintain a healthy weight. Staying at a healthy weight can also help to avoid back pain and bone degeneration.
There are many other solutions to help with back pain resolution, including good posture, limiting your time in bed, strengthening your core, using ice and heat therapy, quit smoking and using relaxation techniques. If you have a job that requires you to be at your desk all day, consider asking for a stand-up desk to help keep the spine strong and aligned. If you cannot get a stand-up desk, you could take a five-minute break for exercises like push-ups, sit ups and standing squats.
But as always, the first step to conquering your back pain is you. Just knowing that it can be possible to live a life without constant back pain is helpful to your recovery. The battle against pain can be not only a physical struggle, but also a mental one. Be strong and understand your limits, take the time to get stronger and say “No” to back pain.