How To Get Rid Of Chronic Back Pain
* Update as of 12/25/13 This post was written in January of 2010. Four years later, Ive learned a great deal about back pain. To the point where this article is laughable. Theres much more to pain than biomechanics and posture. Please read up on the biopsychosocial model of pain, along with the neuromatrix . .
That said, I will keep this article simply because 1) the advice can indeed help certain people with back pain, and 2) its a testament to my constant strive for continued learning and education. One last thing dont become fearful of movement as this can lead to more pain. Movement is your friend start with pain-free movement and then expand your boundaries
At some point in time, 80% of people will suffer from low back pain . As a trained specialist who watches people move all day long, it is blatantly apparent why such a large percentage of people have low back pain: They dont move correctly! The root of the problem is this:
People move with their low backs instead of their hips!
When the low back moves and the hips stay locked up, the gel inside of the lumbar discs propels toward the outside of the disc and can cause bulges or herniations. This is often the source of lower back pain.
The solution is not as simple as simply learning proper mechanics. Many people are unable to move with proper mechanics due to poor mobility and motor control. It takes some time to reprogram the body to move correctly.
1. Improve Soft-Tissue Quality
3. Activate the Glutes
How To Deal With Chronic Pain
- Focusing on breath/deep breathe
- Ignoring the negative aspects of life.
- Changes in diet
- Taking supplements for relief.
Find a quiet location at your place. Be comfortable on your body posture. Breathe deeply to realx. Never ignore the pain. Whatever the intensity you feel, treatment is necessarily helpful for you.
When Should You See A Doctor
Most cases of back pain usually improve gradually within a few weeks, using home relief methods and self-care methods, but some cases may require a doctors visit, and the following is a statement of these cases:
- Back pain persists for a few weeks.
- The pain extends down one or both legs, especially if the pain extends below the knee.
- Pain accompanied by weight loss without an obvious cause.
- Experiencing severe pain that does not improve with rest.
- The pain causes weakness, numbness, or tingling in one or both legs.
It is noteworthy that in some rare cases, back pain may indicate the presence of a serious medical problem that requires immediate medical care, and the following is a statement of these cases:
- The pain may cause new health problems in the intestines peor bladder.
- The pain is accompanied by a fever.
- Pain after a physical injury, such as a fall or a blow to the back.
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Prevent It In The First Place
Do exercises to strengthen the core muscles supporting your spine, and your abdominal, back, and hip muscles. Avoid any exercise that causes you to stretch your back to the point of discomfort. Bend at the knees when lifting a heavy object, and keep it close to your body with your knees slightly bent as you hold it. Practice good posture: Dont slump when you sit, and use the muscles in your shoulders and abdomen to maintain your spine in a neutral position.
People with back pain sometimes also suffer from depression. Treating the depression can lessen the pain because the same chemical messengers in the brain influence your mood and how you perceive pain. The antidepressant duloxetine is FDA-approved for treating chronic lower back pain. A word of warning: The drug can cause rare but serious side effects, including lowered blood pressure and a risk of liver failure.
Editor’s Note: This article and related materials are made possible by a grant from the state Attorney General Consumer and Prescriber Education Grant Program, which is funded by the multistate settlement of consumer-fraud claims regarding the marketing of the prescription drug Neurontin .
What Causes Back Pain How To Get Rid Of Lower Back Pain Fast At Home
Back pain causes are as diverse as they are common. The most common are muscular, skeletal, and disc problems. Despite their seemingly simple nature, these conditions can be very painful. Some of the most common cause of back pain is improper posture. You should always strive to sit with your shoulders over your hips. This helps to keep your spine in the proper alignment. When you deviate from this position, you put extra pressure on your back muscles, which may lead to muscle spasms and even a spinal stenosis.
Some of the most common back pain causes are as described above: a dull ache in the back that can radiate to the buttocks or legs. Although not all cases of back pain are as serious, there are a variety of symptoms that can be caused by back issues. A doctor can determine the exact cause of your back pain by asking about your symptoms and performing a physical exam. Sometimes an x-ray will be taken to check whether your bones are aligned properly and to rule out any broken bones. Unfortunately, x-rays cant detect if your disks and nerves have been damaged.
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Put Out That Cigarette
We all know smoking is a serious health risk, and smokers are also more likely to experience back pain than nonsmokers. One reason for this is that nicotine restricts blood flow to the disks in the spine. This can cause them to dry out, crack, or rupture. Smoking also reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood, which causes a reduction in nourishment to the muscles and tendons in the back. An unhealthy, weak back is more vulnerable to accidental strains and pulls that cause back pain.
