Coping With Back Pain- What to do?

Back pain is the worst. You dont realise just how much you use your back until something goes wrong, and sitting, standing, even sleeping becomes painful. Back injuries are common and while they can take time to heal, most people will get better. In other cases, back pain can be chronic and last longer until the underlying issue is treated. Whether your back hurts a little or a lot, or has been hurting for a short while or a long time, these tips could help. 

Get a New Mattress

We spend a huge amount of time sleeping as human beings– it’s a chunk of our lives! So if what you’re sleeping on isn’t supportive you’ll get pressure points in your hips and neck and cause your spine to bend in a way that will cause aches, pains and damage over time. Not only will you wake up more often in the night and feel tired and achy but it can cause damage long term. Replace your mattress, and choose a firmness level based on your body weight. Heavier people should go with firmer mattresses for more support, anything too soft will cause the same aches and pains. 

Stand Up Straight

You might find yourself standing or sitting incorrectly when you have a sore back due to the pain, which could cause a vicious cycle and worsen it even more. A comfortable seat matters because the majority of us have sedentary jobs that require us to drive or sit in offices all day long. Choose a chair and position that will adequately support your head and neck; if necessary, add a lumbar cushion. Avoid hunching over or curving your spine; instead, stand upright. 

Find Ways to Help

Medication can help you manage your pain and discomfort, but it wont treat the root cause of your back pain. For this reason it’s worth trying some different therapies, although you should speak to your doctor first to find out what’s safe for you. Exercise and strengthening can go a long way for a lot of people but it needs to be done right- gentle exercise like swimming can help. Acupuncture, massage and aromatherapy can all help with inflammation and pain and give you a better range of motion. And with chiropractic care, gentle adjustments can help with locked joints and ease muscles and pain so is worth looking into. 

Prevention

Once your back pain is under control, there are ways you can prevent it from happening again. Staying fit and healthy, maintaining your weight and keeping your muscles supple and healthy in your entire body will protect your back. Weak muscles elsewhere can cause your back to overcompensate, so it’s not just the one area you need to focus on. Taking precautions with lifting heavy things, avoiding twisting or other injuries is also important. No one plans to have an accident but being sensible and thinking ahead can definitely help prevent injuries.