It may be time to quit smoking if you are suffering from back pain. Studies have been done on the effects of smoking on back pain, and they have shown that there is a correlation between the two. Smoking constricts your blood vessels which lowers your blood circulation. Blood carries essential nutrients to your spine; therefore, it is necessary to maintain good blood circulation. Without proper nutrients, your spine will become brittle and will be more vulnerable to injuries.
Put a heating pad on your back to get relief from pain. Relief comes by increased circulation of the blood, due to dilated blood vessels and subsequent oxygen to the muscles. The heating pad is versatile, and can be used in either a seated or lying down position.
Some back pain where specific symptoms can sometimes cause paralysis are sometimes fixed through surgical intervention. Whether this is possible depends both on the specific condition, as well as the severity of it. There are also other back conditions that can improve through surgery. Degenerative disc disease is a painful back condition that affects many people.
Always keep good posture. Follow proper posture when sitting, including keeping your back straight, having both feet onto the floor and keeping your down as you type. Place your monitor so that you can look straight ahead at it and not have to look up or down at it.
Why not treat yourself to a massage? Touch therapy can help relieve a lot of back pain. The act of massaging the back will cause the tightened muscles to loosen, as well as an overall sense of relaxation to polish off the pain. Many people have reported dramatic improvement in back pain with a weekly massage.
If your back pain makes it hard for you to move, it can help to gentle stretch the muscles around your back, as well as your hamstrings. Because back muscles are very large and cover the majority of your torso, a back injury can cause pain throughout the body. Stretch all surrounding groups of muscles, too.
Don’t sleep on your belly or on your back. However, sleeping on your side can help to distribute your weight more evenly.
When you are going on a long driving trip, make sure you schedule frequent pit stops to stretch out your back and do some light exercises. If you need to reach your destination at a certain time, calculate stops in so you’re not late.
If you are predisposed to back injuries – either genetically or through your lifestyle choices – then protect yourself by getting in the habit of regular chiropractor visits before you feel pain. Seeing a chiropractor on a regular basis can help fix even the tiniest of problems before they become full-blown serious injuries.
Weight loss is a great way to get into shape and help lower the pain in your back at the same time. If you are carrying extra weight you can reduce the strain on your back as you reduce the number on your scale. Besides, being overweight is probably causing you to have bad muscle tone. This means your muscles are not strong enough to support the extra weight. Aim for a proportion of height to weight which is suitable.
Use the right shoes to protect your back from pain. Wearing shoes that don’t provide support or that are worn out, can lead to stress in your feet, legs and eventually to your back. If you must wear them, you should purchase some insoles and only wear them for short periods of time.
You probably know that back pains can take a heavy toll. Social relationships can easily become strained, and even your work could be somewhat affected.
