Lower back pain is a common issue affecting millions of people worldwide. There are many reasons for lower back pain but one thing is for sure that it can be very painful and impacts daily routine activities. You must be thinking at the moment that if there is any treatment available for this disease? The answer is yes. Luckily several treatment options are available in order to reduce symptoms of lower back pain in the very short period of time. So this complete article is all about. Here we will provide you expert guidance and techniques in order to minimize pain and discomfort that will definitely improve your quality of life. So don’t go anywhere else because this article is really important for you if you are suffering from lower back pain. Without any further delay let’s start.
Understanding Lower Back Pain
Before going to talk about effective treatment options let’s try to understand what lower back pain is. Now here try to understand the functions of the lower back of your body. Lower back, which is also called the lumbar region, supports most of the weight of the body. It is also responsible for various movements of the body parts and their flexibility. So it becomes very important to check out the root causes of lower back pain in order to understand it in a comprehensive way. Let’s have a look.
Muscle or Ligament Strain
The stress on muscle or ligament is one of the major reasons for lower back pain. There are a lot of activities that put extra stress on muscles like lifting heavy objects, moments or working too hard.
Herniated or Bulging Discs
Sometimes it happens that the discs that provide support to backbone damages resulting in extra pressure on the nerves. When this happens it creates severe pain and discomfort.
Arthritis
Arthritis is also one of the root causes of lower back pain, especially osteoarthritis can be the reason to affect lower back. In this way it creates a lot of pain and inflexibility.
Skeletal Irregularities
Due to disturbance in the skeleton, conditions like scoliosis can be created. In this situation it can change the position of the spine resulting sometimes severe pain and discomfort.
Poor Posture
Due to bad posture the issue of lower back pain can arise. So it is very important to make sure that you sit and stand correctly in order to avoid putting stress on the lower back.
Tips for Quick Relief
If you want to get quick relief from lower back pain then there are some important tips for you here in this part of the article. Let’s have a look.
Stretching and Flexibility Exercises
It is very important to reduce muscle tension for minimizing lower back pain. For this purpose scratching and flexibility exercises are very important. Now there is an important question at the moment that what kind of exercises you can do in order to improve flexibility of the muscles. Some of the important stretching exercises are as follows.
Hamstring Stretch
At number 1, there is the hamstring stretch exercise, which is very helpful in reducing symptoms of lower back pain. How to perform hamstring stretch exercise is the question now? Just lie on your back and lift your one leg. Simply hold this one leg that you have lifted with both hands behind the knees. After that, softly pull the leg towards you at that time until you feel a stretch in the hamstring. After every 20 to 30 seconds switch your legs and apply the same process.
Knee to Chest Stretch
In this type of exercise you also lie on your back and bend your knees. After that, just bring one knee towards your chest and hold it with both hands. After 20 seconds of holding, switch legs and apply the same process again.
Cat Cow Stretch
As the name suggests in cat cow stretch exercise, just arch your back as cat position and after that lower your belly to the floor. Just do this by lifting your head in a cow position. Repeat this process at least 10 to 15 times.
Strengthening Exercises
It is very important to make your muscles strong in order to maximize spine support. This helps to prevent you from injuries and pain in the future. Here in the following we are going to talk about some of the important strengthening exercises. Let’s have a look.
Planks
In this type of exercise just keep your body straight and utilize your major muscles. Just start the process with at least 20 to 30 seconds and then gradually try to increase the duration.
Bird Dog Exercise
This exercise is performed in such a way that you stretch your one arm and the opposite leg at the same time while standing on your hands and knees. Hold this process for a few seconds and then switch sides. It is very important to repeat the process at least 10 to 15 times.
Bridges
As the name suggests, in bridge exercises just lie on your back and bend your legs while your feet must be flat on the floor. After that, raise your hips to the ceiling and tighten your hamstring. Before lowering back down, just hold this position for a few seconds. It is recommended to repeat this process at least 10 to 15 times.
Heat and Cold Therapy
As the name suggests in heat and cold therapy, heat or cold is applied to the lower back area in order to get quick relief from pain. Some of the important tips are as follows.
Cold Therapy
Cold therapy is very simple. Just take an ice pack and wrap it in a cloth. After that, apply this ice pack to the affected area for at least 15 to 20 minutes. By doing this you will feel some sort of comfort and will help to reduce inflammation as well.
