What You Need to Know About Back Pain Recovery
Back surgery is a delicate procedure that can be difficult to recover from. It’s important that you take care of your body and mind during this time to help speed up the recovery process.
Tag: Back Pain
Look After Your Back Better!
It should be clear to anyone that the back is one of the most important parts of the body, and that you need to be taking as good care of it as you possibly can at all times if you hope to be healthy and fit for longer.
Common Back Injuries and How to Treat Them
In a world where sitting at a desk for countless hours is the norm for many, back pain is a common issue which many of us face in our day to day life. It is usually easily treatable; unless the situation is more severe.
What is Back Pain?
Back Pain is the broad term used for many injuries and conditions, from minor ailments to more serious underlying issues. Tense muscles can cause pain, along with sporting injuries and day to day accidents.
Why Not Ignore Back Injuries
Back injuries can be excruciating and debilitating, making it difficult to perform even the simplest tasks. Unfortunately, many people ignore their back pain, thinking it will disappear. This is not only a bad idea but can also worsen the condition. A chiropractor is trained to treat back injuries and can help you find relief from your pain. Chiropractors use various techniques to treat back injuries, including spinal manipulation, massage, and physiotherapy. They can also advise how to prevent further damage and improve your overall health. If you’re dealing with back pain, here are four reasons why you should never ignore it:
It Could Be a Serious Condition
While many back aches and pains are nothing more than muscle strains that will heal on their own, some can be indicative of a more severe problem. For example, sharp pain in the lower back could signify a herniated disc or spinal stenosis. If you ignore these conditions, they will only worsen and could eventually lead to paralysis.
It Could Get Worse
Even if your back pain is not indicative of a severe condition, ignoring it will only make it worse. The longer you wait to seek treatment, the more damage will be done to your muscles, ligaments, and discs. This can lead to chronic pain that persists for months or even years.
It Will Affect Your Quality of Life
Back pain can make it difficult to perform everyday tasks, such as walking, sitting, standing, and lifting. This can interfere with your work, social life, and ability to take care of yourself. Ignoring your back pain will make it harder to live an everyday, active life.
It Could Lead to Depression
Chronic pain can affect your mental health, leading to depression and anxiety. If you’re already dealing with back pain, ignoring it will only worsen it. Seek treatment for your back pain to start living a happier, healthier life.
Types of Back Pain
The most common two types of back injury are:
-Spondylolisthesis
-Cervical Radiculopathy
Spondylolisthesis is when a vertebra slips in the spine; this can lead to aches, pains and some loss of feeling in the lower back as the vertebra slips backward causing strain on the spinal cord. This type of injury is one in which it is advisable to visit a spine surgeon, as they will be able to secure the vertebra back in place.
Cervical Radiculopathy occurs when a vertebra compresses in the cervical region of the spine, causing strain on the spinal cord and nerve damage to the lower back, neck, arms and even shoulders.
How To Treat Them
The treatment of back pain depends on the type and severity of the injury. If you seem to have pain in your lower back after a day of sitting at your desk, it may be worth looking into improving your posture. There are many different exercises you can do to loosen up the back and alleviate pain, and yoga is an excellent example of a natural way to cure back pain.
Of course, if the injury is a little more severe, you need to visit a back expert and get a full examination from them. After diagnosis, you may be prescribed painkillers such as Ibuprofen or Naproxen. These medicines will help alleviate symptoms and allow you to move around without too much discomfort as your back heals.
Physical therapy is another method of treatment which will include gentle hip and neck movements to free up tension in muscles and help to push vertebrae back into a comfortable position.
In extreme cases, patients may have to have an epidural, which is where a pain killer is injected directly into the spine. And of course, there are surgical procedures required for more severe injuries which put a strain on the spinal cord. A procedure called decompressive laminectomy can be carried out which widens the spinal canal to allow more room for the spinal cord and decrease chances of paralysis. If you are unlucky enough to suffer from a slipped disc, you will have to undergo minor surgery where a doctor will remove part of the disc in question to take pressure away from the spinal cord and restore nerve function.
Prevent Back Pain
You can avoid back problems by living an active, healthy lifestyle and exercising it regularly. If you work in a job which requires heavy lifting, always remember to follow the health and safety instructions and bend from the knee, not the hip. This will take the strain away from your back and allow for the safe lifting of objects.
Curing Back Pain The Natural Way
As we get older and age, back pain will seem to be an everyday occurrence. Sure, there are certain medications that can greatly ease the pain and, if the need be, your doctor might even refer you for surgery. However, some people try to stay away from these options as they prefer to take the more natural route. Not sure how you can heal your back pain naturally? Here are some great methods.
See A Back Expert
It’s a good idea to get some medical attention if you do experience regular back pain. Don’t worry, though, they won’t insist that you take medication or have surgery. Find a chiropractor near you if you want to chat about your various options. Let them know that you would prefer some natural remedies. They will be able to incorporate this into their treatment method. If they are unable to, they will be able to refer you to a local acupuncture specialist or other holistic practitioners.
Take Yoga Or Pilates Classes
Lots of people swear by Yoga and Pilates when it comes to back pain. So, it’s worth looking for a local class to see if there are any classes at times that suit you. After a few weeks of practicing Yoga or Pilates, you will certainly find a big improvement in your back. If you don’t have time to go to a full hour class, you can check online guides such as this one for stretches you can do on your own at home and also do some dumbbell neck exercises
Work Your Core
One reason why some people suffer from constant back pain is that their core is quite weak. Thankfully, this is very easy to change as you just need to start doing some exercises and workouts that will help strengthen it. If you are going to Yoga or Pilates, this should help, but there are also some other workouts that are great for core strengthening. These include Metafit and Piloxing.