Back Pain During Pregnancy
Lower back pain in a pregnant woman is very common, but it must be alleviated, as approximately 50% 80% of pregnant women suffer from lower back pain during pregnancy, which may be very annoying for the pregnant woman, but she should blame the hormonal changes that occur in her body. Then the uterus expands and there is a new soul inside this womb, and the severity of the pain ranges from moderate to severe.
And based on a number of recent studies that prove that lower back pain usually occurs between the fifth and seventh months of pregnancy, but for a number of pregnant women, this pain may begin between the eighth week to the 12th week of pregnancy.
Back pain is divided into two parts:Pain in the lower back from the backPain in the back pelvic region
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Avoid Prolonged Static Position
Constant tension or excessive sitting can adversely affect the body and start new pains. The longer you sit in one place, the more pressure increases on the vertebral discs. All this leads to anxiety as the tension becomes unbearable.
Schedule short walks at least once a day to a small distance. This might help gradually reduce the load from the spinal discs and upper parts of the neck. Pay attention to your posture, and adjust the neck and shoulders position to reduce the pressure on the spine.
What Are Some Common Lower Back Pain Causes
The causes of lower back pain are sometimes viewed as being mechanical, organic or idiopathic. Sometimes spinal conditions are congenital or acquired meaning the disorder develops later in life.
- Mechanical lower back pain is often triggered by spinal movement and involves spinal structures, such as the facet joints, intervertebral discs, vertebral bodies , ligaments, muscles or soft tissues.
- Organic lower back pain is attributed to disease, such as spinal cancer.
- Idiopathic refers to an unknown cause.
These are some of the things your doctor might look for or rule out when you schedule a visit for back pain.
The common symptoms of lower back pain.
Sprains and strains. Ligament sprains and muscle or tendon strains are the most common causes of lower back pain. Theyre often related to overuse.
Degenerative disc disease. While the name sounds worrisome, it just means you have a damaged disc causing pain. Over time, discs become thinner and flatter due to wear and tear. That leaves them less able to cushion the vertebrae and more likely to tear .
Herniated disc. The protective covering on intervertebral discs can tear over time. When this happens, the soft inner disc tissue may push through the outer layer. A disc that bulges or slips out of place is known as a herniated disc, bulging disc, or slipped disc. The herniation may press on nerve roots, leading to symptoms such as pain, tingling, numbness or weakness in the area that the nerve serves
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Relieve Neck And Back Pain With Natural Drinks
Perhaps it may sound new to you, but there are many anti-inflammatory products that can be used in your daily diet. Some of them have an accumulative power and concentrate antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents in the human body. Also, these substances can significantly reduce or eliminate inflammatory processes. It involves such healthy drinks as:
- Turmeric milk. This Asian spice has a wide range of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory components that perfectly copes with inflammatory processes. Stir half a teaspoon of turmeric in a glass of vegetable milk and drink it before bedtime daily.
- Tart cherry juice. Cherry is a real gift of nature. It is one of the most potent antioxidants, which has an anti-inflammatory effect. Athletes often use cherry juice for relieving back and neck pain caused by physical exertion.
- Ginger-green tea. This unique tea is an excellent drink with an analgesic effect. By including it in your daily diet, you will accumulate special anti-inflammatory agents in your blood. In this way, you can reduce general inflammation in the lower back and joints.
Natural Pain Relief The High
The best way to relieve chronic pain is by going to its root causeand for me, thats all about energy.
Pain is fundamentally an attention-getter. In fact, its probably our bodys most effective way of letting us know something is out of balance and needs to change.
A big problem, though, is that we dont treat it that way. Instead, were apt to load up on medications that can have toxic and addictive side effects. To boot, pain meds were recently shown to increase risk of heart attack and stroke. And worse, these drugs dont even fix the problem. They just cover it up for a while, until you develop a tolerance for your dosage. Then youre prescribed even more.
Thats not good medicine!
Why? First of all, it ignores the bodys natural healing wisdom. But more importantly, itlowers cell vibration. Prescription drugs are notorious for creating nutrient deficiencies and other vibration-lowering side effects. Your goal should always be to take fewer of them, not more.
A better approach is using natural therapies that raise cell vibration and improve energy flow in painful areas. I find that these can bring significant pain relief. And, because a number of them also involve the mind/body connection, they can also help reduce the emotional impact of chronic pain.
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Natural Pain Reliever #: Anti
Since pain is often caused or aggravated by inflammation, adopting an anti-inflammatory diet like the Pan Asian Modified Mediterranean diet should be a no-brainer. There are a lot of benefits to be gained with this, but chief among them is that the fewer foods you eat that stoke your bodys inflammatory response, the better off youre likely to feel. Plus the high fiber content of PAMM helps your body offload toxins that can cause additional inflammation.