Heat Therapy
Heat therapy is mostly used for relaxing muscles and improving the flow of the blood. In this therapy you can use a warm towel or a heating pad on the affected area of the lower back. At least 20 to 30 minutes are recommended to apply heat therapy.
Non Prescribed Pain Relievers
You can use it without prescription medicine in order to get quick relief from pain and inflammation. There are some useful medicines in this context like ibuprofen and acetaminophen that can be taken. It is important to follow the recommendations while using these medicines. If you find any complications then it is better to consult with your healthcare professional.
Maintain Proper Posture
It is very important that you have a proper poster as we have said earlier. There are some useful tips that can improve your posture. Let’s have a look.
Sitting
Try to make sure that you sit properly. For this purpose, always use a chair that has good lumbar support. It is better to keep your feet just flat on the floor and not sit crossing your legs. It is very important that your knees must be towards the hip level or can be slightly lower.
Standing
It becomes very important in case of lower back pain that you apply your weight on both feet while you are standing. Make sure not to decline or lean to one side. If it is required to stand for a longer period of time then it is important to place your one foot on a small stool. This will help to minimize the pressure from the lower back resulting in comfort and relaxation.
Sleeping
When you sleep make sure that you have a mattress or pillow that is supportive. The better way of sleeping is to sleep on your back while the pillow is under your knees. You can also sleep on your side but the pillow should be between your knees.
Convenient Adjustments
It is really very important to make sure that you made those adjustments which are very comfortable at the place of your working. Here in this part of the article we are going to talk about some of the important points that will help you in this context. Let’s have a look.
Chair
It is very important that the chair where you sit must be comfortable and provide you lumbar support. The height of your chair must be according to the perfect height that allows your feet to rest flat on the floor.
Desk
If you use a computer then make sure that your desk is made in such a way where your computer screen will be at the level of your eye. It is very important for preventing stress on your neck and back. Arrange your daily routine items in such a way that they are always in easy reach of you.
Keyboard and mouse
During the use of computers it is crucial to keep your keyboard and mouse at that place which is easy to reach and at a comfortable height.
Regular Physical Activity
Try to keep yourself involved in physical activities on a regular basis. It is not only useful for improving your overall health but also prevents you from lower back pain. There are a lot of physical activities but you can go with moderate levels of activities such as swimming, walking or cycling. Try to make a habit to perform at least 30 minutes of exercise most days in a week.
Mindfulness and Stress Reduction
Medical study has shown that stress and anxiety can be the result of muscle tension and lower back pain. So it becomes crucial to reduce both these factors from your daily routine. For this purpose there are certain useful techniques that can help you in this whole picture. In the following we are going to talk about one by one. Let’s have a look.
Deep Breathing
The major purpose of deep breathing exercises is to relax your muscles. So try to involve yourself in deep breathing activities and reduce your stress in a comprehensive way.
Meditation
It is very important to relax your mind and body. For this purpose meditation is very important. Just spare some time for meditation regularly.
Yoga
Yoga is the best exercise because it is a combination of 3 exercises that is physical posture, deep breathing exercises and meditation. It promotes relaxation and flexibility to a greater extent.
Massage Therapy
Some people considered massage therapy as the best option in case of reducing muscle tension. Massage therapy is helpful in order to improve blood circulation and also promotes relaxation as well. You can go both ways with either professional massage therapy or self massage techniques. So it is simple to decide which one is more convenient for you.
Stay Hydrated
For healthy spinal discs hydration is really very important. Just make sure to drink enough water throughout the day to keep yourself hydrated.
When You Get Medical Support?
In most cases it is observed that lower back pain can be managed in an easy way by implementing above mentioned techniques. But here in the following we are going to talk about those cases where it becomes important to consult your healthcare provider on an urgent basis. Let’s have a look.
✓Severe and uncontrollable pain.
✓Just go to your doctor in case the pain spreads throughout the leg.
✓The feeling of insensitivity or burning.
✓Lack of urination or lack of control over the stools.
✓Unexpected fever or weight loss.
Conclusion
Lower back pain is one of the common but challenging conditions that require affected strategies for effective treatment. Try to understand what lower back pain is and what its causes are. We have deeply discussed it in a comprehensive article. You can improve the symptoms of lower back pain by improving your posture and strengthening your backbone. It is very important to keep a close eye on the symptoms and behavior in case of lower back pain during the treatment. If you observe any type of complication don’t waste time and consult your physician urgently. By following these steps you cannot only improve and manage lower back pain but can also boost your overall health as well.