Overlooked Remedies For Lower Back Pain Relief
When lower back pain persists and continues to interfere with your quality of life, multiple treatment options may be needed for adequate relief. Below are some back pain treatments that are commonly overlooked or underused. Try one or more of these remedies to see which one, or combination, works best for you.
Best Vitamins And Minerals
When it comes to inflammation control, these are the 2 most important vitamins and minerals.
Its been proven if you lack one or both of these, your chances of suffering from chronic inflammation are almost double.
1. Vitamin D
A number of studies have linked low levels of vitamin D with increased levels of chronic pain.
One 2009 study looked at the vitamin D levels of people with chronic pain who were using opioid painkillers.
Those who had a deficiency of vitamin D needed almost twice as high a dose of medication to control their pain.
Make sure you get the natural form of Vitamin D, which is Vitamin D3.
2. Magnesium
Magnesium deficiency is becoming a widespread problem around the world. Vegetables contain less and less Magnesium each year and its very easy to become Magnesium deficient.
From personal experience, I can tell you that using Magnesium oil has worked wonders for me and family with any kind of muscle pain and even restless leg syndrome.
The most absorbed type of Magnesium is called Transdermal magnesium, which gets in your body through your skin and is better absorbed than oral Magnesium supplements.
The best Transdermal supplement I know is this one you can read all about Magnesium oil benefits in this post.
When To Get Medical Help And Advice
Nine out of 10 people find their lower back pain improves within four to six weeks. You may find that you feel better sooner than this, in a few weeks. But contact your GP if the pain is severe, getting worse over time or isnt improving after four to six weeks. Also, contact your GP urgently if you feel unwell or have a high temperature. And if you have had cancer or osteoporosis, your GP may want to check that there isnt a more serious cause.
Seek medical attention right away if you:
- have numbness or tingling around your bottom or genitals
- cant control when you pee or cant go at all
- lose control of your bowels
- are unsteady when you walk, your legs feel weak or your foot is dropping or dragging
These may be signs that the nerves at the bottom of your spine are being squashed. This is called cauda equina syndrome and needs urgent treatment.
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Stretches To Ease Lower Back Pain
My back is killing me. These five words are said by co-workers, family, friends, almost every person we regularly come in contact with will say them sooner or later. In fact, a study performed at the University of North Carolina found that more than an overwhelming 80 percent of people will experience an episode of back pain at some point in their life. As people age, often the spine will experience degenerative changes. As these changes occur, there is less space between the vertebrae, which can increase back pain. When the spine is flexed, pressure is off-loaded. Because of this, a flexion based program is often used to help relieve symptoms of lower back pain. Here are four stretches for lower back pain that almost everyone can do.
Additional Tools For Acupressure
You may wish to utilise additional instruments for applying pressure to points via rubbing, rolling or targeting the reflex zones of the body:
Acuball: this is a small rubber ball with protuberances that you can heat up for extra pain relief. Its used to apply pressure to muscular or joint pain.
Energy roller: Similar to the acuball, this is a cylindrical roller with protuberances, which is placed on the floor so that you can roll your foot back and forth over it.
Power mat: the power mat is a mat with small, pyramid shaped bumps on it that you can walk over.
Spine roller: This bumpy roller contains magnets and is rolled up and down the spine.
The Teishein: Although the Teishein is one of the original nine classical acupuncture needles used by early acupuncturists, it doesnt actually pierce the skin, and is instead used to apply rapid percussion pressure to certain points on the body.
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Get Enough Restorative Sleep
Pain is a leading cause of insomniadifficulty with falling asleep and/or staying asleep. Inadequate sleep can also make your back pain worse. This vicious cycle makes it more difficult for you to get restorative sleep.
See Restorative Sleep Brings Back Pain Relief
Getting enough restorative sleep is needed for the bodys tissues to heal and recharge energy levels. If you have trouble sleeping, it is important to address pain or other factors that are causing it. Your doctor might recommend lifestyle changes, medications, or other treatments depending on what is disrupting your sleep.
Gb 10 Acupressure Point
The GB 10 acupressure point reduces tension and aches in the neck and head while also increasing the bodys hormonal activities.
The Points Location
The pressure point lies one thumbs width below the skull and one thumbs width away from the spine.
What You Must Do
- Apply hard and prolonged pressure to the spot with the thumb on the same sidearm.
- To get the intended result, pressure should be administered multiple times throughout the day and night for 2 to 3 minutes at a time.
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How To Reverse A Pinched Nerve In Lower Back
2020/05/23 by Meital James
When it comes to healing from a pinched nerve in the lower back, early diagnosis is critical to prevent further damage and complications.
But whats really confusing is that youll be offered the exact same pinched nerve treatment, whether youre diagnosed earlier or later.
Pills.
Nice colorful pills. Those will be offered to you as a solution.
But the average doctor will teach you absolutely nothing about fixing the root cause of your pinched nerve, how to heal it completely and prevent it from coming back in a month or so.
