Lower Back Pain: Relief & Prevention

Lower back pain is a common affliction that affects over 80% of the adult population at one time or another in their lifetime. There are also many causes, and it can be difficult to directly determine the source of the problem without medical intervention, ie. a visit to the doctor or chiropractor.

Some of the more usual causes are likely to be undertaking physical activity in which the body is not used to, such as strenuous gardening or lifting of overly heavy objects.

This over-exertion can result in a slipped disk (or a herniated disk). This is a result of twisting, generally while lifting. A slipped disk sounds worse than it probably is. It is merely the occurrence of your spinal bone bulging slightly, and touching on some nerves. Some basic exercises can help to relieve the pain and rectify the slipped disk issue.

Tip 1: Lie on Your Back.

Now this may sound simple (and it is!) but it is also highly effective. Lie flat on the floor, with some pillows placed under your head and knees for support. This takes the strain away from your lower back. An alternative is to place a pillow on a chair seat, and rest your feet on the chair, with your back on the floor.

It is recommended to stay in this position for around 5-25 minutes each session.

This is a great way of resting the back and relieving the pressure off your lower back. You should perform this exercise for no more than 1 to 2 days in a row, getting up and walking around every hour.

Tip 2: Use Heating Pads and/or Ice Packs

Heated pads will help to relieve muscle spasm. Use these for 20-30 mins at a time. Ice packs are also a suitable alternative.

Tip 3: Medicines to Reduce Swelling

Some medications that assist in reducing swelling are Aspirin and Entrophen. Panadol is also helpful in controlling minor pain while you rest your lower back and recuperate.

Tip 4: Massage for Muscle Relief

Massaging the lower back can help to reduce any inflammation and swelling. And as the muscles relax, circulation is increased and pain often lessens.

If these tips are combined, together with much needed bed rest, your back pain should be gone and your back should be returned to its old self.

At this point you may consider practicing some back strengthening exercises, to prevent any future re-occurrence of lower back pain. We will discuss some prevention tips in future articles.
 
 
Important note: If the lower back pain is persistent for 2-3 weeks, you should consult your family doctor. There is no substitute for professional medical advice.

Brief Description:

The spine is made up of muscles, bones, and nerves… The spine is held together by disks, connective tissues, tendons, and ligaments. The elements combine to allow us to stand, yet tension is applied.

The lower back makes up the larger structure of bones and joints with the joints at the hips. Hip joints connect to the pelvis, joining with the elements listed above and with the vertebral column and finally connect to the sacrum. Larger bones join at the legs, which is where we get our support and strength to hold up the vertical column. Read the rest of this entry »

The song, “My ankle bone is connected to my knee bone,’ comes to mind each time I write articles on back pain. Now I know why. Each bone within the structures of the skeletal muscles plays a vital part in our health. If any of these bones, muscles, tendons, etc are disturbed it can lead to serious back problems. Back problems include slipped herniated disks, broken back, fractures, and so on. Each condition is caused from a string of actions, activities, incorrect movement, overexertion, etc, which exceptions include disease.

Back pain is complex, since various aspects of the human makeup Read the rest of this entry »

Stretch exercises is a great way to avoid back pain, since it stretches the muscles, joints, bones, etc, thus promoting fluid and blood flow. Stretch workouts include shoulder shrug, triceps, arm, leg, trunk, torso, and other stretches. To help you avoid back pain we can perform a few workouts to help you stretch those muscles.

Starting with the shoulders, stand erect. Rest your hands upon the hips and shrug them shoulders. Rotate the shoulders in slow motion and to the back up to ten counts. Next, perform the same actions; yet rotate the shoulders in slow motion toward the front.
Read the rest of this entry »