Apart from becoming an increasingly common problem, chronic low back pain can greatly affect the quality of your life as it interferes with your work, social life and leisure activities. Although there is no wonder drug for this condition, there are things you can do that will considerably alleviate the symptoms.
Don’t Wait For The Pain To Disappear
As with any ailment, it’s crucial that you address the issue ASAP. In case you’ve experienced the pain for more than a week or two, you should see your doctor or physical therapist. (Direct access to physical therapy is allowed in many states). You may consider treating the pain on your own, but the sooner you start with therapy, the better.
Don’t Lift Heavy Objects
Repetitive heavy lifting is one of the major causes of low back pain. Should your job involve lifting heavy objects, ask your employer for special equipment or an extra set of hands so that you can reduce the pressure on your lower back.
Don’t Slouch
Poor sitting posture is another common cause of low back pain. Slouched sitting puts a lot of strain on your back thus causing excessive pressure on the joints, muscles and discs, which results in pain. Learning and adopting proper sitting posture can significantly reduce or even eliminate low back pain. Plus, make sure your working space at home and at work is set up right.
Limit Your Forward Bending
Frequent forward bending can lead to increased pressure on your discs in the back, causing muscle aches and pains. Thus, it’s highly recommended that you reduce your forward bending. Plus, taking up low back exercises that focus on backward bending to counterbalance the repetitive forward bending can also be quite beneficial.
Don’t Skip Exercise
Although it may sound uninviting because of the pain it induces, exercise is the best treatment for most low back pain. For one thing, it maintains the strength of your core muscles and stimulates circulation to your joints and discs. Avoiding exercise can really have an adverse impact on your low back.
Don’t Focus on a Diagnosis
The main cause of your pain cannot be pinned down to a single problem due to the fact that almost 85% of low back pain is categorized as “non-specific”. Although there are common diagnostic tests for low back pain which can show the bones, discs and joints with great detail, no test is 100% accurate.
Stop Trying Passive Treatments
Even though passive treatments like heat, ice or ultrasound may offer pain relief, their effect is usually only temporary. According to research, regular exercise along with maintaining proper posture is the most efficient treatment for low back pain. Your physical therapist can best decide which exercises are most beneficial for your condition.
Source: TheScienceOfEating.com