Nor will he tell you that medication only covers up the symptoms and that the pain will come right back, if you dont address the root cause.
Here youll find the best alternative, safe and natural treatments for a lower back pinched nerve, and how to fix whats been causing it in the first place.
Page Contents
Simple Stretches To Relieve Lower Back Pain
Lower back pain can be a debilitating and painful condition.
Fortunately, staying physically active may be the most effective and cost-efficient way to soothe or prevent it.
Here are 8 simple stretches to relieve lower back pain.
3 ).
Although its origin varies, changes in the lumbar, or lower back, structure due to musculoskeletal damage are considered to be the main cause .
Your musculoskeletal system is made up of bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and other connective tissues that provide form, support, stability, and movement to your body.
Other muscles that play an important role in maintaining the normal curvature of your spinal column are reported to be associated with lower back pain. These include the hip flexor and hamstring muscles .
Minor lower back pain normally gets better on its own within a few days or weeks. It can be considered chronic when it persists for more than three months .
In either case, staying physically active and regularly stretching can help reduce lower back pain or prevent it from returning .
The remainder of this article provides eight stretches for lower back pain, all of which you can do in the comfort of your own home with minimal or no equipment.
Summary Lower back pain is an incredibly common condition that can be relieved or prevented with regular exercise and stretching.
The knee-to-chest stretch can help lengthen your lower back, relieving tension and pain.
To perform the knee-to-chest stretch:
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How To Relieve Lower Back Tightness
This article was co-authored by Jason Myerson, DPT, DMT, OCS, FAAOMPT. Jason Myerson is a Physical Therapist and a Certified Orthopedic Specialist. He is affiliated with Performance Physical Therapy & Wellness with clinics located in Connecticut. He serves as adjunct faculty in the Physical Therapy Department at Quinnipiac University. Jason specializes in helping active people get back to hobbies, activities, and sports they love while utilizing an integrated approach to wellness. He holds an MA in Physical Therapy from Quinnipiac University and a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Arcadia University. He is Residency and Fellowship trained in Orthopedic Manual Therapy, achieved a Doctorate in Manual Therapy and became a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists .There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 184,753 times.
Lower back tightness is a common complaint among many people. Improving your overall physical and mental health can help relieve lower back tightness immensely. With the proper care, relief for your tight lower back is within reach.
How Long Does Lower Back Pain Usually Last
Lower back pain can be categorized as acute, subacute or chronic. Acute episodes of lower back pain usually last from a few days to 4 weeks and subacute lower back pain lasts between 4 to 12 weeks. However, according to the National Institutes of Health, about 20 percent of people with acute back pain go on to develop chronic back paindefined as pain that lasts 12 weeks or longer. Even in these cases, there are many different treatment options to help relieve lower back pain symptoms.
When your back is really killing you, you might worry something is seriously wrong. The same goes for back pain that seems unending. The good news is that while back pain is a major inconvenience, it is rarely an urgent medical issue. In fact, most of the time you dont have to treat it. Back pain usually resolves on its own unless you have a major underlying issue.
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Stretches To Help Relieve Backpain From Sitting All Day
Sitting down and becoming inactive is detrimental to our overall health. I can most certainly damage our backsides. This, in turn, leaves us feeling like our backsides are sore all the time. When we use our sit bones a little too often, it creates and puts excess pressure on our lower back, nerves, muscles, and tendons according to Harvard Health. The good news is, there are some exercises to relieve our back pain.
Hamstring stretch
Very Well Fit.com states that The hamstring muscle group is located in the back of your thigh and is responsible for bending or flexing your knee.
- Stand in front of a staircase or low stool.
- Put one foot on the lowest step and lean forward at your hip until you feel a stretch in the back of the thigh in your standing leg.
- Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds. Repeat three times and then repeat with the other leg.
Knee to Chest
The knee to chest stretch helps to lengthen your back, relieving any pain in the area. To perform the knee-to-chest stretch as instructed by Gavin Van De Walle, MS, RD:
To make this stretch more difficult, simultaneously bring both of your knees to your chest for 1520 seconds. Do this 3 times, separated by 30 seconds of rest.
Standing Plank
This stretch is something that you can do anywhere and everywhere. To perform the standing plank all you need to do is:
Cat-Cow Stretch
Pain Relief: Try Partial Crunches
One of the classic core-strengthening workouts is the partial stomach crunch. Partial crunches build strength in both your lower back and related stomach muscles, making this an ideal exercise for people with spondylosis.
Here’s how to get the most out of partial crunches:
- Lie back, and keep your feet flat on the floor with your knees bent.
- With your hands behind your head or with arms crossed around your chest, raise your shoulders from the floor. Make sure to keep your stomach muscles tight.
- Breath out while raising your shoulders. Avoid leading with your elbows .
- Hold for one second. Next, lower yourself back down to the floor in a controlled manner.
