How to relieve back pain?

Summary: Back pain is one of the most common health ailments that people all around the world suffer from. Usually over the counter medications as well as prescription drugs like zerodol sp are used in relieving back pain but certain tips can also be of great help in restoring mobility and relaxing your spine. 

Introduction

Most people suffer from back pain at some point in their life and it is one of the most common reasons for a doctor’s visit or consuming pain relief medication like zerodol sp. The causes leading to back pain can be different from person to person like sprains, severe injuries or numerous other diseases.  

If you regularly suffer from back pain that is not caused by any severe factors than the below given tips can help you in easing your discomfort and keeping your back healthy:

Maintain a good posture: Remember what your grandma told you? Slouching is bad. And she was absolutely right. Bad posture is one of the top reasons for back pain getting worse. When you slouch while sitting, the discs in your lower spine are pressured abnormally and that can lead to your back suffering even more.  Sit upright, support your upper body against a chair and keep your shoulders relaxed. Remember not to slump over your keyboard. 

Maintain a healthy weight: If you are overweight then it will obviously put a lot of pressure on your back. Over time your body weight will lead to your spine becoming tilted and stressed unevenly, which in turn will make the spine develop an unnatural curvature and it can lead to severe back pain. This is why you need to maintain a healthy weight.

Pain relief medication: Often doctors can prescribe NSAIDs or opioid medications to help you deal with back pain in a better way. Sometimes muscle relaxants are also used to help ease painful muscle spasms. However, it is extremely important to take medications like zerodol sp under the strict guidance of a doctor to avoid overdosing on certain active ingredients. 

Opt for physical therapy: Therapists can help you understand how to sit, stand and exercise your back in the proper way, so that there is no extra pressure on your back and that your spine is properly aligned.  Physical therapy also helps you to strengthen your core muscles through specialised exercises to help you support your back as a strong core prevents back pain in the future. 

Lift correctly:  Most spine injuries are a result of lifting heavy objects carelessly.  Lifting heavy weights can lead to muscle spasm and pain. This is why you need to be careful when doing heavy physical labour. Use correct body mechanics when lifting things and instead of using your back engage your leg muscles.  In case you find the object too heavy you must ask for assistance from others. 

Stretch daily: Tight muscles are the top reason for persistent back pain because they put extra stress on your spine as well as your joints. To maintain a healthy back, you should stretch daily. 

Hands on therapy:  Studies have shown that people with chronic back pain found improvement in their back pain and mobility with one weekly massage over a 10-week period. However, the relief only lasted for a period of six months. This is where hands-on therapy like spinal manipulation performed by an expert licensed specialist provides long term relief as it helps in relieving structural problems of the spine and restore lost mobility. 

Ice and heat method: This is one of the most successful ways of relieving an achy back. Application of ice regularly on painful areas of your back helps in reducing inflammation which in turn reduces pain. Apply an ice pack several times a day on your back for upto 20 minutes per session. Do this for several days and then switch to heat packs.  Heat packs help to relax your muscles and also increase the blood flow to the affected area. Warm baths are also great for pain relief. Be careful while using heating pads to avoid burns and tissue damage. 

Back pain can be uncomfortable but the good news is that in most cases it is not a serious problem. The simple tips mentioned above can go a long way in helping you maintain a healthy and happy spine and back.