Relieve Low Back Pain Thanks To 8 Good Habits
That intense and annoying pain in the lower back usually goes away if it is treated properly by a specialist. However, it is also possible to relieve low back pain with a series of good habits and remedies that you can easily practice at home. In this article we will tell you what they are.
Low back pain is one of the most common problems due to modern sedentary life. Do you think that as many as 80% of people in adulthood suffer from it. These are data published by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders of the United States and these statistics concern, equally, women and men.
That is why any posture or exercise that relieves low back pain is certainly worth considering.
Low back pain: a quality of life problem
Treating low back pain is essential for improving the quality of life. In fact, when you are a victim of this lower back pain, it reduces the ability to perform simple activities such as sitting, getting up and walking.
A study published by the British Medical Journals and conducted in 187 countries found that low back pain is one of the main causes of absenteeism from work. Due to this disorder, more than 4 million working days are lost every year. Surprising numbers, don’t you think?
Although this type of back pain disappears when it is treated properly, low back pain that is not treated in time can even become chronic.
The same British study, not surprisingly, states that 30% of cases are the result of insufficient or no treatment, favoring a chronic clinical picture or the incidence of continuous relapses for periods even longer than 12 months.
More troubling is the result of research recently published by Boston Medical Center. On this occasion, American doctors were able to establish a connection between poorly treated back pain and the death of elderly people with low back pain, in at least 50% of cases.
“ Low back pain makes even simple daily activities impossible, and older people tend to avoid them for fear of worsening symptoms. This leads to an increase in sedentary lifestyle, which produces weight gain and the development of other chronic health conditions, which ultimately lead to premature death , ”explained Eric Roseen, head of research.
Healthy habits to relieve low back pain
For these reasons, it is important to do everything possible to relieve low back pain and prevent it from getting worse, with even lethal consequences, as we have seen.
In the first place, and it could not be otherwise, it will be necessary to be examined by a specialist. Only the doctor has the ability to prescribe adequate treatment, tailored to your specific problem.
In addition to the treatment, which may be pharmacological or include various types of therapies, we advise you to put these eight simple and effective home remedies into practice:
1. Hot and cold to relieve low back pain
Cold packs will need to be applied within the first 24 hours of the onset of pain to help reduce inflammation.
- Put some ice in a plastic bag and wrap it in a thin cloth or towel.
- Apply the cold pack to your back, but for no more than 10 minutes.
- It is possible to repeat the operation again after a 10 minute break.
- Alternatively, you can use cold gel packs.
Heat should not be applied in the first 24 hours, as it may worsen the inflammation.
- Fill a normal hot water bottle.
- Apply the bag to your back, directly or wrapped in a towel.
2. Avoid spending too much time in bed
The National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke of Maryland, USA, warns that staying long in bed can worsen low back pain, as well as promoting other negative effects, such as depression, blood clots and muscle atrophy. .
Harvard Medical School also recommends spending as little time in bed as possible. It establishes guidelines for sleeping: it is best to do it on the side, with the legs raised and with one pillow under the head and another between the knees. Hard mattresses are preferable to soft ones.
Even if your doctor or therapist decides to recommend some bed rest, try to stick to these guidelines without overdoing it.
3. Sit in the correct position to relieve low back pain
When you sit down, adopting a correct posture is important to relieve low back pain. If you work in front of your PC or desk, make sure the backrest is stable and keep it as straight as possible.
Check that an angle of 90 degrees is respected with respect to the seat. Keep your back straight and the soles of your feet completely flat on the ground. The knees should also be aligned with the hip.
If you work continuously with your computer, keep the center of the screen at eye level, neither lower nor higher.
The keyboard should be positioned close to your body, avoiding that you have to stretch your arms to use it.
If, on the other hand, your main activity involves writing on papers and documents, you will have to maintain the same position with your back straight, knees and hips aligned and the soles of your feet on the floor.
You should never bend your back towards the desk. If you need to read, use a stand to keep the book or document at eye level, as if it were your PC screen.
Even when you sit in an armchair, you will need to keep your back straight. Avoid lying down. Another great tip for relieving low back pain concerns the use of the neck. Whether to watch television or talk to someone, don’t turn your head or torso. Stand straight in front of the object or person to which you are directing your gaze.
4. Eat healthy and varied
Lower back pain may be due to increased pressure on the back. The first step will therefore be to lose weight. To do this, in addition to carrying out adequate physical activity, you will necessarily have to change your eating habits for the better.
Leave aside processed and ultra-processed foods, the so-called “empty calories” ones, because they are rich in sugar and fat.
You will have to favor the consumption of foods rich in calcium that will help you strengthen your bones. Such as, for example, acidic fruits (orange, pineapple or strawberries), milk, cheese and yogurt or green leafy vegetables (cabbage and broccoli).
Foods that provide vitamin D, such as sardines, salmon, and eggs, will also do just fine.
5. Go to yoga classes to relieve low back pain
Some yoga exercises can help relieve back pain and strengthen muscles. A study conducted on 156 patients suggests that this ancient oriental discipline is perfect for relieving low back pain.
However, we advise you to consult your doctor or physiotherapist first, as you will need to be sure that this type of activity is really suitable for you. In some types of back pain, yoga can even be harmful.
6. Avoid bending over or bending your back
When engaging in activities such as sweeping, walking, cooking or the like, avoid bending over or bending your back. Try to always maintain an upright posture and, if you really have to pick up something from the ground, do it using your legs and keeping your back perfectly perpendicular to the ground.
7. Don’t stand on tiptoe
If you need to reach something that is very high, use a small ladder or something that allows you not to weigh too much on your back. Avoid standing on tiptoe, as this posture will increase pressure on the spine and lower back muscles.
8. Relieve low back pain: it is better to avoid excessive effort
In everyday life, without realizing it, you often find yourself moving and lifting even very heavy objects. If you suffer from back pain, try to avoid such exertion.
Use the help that tools and implements, such as a cart, can give you to move heavy furniture. When shopping, for example, try not to overfill the bags and distribute the weight evenly.
As we have already said, you can use these remedies in parallel with the therapeutic treatment indicated by your doctor. Thanks to the combined action of therapies and the implementation of new and healthier habits, you will be able to relieve low back pain more effectively and quickly.
Why continue to suffer, when there are so many methods to counter this annoying pain? Try to intervene immediately, so you will avoid that low back pain becomes chronic.