- Repeat with between eight and 12 repetitions.Remember to follow proper form, which prevents excessive spine stress. Keep your feet, tailbone, and lower back against the floor throughout the exercise.
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Discover The Joy Of Movement
You are not alone if you currently have back pain, which is one of the most common types of body pain. Discovering how to reduce your pain can help you to live life to the full once more.
When youre in pain, its natural to try to avoid moving too much. After all, it hurts! But keeping the body active every day is one of the best ways to manage and prevent pain. Even if you feel some discomfort at first, it is worth persevering as moving helps to avoid stiffness, keeps your muscles strong and aids the healing process.
You may relieve back pain with some gentle back exercises and activities. Rediscover the joy of movement and dont be held back by back pain.
Complementary And Alternative Techniques Include:
- Acupuncture is moderately effective for chronic low back pain. It involves inserting thin needles into precise points throughout the body and stimulating them , which may cause the body to release naturally occurring painkilling chemicals such as endorphins, serotonin, and acetylcholine.
- Behavioral approaches include:
- Biofeedback involves attaching electrodes to the skin and using an electromyography machine that allows people to become aware of and control their breathing, muscle tension, heart rate, and skin temperature people regulate their response to pain by using relaxation techniques
- Cognitive therapy involves using relaxation and coping techniques to ease back pain
Spinal injections include:Trigger point injections can relax knotted muscles that may contribute to back pain. An injection or series of injections of a local anesthetic and often a corticosteroid drug into the trigger point can lessen or relieve pain.
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What Causes A Compressed Nerve
A few common causes for lumbar pinched nerves are:
1. Repetitive motion
2. Holding the body in one position for long periods .
Read: Can a Bulging Disc Heal on Its Own?
4. Arthritis of the spine.
But when we look at these causes through the holistic approach, we see that all of these causes have the same root cause: muscle Imbalances.
The important thing to understand is that a pinched nerve, or Sciatica, is not a condition or a disease.
Its just a symptom of something else.
Much like coughing is a symptom of pneumonia. If you want to stop the coughing, the smart way to go is to cure pneumonia, not just swallow coughing syrup.
Well get to that later, and see how to reverse it easily and at home.
Wear Compression Hose & Socks
Compression hoses are designed to increase blood flow in your feet it works by squeezing them. They help prevent formation of blood clots in your limbs that may arise from prolonged standing. With technological improvements, there are various socks types you can wear to prevent adverse effects of prolonged standing.
Socks designed to use moisture-absorbent technology can absorb moisture from your feet to reduce the kind of discomfort thats caused by wet feet. Copper or anti-bacterial socks can assist in minimizing foot odor caused by bacterial infections.
Anti-friction socks are perfect if you want to protect your feet from developing hot spots and blisters due to prolonged standing. On the other hand, socks with padding beneath heels are designed to help reduce pressure on your heels. Opt for socks with extra stretch material if youre in need of arch support for your feet.
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What To Look For In A Mattress
Your mattress matters too.
Doctors used to recommend very firm orthopedic mattresses to people with lower back pain. But dont go out and buy one just yet. Recent surveys have shown that people who use extremely firm mattresses may have the poorest sleep.
That said, a mattress thats too soft wont help very much with alignment.
If you have the funds to buy something new, try choosing a firm or medium-firm mattress made with good-quality innersprings or foam. You may also improve the innerspring mattress you already own by adding a memory foam mattress topper.
It may be difficult to tell if that mattress at the store really feels comfortable after only a few minutes of testing. Some companies let you test out a mattress over a set period of time and then return it if its not for you.
Not in the market right now? You can see if a firmer mattress would help you by placing an inexpensive plywood board under your current mattress. You can even place your mattress on the floor to see if lessening the movement of the springs helps with your pain.
How Can You Prevent Lower Back Pain
While you cant stop aging or change your genetic makeup, lifestyle changes can help manage and prevent lower back pain. Having a healthy lifestyle may make you less likely to suffer an accidental injury, too.
Improve your physical fitness. People who are not physically fit are more likely to develop lower back pain because strong core muscles help support the lower back.
Stay active. People who lead sedentary lives may be more likely to injure themselves when they do exert themselves. As far as back health is concerned, its better to do a smaller amount of physical activity most days of the week than to sit all week and over-exert yourself on the weekends.
Lose weight if necessary. The more you weigh, the more pressure you have on your lumbar vertebrae. Being overweight or obese can put stress on the back and lead to lower back pain.
Lift heavy objects the right way. Be sure to squat while lifting so that your hips and knees do much of the work. Keep the load close to your chest while you lift.
Your legs, not your lower back, should be the main driver when you’re lifting something heavy.Make your workspace as ergonomic as possible. If you sit at a desk, make sure your chair has plenty of low-back support and your hips are at a right angle to the floor.
Dont use tobacco products. In addition to all the other health problems tobacco use causes, it can restrict blood flow and oxygen to the discs, causing them to degenerate faster.
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