Are you suffering from one of the most common health complaints in the US? If you cannot easily get up from a chair or walk without doubling over in pain, you are probably suffering from low back pain. Low back pain affects almost 80 percent of Americans at some point in their life. Find out more about what low back pain means, and how you can help treat the ailment.
Low Back Pain Causes
For many people the cause of low back pain is sudden and identifiable – you may bend over to pick up a pen and feel your back lock into an uncomfortable position. You may receive a jolt to your spine in a minor car accident, or trip and fall on ice. This is defined as acute back pain, and it is usually brought about by trauma or injury. For other people, back pain develops and persists over a long period of time and may be linked to another condition like arthritis. This is known as chronic back pain.
Back Pain: What to Do
If you are worried about your back then the best thing you can do is seek help early. Early treatment and intervention can get you back on your feet and stops a chronic back problem taking hold. Seek out a back care specialist in order to have your problem seen and diagnosed – a chiropractor or other professional will help heal your back problems.
Low Back Pain Treatments
One of the best ways to treat and relieve low back pain is through exercise. You do not help your back, and your overall recovery, by staying in bed so you should aim to try to complete your daily activities as soon as you can. Ask a back care specialist for a program of healthy exercise you can do to strengthen your back and speed recovery. You may benefit from a program of core strengthening exercises that help you develop the muscles you use to support your lower back.
You should also make sure you are walking, sitting and standing correctly in order not to aggravate any back injury – bad posture will cause pain and back problems if you do not correct it. Improve the flexibility in your back in order not to “set” your back into the wrong position. Yoga can be a good exercise for troublesome backs, as can swimming and walking. And make sure you get enough rest. Sleep is crucial for healing – make sure you get enough.