How to Combat Lower Back Pain
It's no secret that back pain can be debilitating. When lower back pain strikes, it can hinder your ability to go about your day as normal, and may even leave you feeling frustrated.
To help you find the best way for you to control and combat your lower back pain, we've put together this concise guide of various methods and approaches to reducing, managing, and eradicating your back pain.
What Causes Your Lower Back Pain?
Lower back pain, also known as lumbago, can arise unexpectedly or may be a frequent recurring problem for you. The cause of your lower back pain will help you determine which approach to treatment will be best for you. For example, if it manifests as a result of an intense workout, then hot and cold therapy may work well.
If, however, the pain seems constant no matter how active you've been, it could be a result of poor posture or sleeping at an unnatural angle. The following list highlights some, though not all, of the causes of low back pain:
- Lifting heavy objects, particularly without employing the proper approach to lifting
- Poor posture causing gradual pain over a period of time
- Sports injury or other incidents causing torn or pulled muscles and ligaments
- Sudden twists or movements that cause the spine to bend too quickly
If you are suffering from pain in the lower back, it is important that you consult your doctor or another medical professional before undergoing any kind of treatment or therapy, self administered or otherwise.
Treatments for Lower Back Pain
Lower back pain is a common condition affecting many people, and as such a wide range of approaches to tackling the problem have been developed over the years. While not every method may work for everybody, you may find one or two that can help you minimise your pain, and maybe even banish it forever.
Gentle Exercise
When you are suffering from a bad back, it's important to keep as active as possible so that the muscles do not adopt a new default position as they rest in the one comfortable position. However, you should also avoid overexertion as this can cause further damage to the affected area.
Gentle exercises such as walking or swimming can be useful for relieving back pain. Those that stretch out the body, such as yoga and pilates, can also be beneficial, keeping the spine moving without being too demanding.
Anti-Inflammatory Medication
Your doctor or pharmacist may recommend anti-inflammatory medication. These are typically administered orally, and can target the pain surrounding your lower back.
If you do decide that anti-inflammatories are best for you, you should always consult your doctor for advice before taking any to prevent you from further harm.
Hot and Cold Therapies
Most children will have fallen over in the playground as a child, only then to have a wet paper towel applied to the graze. This practice of applying a temperature-controlling compress to the sore area extends into adulthood, as both hot and cold therapies can offer this soothing pain relief.
To make this easier and mess-free for you, there are various products available for hot and cold therapy. The 360 Hot and Cold Back Therapy Brace, for example, can be used on stiff, strained, or aching backs, while the Cherry Stone Back Hot and Cold Pack provides a versatile approach to pain-relieving therapy. Click here to see our range of hot and cold therapy products.
Back Braces
One of the most reassuring ways to treat back pain is with the use of a back brace. Not only can they improve comfort and stability, but you will also benefit from being able to feel the support around you.
Back braces can also provide varying support depending on the rigidity you require. The Push Med Back Brace provides full support to the lumbar vertebral column, and the Serola Sacroiliac Belt for Back Pain treats the pain while providing joint stability, helping to prevent acute pain from becoming chronic.
Postural Pillows
If you find that your lower back pain occurs when you wake up in the morning, it's possible that it's caused by poor posture while you sleep. A specially designed pillow can help correct this for you.
The Therapeutica Spinal Alignment Sleeping Pillow is ideal for both side sleepers and back sleepers, providing postural support for improved sleep and reduced back pain. The Harley Bed Relaxer Bed Wedge Support Cushion can also help, and can be used both while sitting upright and lying down.
You may find that combining several of these approaches to pain relief can help you combat the condition and rekindle your ability to go about your day unhindered.
Have any of these methods relieved your lower back pain? Let us know in the comments, or find us on Twitter and Facebook!
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