It’s and my alarm just went off—time to get up, shower, dress and go to work. Wait a minute; I can’t get out of bed. My back hurts so much that I can’t turn over and sit up. Yesterday I helped my friend move into her new apartment.I guess I should not have carried that box of books up three flights of stairs.Now, what am I going to do? I can’t miss another day of work! I’ve already missed a week this year because of my aching back. Here are some of the life style changes that I can make to avoid this problem in the future: First of all, I need to make some changes in my lifestyle. I know that I need to lose weight. I’m twenty pounds overweight. All of this excess weight that I am carrying is putting a strain on my back muscles. Those three inch heels–I need to put them away and start wearing those flat-soled shoes that I bought the last time I had an episode of back pain. They certainly helped. Within 4 to 6 weeks, of wearing those shoes and losing some weight, my back did feel better. Perhaps I should look into getting a new mattress. My mattress is much too soft. I should be sleeping on a firm one. I can’t keep partying every night; I need a good night’s sleep! Common knowledge tells me that a good night’s sleep will help to alleviate my back pain. I must remember to get a new chair for my desk and adjust the way I do my work. Sitting hunched over my computer is certainly not helping my back! I should also be more aware of my posture, learning to stand more erect and to try to keep my knees higher than my hips when I am sitting. I also need to change my exercise regime. Walking or swimming is much better for my back than bowling, jogging or playing three sets of tennis after weeks of inactivity. Perhaps I should take the yoga class that I keep meaning to join. A study, written up in the “Annals of Internal Medicine” compared three different types of exercise to alleviate back pain. The group practicing yoga had less back pain. I’ll try these and also do some further research to see what the medical community says.
Popular literature and well as scholarly research and literature provide a number of suggestions for treating back pain before taking medication or having surgery. chiropractor agree that within 4 to 6 weeks of onset, relief from back pain will occur without medical intervention. They also caution, however, that if the severe pain does not go away after 72 hours, one should see a chiropractor to determine if the back pain is not symptomatic of a more serious problem. While bed rest is often recommended for a back problem,chiropractor caution that if a patient remains in bed longer than two days, back pain can actually worsen. Applying ice and heat to the affected area of back pain has always been recommended. However, there are conflicting opinions over which is better. Heat reduces spasms by dilating the blood vessels, thus increasing the oxygen supply to the affected area. Ice reduces the size of the blood vessels and reduces inflammation. chiropractor will recommend alternating ice and heat to the affected area. chiropractor also recommend exercise that stretches and strengthens the abdominal and back muscles.One should wait until after the spasms have subsided before beginning such a routine.Abdominal strengthening exercises enable the body to rely less on the back muscles to maintain proper posture.Pilates, an exercise program geared to strengthening the body’s core (abdominal muscles) is useful.While some Pilates moves may not be helpful, a trained instructor can help differentiate which moves should be practiced and which moves should be avoided.
Stretching exercises, such as yoga increase the rage of motion in the back and in the hips. Visiting a Physical Therapist can also reduce back pain. A Physical Therapist will prescribe exercises that address the specific cause of the pain. He or she is also able to ascertain how much exercise should be done both in the office and outside, and will teach the patient how to move correctly to avoid twisting, moving and lifting including ways of getting in and out of bed; ways of sitting down and getting up from a chair or couch; and ways of moving in general. In addition, most Physical Therapy offices are equipped with therapeutic machinery including ultrasound and electrical stimulation that will provide some relief to acute back pain. Some professionals recommend nutrition and dietary supplements. While there is no special diet to alleviate back pain, a healthy diet of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is helpful. One should also avoid saturated fat and sugar and drink plenty of water. Foods high in antioxidants have been shown to reduce inflammation. The following dietary supplements have been shown to reduce inflammation and pain: Omega-3 fatty acids. Drug-Free Approach To Pain Management Glucosamine/chondroitin, Methylsulfonylmethane, and Bromelain. Herbs such as Turmeric, Devil’s claw Willow bark, and Capsaicin are also helpful. Other non-drug related therapies for back pain include hydrotherapy, acupuncture, and chiropractic manipulation, and massage. Having described the many different ways to alleviate back pain, it is hoped that one can avoid that inability to get out of bed because of an aching back when the alarm rings at.