What to Do For Back Pain at Home – What to Watch Out For
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Many people ask what to do for back pain at home. There are many causes of back pain. For instance, aging can cause osteoporosis and deformity, leading to severe pain. Certain spinal condition, such as degenerative disc disease, scoliosis, stenosis, spinal deformity, spondylolisthesis, and nerve compression, also contributes to severe back pain.
You may also experience back pain if you have a sedentary lifestyle, inability to maintain proper posture, and consume unhealthy food. Severe back pain doctor Plano TX says that back pain can significantly hinder your day-to-day activities and affect your quality of life. Research highlights that more than 85% of people in the US experience spinal pain at some point in their lives. Read on!
What to Do For Back Pain At Home
Acute or chronic back pain is a common condition that can affect your personal and work life. Whatever your back pain cause is, there are a few things you need to watch out for to mitigate the effects of pain and feel more comfortable.
Slouching
Poor sitting posture can cause lower back pain. It causes strain on your lumbar spine and puts pressure on your discs, muscles, and joints, leading to severe pain. If you want to reduce back pain, make sure you stop slouching and learn to sit with the correct posture.
Inactivity
Inactivity or a sedentary lifestyle is another cause of back pain. Exercise is one of the most effective severe back pain solutions Plano TX. Although you may find it hard to exercise with back pain, it will benefit you eventually.
What to do for back pain at home if you are inactive? Change your habit and start doing exercises. Exercise strengthens your core, provides muscle flexibility, and increases blood flow to your spinal discs and joints. Don’t sit idle or spend hours watching TV or play video games because these activities can lead to poor posture and pain.
Lifting Heavy Things
Heavy lifting can cause discomfort and pain in any area of your spine. However, it mainly affects your lumbar spine. If your work requires you to lift heavy objects, make sure you have specific tools or equipment to get the job done easily and comfortably.
Repetitive bending is another cause of back pain that goes hand-in-hand with lifting heavy things. Bending forward frequently can put significant pressure on your spinal discs, causing muscle aches.
What to do for back pain at home? Limit your bending and make sure you perform exercises designed for the lower back. Yoga and meditation can also help reduce pain in your spine.
Smoking
Smoking is a bad habit associated with your lifestyle. Not only does smoking affect your respiratory system, but it also leads to limited absorption of calcium, an element that plays a crucial role in bone formation and stability.
According to severe back pain doctor Plano TX, people with severe back pain must quit smoking to maintain a healthy musculoskeletal system. While it is hard to quit smoking, you can join a quit smoking program in your local area and learn about cigarette cessation techniques.
Heavy Exercise
Excess or heavy physical activities can cause too much stretching or wear and tear in your spinal muscles and ligaments. As a result, you will have stiff muscles, strains, sprains, discomfort, and pain in your spine.
Limiting intense workouts for a few days can help reduce pain. Remember, this does not mean quitting exercise entirely. You can continue performing low-impact exercises, such as walking, water aerobics, and yoga poses.
Diet
Inflammation caused by an unhealthy dietary regimen can lead to severe back pain. For instance, when you consume too much meat and avoid veggies and fruits in your diet, you will have elevated blood uric acid levels. Higher uric acid levels can cause inflammation in your joints in different parts of the body, including your spine. Therefore, you must avoid the consumption of too much:
- Sugary foods
- Dairy products
- Trans fats
- Alcohol
- Processed vegetable oils
- Refined carbohydrates
- Commercially processed meat and poultry
Studies show that a sugary and fat-rich diet can increase your body mass index (BMI) and people with higher BMIs can experience back pain. Other foods that can cause spinal pain are bread and gluten, chocolate, caffeine, peanuts, tomatoes, and spicy food.
Instead of consuming fast food, one should opt for fresh veggies and fruits because they provide essential nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, to reduce inflammation and pain.
Talk to Your Doctor
A healthy lifestyle is directly proportional to strong back muscles, ligaments, and tissues. Talk to your doctor before you take medications or perform physical therapy exercises. What to do for back pain at home? Contact MINT today for useful advice from our qualified and experienced neurosurgeon.
