Back pain can be a huge disruption to your day-to-day life. It creeps up on you; first just a little twinge occasionally, then a persistent ache, until finally it can make the simplest tasks feel painful and difficult. There are many causes of back pain, from being forced into bad posture, to lingering effects from an injury, to a symptom of other illnesses. Just as there are many causes, there are many solutions that can help alleviate and even extinguish the pain so you can get back to enjoying your life. Read on to find some suggestions for options that don’t involve surgery, and many of which you can practice yourself for immediate relief.
Check Your Chair
Back pain is a massive problem amongst office workers, usually because of poor desk and chair design that forces you to hunch over your workspace and bend your spine into a horrible position all day. For some people, fixing this constant issue can resolve the resulting back pain just by itself. If you can, ask for an ergonomic desk chair designed to prevent back pain – or even look at standing desk options which can be great for your general health as well. It’s also a good idea to raise your computer up with a few books, or use a stand for any paperwork, to prevent yourself bending over too much.
Stretch Yourself
They may seem the sole province of celebrities and people who wear colourful leggings all the time, but the health benefits of activities such as yoga and pilates cannot be ignored. You can find special yoga programs which specifically target the back and use a variety of stretches to help alleviate aches and pains. Strengthening your core in general is a great way to support your back, as is increasing flexibility and improving your base posture. Try finding a few stretches you can do every day before bed – and you won’t even need to visit a physiotherapist.
See a Specialist
That being said, sometimes it is a very good idea to seek professional help. An expert may be able to identify the exact cause and positioning of your pain when you cannot, and therefore offer specific advice and exercises to combat this. My Back Relief Clinic offers a range of different treatments, and you can choose what you think will benefit you the most. They explore spinal adjustments and work with your soft tissue to help rehabilitate your muscles and relieve pain without being invasive.
Diet
It may seem strange, but foods high in processed ingredients and refined sugars can be very inflammatory and therefore contribute to back and muscle pain. Try cutting these elements out of your diet and take note of whether it makes a difference, or talk to your doctor about the potential ramifications of these foods. It’s also a very good idea to keep a healthy weight generally, as this will take some of the pressure off your spine and help you keep a good, supported posture.
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