We have all experienced pain in our lower backs, usually from lifting too much or twisting too far. Then, it takes time to heal. For others, injuries that cause a slipped disc or age wear and tear produce ongoing discomfort. This discomfort can be chronic, leaving us to cope for an extended period.
Do we just have to take it and wait for our bodies to improve? You need to recover while your muscles, bones, and ligaments heal, but in the meantime, there are things to alleviate the soreness.
Here are some methods to improve lower back pain.
Rest
When you experience lower back pain, this is a signal to stop what you are doing. The body has pain receptors in nerve endings. Your pain responds to damaging stimuli, indicating you need to rest your back.
Rest is tricky because too much can be detrimental, so limit it to a few hours of sitting or lying in a position that gives you comfort. Then, try and move around so your muscles don’t stiffen. Rest the lower back as much as possible by relying on the body to support it.
Exercise
You may think exercising a sore lower back would be detrimental, but the opposite is true. Physical activity is key to building strong, flexible muscles, and this, in turn, strengthens your back. A good rule of thumb is to practice three main forms of exercise for lower back pain:
- Strength training
- Aerobic activity
- Flexibility exercises
This can alleviate back pain and improve function at the same time.
Back Braces
While the alternative remedies are great, you may need real-time support while working through them and dealing with your day-to-day work life and activities. Giving you a wearable aid can immediately take the pressure off your lower back and provide you with relief.
A back brace works by decreasing pressure on the spine and alleviating muscle tension. This reduces the required support from your muscles to the spinal column. You will gain function as you wear it and keep your lower back safe from further injury as you heal.
This is how to improve lower back pain. Practice all these methods and listen to your body; it will send clear signals to tell you what’s happening. With time to recover, you will be back on track with all your regular activities.
Posture
How you sit can drastically affect your lower back, increasing mechanical stress. Without proper support, loads on your spine are dispersed improperly, weakening the surrounding tissue and constricting the nerves and blood vessels in the back.
To reduce pain, imagine a straight line running through your spine from your ankles to your ears. This line passes through your hips and knees in complete alignment. Sit straight in a chair with your shoulder blades back and squeeze them together for 5 seconds. This is an excellent stretch to help with alignment.
If you are slouching, correct it immediately and keep your chin up, especially when looking at your phone, to avoid headaches.
Cold and Hot Therapy
Temperature can also reduce lower back pain. If you have a flare-up or acute injury, start with a cold pack on the spot where the most pain is. This will lower the body temperature and reduce swelling as the blood vessels are constricted. Inflammation will decrease, lowering pain levels.
After the inflation disappears, switch to hot therapy using a heated pack. This will circulate more blood that carries healing nutrients and improve flexibility and movement. The muscles can relax and comfort.
Protect your skin with a towel or cloth instead of exposing your bare back to extreme temperatures.
Therapeutic Massage
Beyond your ability to heal, healthcare professionals have the skills to decrease your pain through targeted approaches. A massage therapist can locate injured areas by touch and alleviate pain by relaxing aching muscles using different types of massage.
Physiotherapy and Acupuncture
A physiotherapist treats pain throughout the body. As part of their treatment, they assess your condition and use various stretching and yoga exercises to relieve it.
Acupuncture is an ancient practice of placing tiny needles into key points on the body to release blocked energy and heal your lower back.
Spinal Manipulation
A sore lower back is often the result of a ruptured disc, so visiting a chiropractor is ideal for opening up the spine and correcting alignment.
You should see your doctor when you have lower back pain. They can recommend the suitable complementary therapies to help you and your pain.
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