How To Deal With Back Pain? - 3 minutes read
Many adults face a common problem: back pain. We experience back pain caused by our daily routines such as spending too much time sitting while at work (Work From Home (WFH)) or when we drive for many hours. Lifting heavy furniture while cleaning your house, hours of gardening or lifting weights in the gym are also some activities which can cause back pain. These activities can sometimes put so much pressure and weight on your back and cause low back injuries such as muscle strain or spasm, sprain of ligaments, joint problems, or slipped disk. Suffering from a back pain can range from being slightly tolerable to unbearably painful, thus affecting our daily functions…
Most back pain can be relieved by non-surgical means. Natural pain reliefs such as enough bed rest, proper posture when sitting, walking, and lying and regular exercise can be effective.
Sleeping posture
The best sleeping position is to sleep on your side with your knees bent with a pillow under your head to support your neck. You may also use a pillow in between your knees. You can lie on your back on a firm mattress with pillows under your knees or lie on the floor with your hips and knees bent and your feet on a chair. This way, it takes the pressure and weight off your back. You may need just two days of this type of rest for an injured back. However, too much bed rest can cause your muscles to weaken and slow down your recovery. Try walking around for a few minutes every hour even when it hurts sometimes. Limit prolonged sitting, lifting and bending, which can aggravate the symptoms.
Sitting posture
Proper sitting position can help to provide back pain relief. Select chairs with straight back or low-back support. Keep your knees a little higher than your hips. Adjust your seat or use a low stool to prop up your feet. Move your whole body rather than by just twisting at your waist when you turn from your chair.
Driving posture
Driving for long hours can strain your back. Try sitting straight by moving the seat forward to keep you from leaning forward when reaching for the controls. It may help to use a small pillow or rolled towel behind your lower back if you are driving or sitting for a long time.
Standing posture
People whose work requires them to stand for hours must find a way to rest one foot on a low stool from time to time while trying to switch with the other foot every 5 to 15 minutes. Maintaining a good posture is necessary to avoid back pain. Keep your ears, shoulders, and hips in a straight line with your head up and your stomach pulled in. Finally, to relax painful muscle spasms, try using heating pads for 20 to 30 minutes at a time. Likewise, ice packs and massages may also give the same back pain reliefs.