One of the most common long-term health problems facing the average adult, and the most common cause of having to take a health break from work, back pain is not something we should ignore. Sure, all of us can experience a little twinge or soreness that goes away before too long, but that doesn’t mean you should assume that will always be the case.
Regarding back pain, it’s always a good idea to take a proactive approach to managing it, treating it, and helping you live an active lifestyle. Here are a few tips on how you can do that.
Aromatherapy
When back pain gets so bad that you don’t want to move around too much, you might want to look at a more passive way of alleviating your pain. Beyond the pharmaceutical options, one that has been found effective by many people is essential oils. Essential oils can be used in a lot of ways, such as being put into lotions and balms used on the skin, but using them through aromatherapy, whether it’s burning them or infusing them into the air, can help their benefits really soak into you, with peppermint oil, lemongrass oil, and lavender being some of the most widely used for back pain.
Stretching exercises
One of the best ways to build up your back against the causes of pain is to ensure that you’re living a healthy lifestyle with a well-balanced range of exercises. Strength-building exercises are vital for building the muscles that support the back, while cardio exercises can help you manage your weight, putting less pressure on it. The most important exercise in your routine, however, is stretching, which can work out the weariness in the muscles in the back and keep you feeling flexible and mobile.
Chiropractics
When tackling back pain, you should take the hands-on approach to do just that. Chiropractor practices such as Kaizo Health can provide direct treatments, using techniques such as spinal manipulation, adjusting your joints and muscles gradually, and other methods to address problems of chronic physical pain, including back pain. Different treatments exist for different back pain causes, be it arthritis, sciatic, scoliosis, back injuries, or more. Rather than just being a last-ditch effort to deal with pain when it gets too much, chiropractors can be a regular part of your pain management program.
TENS machines
You can also ensure a more direct approach at home, even if you don’t have a chiropractor or massage therapist. TENS machines are becoming more popular, using electrical stimulation directly through the skin via carefully placed electrodes. These signals can not only block pain signals, but they can also relax your muscles and, according to some, may even help release some endorphins that can make pain sensations much less prevalent.
Improve sleep
Sleep and back pain have a near-cyclical relationship. If you have back pain, you’ll have a harder time getting to sleep at night. However, if you cannot sleep, your body will get more tense, inflammation will build up, and you won’t get the relaxation that can allow some relief for your back, making it worse. Taking the time to improve your sleep quality by improving your routine and your sleeping environment or using essential oils to help you fall asleep can work well when combined with the other back pain relief tips mentioned here.
Stress relief
Stress is often classified as the third component in the triad of sleep, stress, and back pain. It causes the body to produce more cortisol, often called the stress hormone, that can cause physical tension. It also wreaks havoc on your sleep. As such, you should take the time to address feelings of stress by finding moments to meditate throughout the day, finding someone to talk to, or otherwise. Many of the tips above, such as exercise and aromatherapy, can help with feelings of stress on top of back pain.
With the tips above, you can address the causes and symptoms of back pain in many cases. Of course, you should follow the above advice with consultation from your doctor to ensure that you’re doing it in a way that is as safe and suitable for your health circumstances as possible.
