What to Do For Back Pain at Home – Posture, Diet, and Exercises
Image sourced from Freepik
What to do for back pain at home? According to the back pain clinic in Plano TX, people who want to avoid medications, epidural injections, and surgery should focus on a holistic health approach to support their physical, mental, spiritual, and social wellbeing.
Research shows that a holistic health approach for spinal pain includes back pain exercises, a well-balanced diet, posture-correction workouts, and lifestyle modifications, such as reduced alcohol consumption and smoking cessation.
What To Do For Back Pain At Home
Common back pain causes include muscle and ligament strain, a sudden awkward movement, repeated heavy lifting, and pressure on your spinal muscles and ligaments. Conditions that lead to severe back pain are inflammation, arthritis, osteoporosis, stress, ruptured discs, injured discs, herniated discs, fibromyalgia, etc.
Although you can treat your back pain with medications, such as NSAIDs, narcotics, antidepressants, and muscle relaxants, these can cause side effects, such as nausea, indigestion, dizziness, allergies, addiction, and dependency. Therefore, MINT is a back pain clinic in Plano TX, that recommends the following tips to reduce back pain.
Maintain Your Posture
Good posture refers to proper body alignment when sitting or standing. What to do for back pain at home? Studies show that correct positioning involves training the body and make it hold against gravity. A good posture is essential for you to reduce tension and strain on your spinal structures, including muscles and ligaments.
Proper spinal alignment enables you to move easily and reduce strain and weight on its supportive structures. Studies highlight that poor posture often leads to severe stress on your muscles, tendons, and ligaments, leading to spinal pain. Some of the best posture-correction exercises recommended by the back pain clinic in Plano TX are:
- Child’s pose
- Forward fold
- Chest opener
- Cat-cow pose
- High plank
- Downward-facing dog
- Thoracic spine rotation
- Glute squeezes
- Pigeon pose
A Well-Balanced Diet
What to do for back pain at home? Can you reduce back pain by consuming the right foods? Research shows that the western diet contains unhealthy foods items with higher amounts of sugar and Trans-fats that can lead to inflammation and pain in your spine.
Foods such as bread and gluten, chocolate, caffeine, spicy fast foods, a sugary diet, peanuts, and alcohol can worsen your back pain. Therefore, you must stop consuming these foods, especially if you have chronic back pain. Consult a qualified doctor to get a food plan.
Change your diet and find anti-inflammatory foods to help fight discomfort and pain in your spine. For instance, you can consume tuna fish regularly to keep your spinal inflammation at bay.
Tuna and other fish, such as salmon, sardines, herring, and mackerel, contain healthy omega-3 fatty acids, proteins, and anti-inflammatory compounds that can fight swelling, stiffness, and discomfort in your spine.
An anti-inflammatory diet that contains fresh vegetables and fruits can reduce inflammation and improve your symptoms of conditions like osteoarthritis and scoliosis. You can also consume olive oil, nuts, green tea, spices, and herbs to ensure reduced inflammation and pain in your spine.
Back Pain Exercises
According to MINT’s back pain clinic in Plano TX, exercise can reduce spinal stiffness by keeping your muscles, ligaments, tendons, and other connective fibers flexible. Back pain exercises, such as pelvic tilts, bridges, planks, and specific yoga poses, can improve mobility in your connective fibers and prevent them from tearing.
A growing body of research evidence highlights that low-impact aerobic exercises, such as walking and swimming, can increase blood to your spine’s soft tissues. The adequate supply of nutrients to your spinal muscles and ligaments reduces stiffness and boosts the healing process.
It is crucial to consult a qualified doctor or physical therapist who can develop a better and effective exercise program tailored to your specific spinal condition. Some of the best back pain exercises you can do at home are:
- Bridges
- Pelvic tilts
- Partial curls
- Superman’s stretches
- Knee-to-chest stretches
- Draw-in maneuvers
- Lower back rotational stretches
- Lying lateral leg lifts
- Cat stretches
- Lower back rotational stretches
Contact MINT Today
A holistic health approach focuses on connecting your body, mind, and spirit. It involves conventional methods, such as exercises, a well-balanced diet, yoga, and meditation. When it comes back pain, we recommend maintaining your posture, consuming an anti-inflammatory diet, and including these exercises in your daily routine.
If your pain continues for more than 12 weeks, consult a neurosurgeon for advanced treatment options. Here at MINT, our experienced neurosurgeons have treated hundreds of patients with back pain through minimally invasive spine surgery. What to do for back pain at home? Contact MINT today for advanced treatment options and strategies.