Use Heat Therapy
If you need some instant relief from your back pain, you should consider heat therapy. This is very easy to apply yourself at home – you just need a hot water bottle or a bag of frozen peas! Place the bag of frozen peas on any area of pain if you also want to reduce any inflammation. The cold temperature will also shut down the nerves, so you shouldn’t feel quite as much pain. Applying heat also acts as a painkiller, and it also increases the blood flow which can help to bring more nutrients to the affected area.
Work Your Brain
Some back experts believe that you won’t feel quite as much pain if your brain is stimulated and busy. So, it’s worth trying to occupy yourself to see if you can distract your brain away from the pain. Why not give it a try next time your back hurts?!
So, as you can see, there are many alternatives to medicine and surgery when it comes to back pain. Hopefully, this blog post will help you manage any uncomfortable aches and pains!
Back Up Your Back!
Your back is such an important body part, and yet the amount of people that neglect it is ridiculous. Taking the time to strengthen your back and keep it as healthy as possible is absolutely crucial to your long-term health and mobility. Are you doing what it takes to back up your back, or are you neglecting it like the majority of people out there? Read on to get a good idea…
Exercise Your Back
Exercising your back will keep it strong in the long run, and help you to stay healthy and mobile. You don’t need to do anything too drastic either; walking, swimming, and weightlifting are all great exercises for the back. Doing these things regularly will help to reduce pain. Even if you currently have back pain, exercising your back is a very good move.
Never Lift With Your Back
Make sure you always use the correct lifting technique; you should never hunch over and lift with your back if you’re picking something up. You should hinge at the hips and use your legs to take the majority of the weight.
Maintain A Good Posture At All Times
Keeping a good posture at all times is a must for your back. Whether you’re sitting or standing, you should aim to have your shoulders pulled back and chest up. It can take some getting used to, but there are even harnesses you can wear if you struggle with this. If you don’t ensure this sooner rather than later, you could end up with huge problems later on down the line.
Visit A Back Care Professional
If you already have back problems, visiting a back care professional like Family Chiropractic Plus could be the way to go. Sometimes, a little professional advice and direction will help you to understand what’s going on and what you can do about it.
Get Up From Your Chair
If you work sitting down, aim to get up from your chair at least once every hour and stretch. Maybe even go for a short walk. This will not only help your back, but your mind and eyes too! Staring at a screen or sitting down all day is no good for anybody.
Lose Excess Weight
The more excess weight you carry, the more strain you put on your back. Making an effort to lose those excess pounds will help you to keep a healthy back, and other joints overall.
Manage Stress
Managing stress is so important – it can affect every area of your life, from your career to your relationships. It’s also usually a big factor in a person with back issues. How people manage their stress varies, but finding a way that suits you will no doubt make a huge difference.
Start backing up your back today and you’ll ensure you stay healthy and mobile in the long run. You’ll regret it later on down the line, so eat well, avoid bad habits, reduce stress and exercise! Do what you can to be the best version of yourself. It will pay off!
Medication :The Only Thing That Brings Relief For The Agony Back Pain?
Back pain is a common problem, with at least 10% of the world’s population experiencing it at any one time, and really can be agony. You can’t sit, or lie in any one position for long. Meaning it’s hard to get comfortable during the day or get a good sleep at night. Something that can serve to further intensify the pain. It is understandable then, why so many people turn to medication prescribed by their doctors to relieve this type of pain but does that mean it is the only thing that truly works? Read on to find out.
Medication
There are a lot of different drugs that are prescribed for back pain. These include acetaminophen, NSAIDs and even epidural injections to numb the area. Many of these are quite helpful, and it is not the aim of this post is not to say that medication doesn’t work. As when you are in considerable pain, you get to the point when you are pretty much happy to try anything that has a chance of relieving your suffering.
When dealing with medications, remember too that some need to tapered off gently and not stopped all in one go, and other cannot be used in conjunction with alternative therapies as it could be dangerous. So, do check with your medical team before making any changes to your medication regime. Even if you do think they are changes that should affect your back pain in a positive way.
Chiropractor
Something else that it is possible to try if you are suffering from back pain is a visit to a chiropractor. A chiropractor is a trained professional that use their knowledge of anatomy and physiology to manipulate the body. Working on areas of pressure and stress that can help to relieve back pain.
The really good ones also have access to acupuncture and new technological advances such as Solve™. A Noninvasive Targeted Neurostimulation (NTN), something that can also help to provide relief from the agony of back pain. As well as providing a less invasive alternative for back pain issue than the surgery options discussed below.
Surgery
Lastly, an option that many people with back pain go for is surgery. Of course, this is only suitable in some cases. Such as where problems like a herniated disks and sciatica respond to surgery that well. It’s also something that folks may try to avoid wherever possible because of the time off work they have to take and the risk associated with the procedures.
Additionally, it’s also worth bearing in mind that you can go through the difficulties of a surgical procedure but still not be guaranteed that your pain will be eradicated. So it’s vital you weigh up your options and the probability of success before you consider surgery as a solution to your back pain