To eat the PAMM way, focus on high-vibrational foods like fresh organic fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and low-glycemic carbs, along with healthy fats like olive oil and omega-3-rich fish. Remember, an anti-inflammatory diet is a long-term lifestyle approach, and pain relief will likely be gradual. But if you stick to it, youll eventually see benefits.
What Home Remedies For Lower Back Pain Actually Work
Unless youve had a major injury, such as a fall or car accident, you probably dont need to rush to the doctor for back pain. You may want to try these simple self-care strategies first.
Avoid bed rest. When lower back pain strikes, people often think complete rest will relieve back pain. However, a review of many clinical studies found that patients who retreated to bed actually experienced more pain and recovered more slowly than patients who stayed fairly active
Use ice and/or heat. Many people find that using ice or cold packs for periods of up to 20 minutes at a time helps reduce pain and swelling. Always wrap ice or a cold pack in a thin towel before putting it on your body so you dont injure your skin. You may also find that heat, such as a heating pad or warm bath, eases pain. Ice is recommended in the first 48 hours after injury then you can try a combo of ice and heat.
Try over-the-counter remedies. Short-term use of OTC pain relievers, such as the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ibuprofen and naproxen, may ease your lower back pain. Also consider OTC creams, gels, patches, or sprays applied to the skin. They stimulate the nerves in the skin to provide feelings of warmth or cold in order to dull the sensation of pain.
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How Long Is Too Long To Suffer From Back Pain
Nothing makes a long day even longer than having to deal with back pain. If you’re suffering from lower back pain, even simple tasks like picking up a bag of groceries can feel overwhelming.
What’s more, the cause of your lower back pain may be more complicated than the actual twisting or lifting that brought it on in the first place and preventing future pain means getting to the source of what caused it.
“If you wait to do something about lower back pain until it’s become debilitating, you’ve waited too long,” says Dr. Hosun Hwang, spine specialist at Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital. “Most people’s back pain dissipates in about a week or two, but if your pain is long-term or chronic, it’s time to see a spine specialist.”
Enter Alternative Therapies For Chronic Back Pain
Despite the clear risks, doctors have continued to prescribe painkillers, and perform surgeries and injections, sometimes to patients who wont take no for answer or who cant afford to try alternatives .
Slowly, though, the tide is shifting.
Medical societies and public health agencies are now advising doctors to try less invasive options and even alternative therapies such as acupuncture before considering opioids or surgery.
Most recently, in , the American College of Physicians advised doctors and patients try non-drug therapies such as exercise, acupuncture, tai chi, yoga, and even chiropractics, and avoid prescription drugs or surgical options wherever possible. In , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also came out with new guidelines urging health care providers to turn to non-drug options and non-opioid painkillers before considering opioids.
At the same time, research has mounted suggesting active therapies can really help people work through back pain, and alternative approaches can be effective, too with the caveat that theyre often no panacea and the effects tend to be short-lived and moderate.
But most of the alternatives also carry little or no harm which makes them all the more appealing amid the historic drug crisis.
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Sleeping And Lying Down
- Select a firm mattress and box spring set that does not sag. If necessary, place a board under your mattress. You can also place the mattress on the floor temporarily if necessary.
- If you’ve always slept on a soft surface, it may be more painful to change to a hard surface. Try to do what is most comfortable for you.
- Use a back support at night to make you more comfortable. A rolled sheet or towel tied around your waist may be helpful.
- Use a firm pillow that supports the curve of your neck.
- Do not sleep on your side with your knees drawn up to your chest.
- When standing up from the lying position, turn on your side, draw up both knees and swing your legs on the side of the bed. Sit up by pushing yourself up with your hands. Avoid bending forward at your waist.
Do You Want To End Your Chronic Back Pain Physical Therapy Is Your Answer
Do you struggle with chronic back pain that you fear will always keep you from living the life you want? Well, the good news is that you are not alone. 16 million adults experience persistent or chronic back pain in a study done by Georgetown University. Thats 8 percent of all adults in this country who are in a constant battle with this pain.
This debilitating symptom, which may be caused by a variety of underlying issues, may make you wish you could just spend the rest of your days sitting idly in your recliner watching your life pass you by.
But, however tempting this may be, you can conquer your chronic back pain by getting out of that recliner and talking to your doctor, and scheduling a course of physical therapy. Still a little lost, confused, or wondering how physical therapy can initiate healthy and long lasting relief? Here are five ways that our physical therapistcan use this healing modality to help you put chronic back pain behind you for good.
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