Chronic back pain can creep up on you over the years and can cause a big impact on our lives. Pain requires the body to use energy and consideration and can be difficult to manage on a day to day basis.
The good news is, chronic back pain can be reversed. All you need is a little strategy and support to get you onto the right foot.Persistent pain in your back can stem from anything such as bad posture, a serious injury or a condition such as facet syndrome or osteoarthritis.
Not only that, but chronic back pain can also affect other areas of your life causing headaches or neck pain too. However, whatever the cause there can be some easy steps that you can take to get your back feeling comfortable again.
1. Do your research on finding treatment
Seeking help for chronic back pain can be tough when you aren’t necessarily sure what the cause is. The impact can be so huge, it can prevent you from doing all the activities you used to love to do.
However, there are different practitioners such as chiropractors, physical therapists and rehabilitation specialists that can help to provide the support that you need.
Finding the right kind of support for you can be really important in getting you back on the path to recovery. Put in some research and have a few initial consultations with some specialists until you find a treatment that will be right for you.
2. Get to the root of the problem
If you can take time to make a diary about what triggers the pain at its worst or if you can remember a traumatic event or injury you may be able to find a quicker solution to fixing your back pain. It could be something as simple as poor posture or stress or an illness could have triggered.
If you try to think back to when the pain started, you can explain this to a specialist to help find the right approach to you.
3. Remember it takes time
With many other chronic pain conditions, healing takes time. It’s really important to be patient when it comes to recovery time.
Essentially, you are building back your muscle or bone strength to prevent what is causing the symptom of pain. This can take a lot of repetition and patience before you’ll start to see proper results.
4. Get enough sleep
Looking after yourself in the long run such as getting enough sleep can help your body to heal faster. Staying up late playing your favourite video game system, such as the PlayStation 4 can over stimulate the brain and prevent you from sleeping.
Eating well, staying healthy and improving your energy levels can really help to manage chronic pain. It’s proven that sleep gives the body time to heal, so make sure you’re getting the recommended 7 hours at least each night to help your back pain.
5. Try anti-inflammatories
Whilst you’re working on repairing your back, anti-inflammatories can really help to manage the pain. You don’t have to constantly take pain medication such as ibuprofen. Instead, try eating anti-inflammatory foods such as fatty meats, eggs, avocados and coconut oil.
In addition to this ginger and turmeric can be great anti-inflammatory add-ons to any meal. In fact, the keto diet is one consideration since it contains many of these foods, see details about what the diet entertains at www.tasteaholics.com.
6. Reduce stress
Stress can add to chronic pain, especially in your back. Added stress can cause us to tense up in our shoulders, neck and back which can contribute to long-term back pain. By learning to reduce stress in your mind, it helps to reduce the stressors that put pressure on your back. Try and make time for you to relax.
Whether you practice 1-minute mindfulness, try out some yoga or just take some time out of your day to go for a walk or read a book, it can help to reduce your stress levels and therefore, the impact on your back.
7. Find some simple exercises
There are plenty of places online where you can find simple exercises that can help with back pain. None of them is particularly hard to follow as they’re supposed to be gentle on your back. Simple exercises that are repeated can help to build strength in your back, support your body and rectify posture.
Please note, it is important that you perform exercises correctly so it’s best to consult a physician before performing any physical movements and to find the cause of back pain first so as not to damage the back any further.
8. Avoid hunching
There are plenty of times in the day when you arch your back forward. When you’re at work, on your phone, your computer or any other device. Try to remember to sit up straight, especially if you’re sitting down for most of the day. You can set timers on your phone to remind you. Even, getting up to have a little walk or make a cup of tea throughout the day can help to straighten out your back.
9. Practice rest in between exercise
Exercising every day isn’t always good for you. If you allow time in between physical activity it can help your muscles to heal. If your back is already suffering, go gentle on your back by balancing rest with exercises to give your body time to adjust. It can also help to reduce stress and gives your back time to build lean muscle to support you.
10. Hot or cold
Using ice on your back and between your stomach and your hips can really help to reduce muscle pain. Repeating this method around 15 minutes a time throughout the day can really help to alleviate pain and make the day a little easy.
A hot compress on your back too can help to increase circulation and decrease the tightness in your muscles. Whilst these are more temporary fixes, they can help to ease the pain until you find the right solution to fixing chronic back pain.
Whilst chronic back pain is difficult to deal with on a daily basis, it’s not hard to find a manageable approach to help reverse the symptoms. Building up the strength in your back and taking some time to reduce stress and pain can really help alleviate some of the symptoms.
Finding a recognised professional that can help find the right solution for you can be the first step to healing chronic back pain.
