Is back pain starting to give you the hump? Many people around the world suffer from back pain – it can make everyday life a chore and seriously affect your mood. Whilst your doctor may be able to recommend prescription medicine, there are other ways to help battle back pain. Here are seven methods of pain relief to consider.
Don’t stay in bed
In times gone by, doctors used to recommend staying in bed to help with a bad back. This has since been shown to make back problems worse in some cases – whilst you should relax sometimes (especially after a back injury), a bit of physical activity could help to stop stiffness and could release feelgood endorphins around your body to counter pain. Stick to activities that won’t aggravate you back such as swimming, yoga and pilates.
Use hot and cold treatment
The heat and the cold can also be used to treat back pain. Cold treatments are best used in the following days after a back injury – this could involve applying an icepack or frozen bag of vegetables, which can decrease the swelling. After a couple days, you should then switch to hot treatments. Taking a bath is the best form of heat treatment for your back and could help to relax your muscles and ease inflammation.
Book a massage
It could be worth looking into a professional massage to help ease the pain. This could be from a physical therapist or chiropractor, or it could be from a general massage parlour. Massages can help to loosen up tight muscles which could be pulling on nerves and making your back pain worse.
Try acupuncture
Acupuncture is a form of alternative treatment using tiny needles in focused places around the body. Many people find that it’s effective at relieving back pain. Look for a professional in your area who is qualified to carry out this treatment and give it a go.
Give herbal medicine a try
Many herbal medicines can help to relieve back pain. Popular examples are willow bark and CBD oil. You may be able to take these herbal medicines as pills, as a liquid medicine or even as an ingredient within your food. Check that any herbal medicine you’re taking doesn’t have side effects when taken with prescription medicine.
Buy a new mattress
A basic mattress isn’t suitable if you’ve got back pain. Consider buying an orthopaedic mattress that will give your spine the support it needs. You can also look into body pillows which could help you to sleep on your side. Talk to a professional about which bedding options are recommended for you.
Ditch the bad habits
Certain bad habits could be aggravating your back pain. Smoking is known to make many joint problems worse – consider breaking this habit if you can as it could help alleviate the pain. Eating lots of sugar can also make inflammation worse – cut down on soft drinks and see what effects this has on your pain.
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