Back pain is an uncomfortable feeling. A back injury can slow you down and interrupt your quality of life. There are many causes of back injuries, such as working around the house or playing sports. When you have a back injury, it usually occurs in your lower back. There are many things that you can do to ease your back pain and help you feel better.
Manage Your Back Pain
Many people believe the common myth that you have to stop doing activities and go on bed rest to heal your back. Doctors believe that you should stay active despite your back injury as long as there are no signs of serious back pains. Although you can stay active when you have back pain, there are some tips that can help you manage your back pain at home:
- Icing your back will reduce the swelling and pain. Ice your back every three to four hours for 20-30 minutes. Repeat these steps for two to three days. If you have to do a lot of physical activity, you can ice your back afterward.
- Take pain relievers like Advil and Tylenol to relieve the pain. These drugs may have some side effects, so they should only be used on occasion.
- Don’t do any physical activity for the first few days of your back injury. Gradually introduce new physical activity.
- Sleep in a comfortable position to reduce back pain.
- Don’t participate in any activities that will put stress on your back, such as heavy lifting.
- Limit the time that you exercise. It is important to not overexert yourself after the pain begins. Add exercise back into your daily routine within two to three weeks.
Prevent Future Back Pain
One of the best ways to prevent future back pain is to exercise. Exercising can help you lose weight, which can take the pressure off of your back, improve your posture and flexibility. Aerobic exercises such as walking or riding a bicycle can strengthen your back muscles. It is important to avoid strenuous activities when you are recovering from a back injury.
In addition to aerobic exercises, strength training exercises have a lasting effect on preventing future back pain. If you are not sure of what exercises to do, a physical therapist can help you with a workout routine for your back. Physical therapists can also advise you on when to add more physical activity into your workout and teach you how to do strength training exercises.
Some other ways to prevent back pain are:
- Not standing for an extended period of time
- Have proper posture when you sit in a chair.
- Stay active and have a balanced diet to prevent weight gain.
- Do exercises that strengthen your core muscles.
- Practice relaxing techniques like yoga or meditation
- Learn to lift and bend your back correctly.
Surgery
Sometimes back injuries are beyond your control and you may need to see a specialist. The spinal specialists in Mount Laurel, NJ, for example, are trained to perform specific back surgeries so that their patients can avoid taking too many painkillers to heal their back injury. Back surgeons use advanced techniques and innovative instruments to give you a good outcome from your surgery. Many people worry about the cost of surgery, but there are health insurance options that can cut out of pocket costs to have surgery.
You can compare health insurance online to find a short term or long-term coverage all in one place. If you have been dealing with lower back pain for a while, there are treatment options that spinal specialists can perform to stop your back pain
