How to Handle Back Pain

There were a total of 23,965 traffic accidents that occurred in Duval County. Even the least serious of this bunch were thrown around in the chaos and probably ended up with one of the most common modern complaints: back pain. 

It is so common that there are a massive amount of ways to reduce it both in the short- and long-term, and a few of these methods are discussed below to hopefully help ease your own back pain.

Improving Posture

A not insignificant number of people will discover that their back pain is a result of their poor posture. Despite being constantly mentioned and warned about, few heed these warnings and shift out of the harmful positions they frequent. Maybe it’s time for that to change.

Of course, that means you must learn how to improve your posture. While standing, sitting and lying down all have unique postures, we’ll focus on how you should sit not only for simplicity but also because it is likely the one you need the most. Start by recognizing the poor posture you regularly hold. 

Feel how far forward your feet rest, notice what position this forces your legs into, recognize how hunched your shoulders are and how far forward your neck is stretched to let you see the screen you’re working on. Then, take a deep breath and begin adjusting: place your feet flat on the floor, relax your shoulders and pull your head back. Do this enough and you’ll find yourself more likely to naturally choose this position when sitting down.

Using Compresses

While long-term solutions to decrease or even completely eradicate back pain are all well and good, they may not make you feel better right now, which you need when you’re in pain. A more short-term way of relieving pain is to use a cold or hot compress. Unfortunately, one can’t be recommended over the other because each tackles a different cause of back pain.

If your muscles have been strained or are otherwise inflamed or even swelled, then you should use a cold compress. Not only will it decrease the swelling but it will also calm the area down and reduce inflammation, allowing you to relax while you figure out what caused these issues. Hot compresses work for tense or overworked muscles. It won’t take long for you to find which works for you.

Exercising More

Exercise does a lot for both the mind and body, and relieving back pain is another example of its benefits. While in pain you may want to consider low-impact exercise to decrease your pain, so maybe take a short walk or go for a quick swim. Once the pain is over try starting a routine whose goal is to strengthen your muscles and increase flexibility. Ideally, you should do this routine every day but a few times a week can suffice if you struggle to set that time aside.

Remember, not all exercise is about running on a treadmill or lifting weights. There are plenty of other options you can try if these don’t interest you and one of the best for back pain is yoga. It’s possible that your back pain is caused as much by stress tension as it is by things like poor posture, and yoga not only helps with the physical ailments but mental ones as well. Consider starting a mental wellness routine alongside your exercise one to start feeling better overall.

Taking Painkillers

Sometimes the most effective pain solution is also the simplest: taking pain medication. Which you should take will vary based on the cause, but NSAIDs like ibuprofen (Advil) typically work well. You may also find value in other medicines such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) if inflammation is a problem for you.

One issue with taking these medications aside from the fact that taking too much is bad for your health is how long they take to work. It can take thirty minutes for the medicines to kick in, and you’ll be uncomfortable for the entire time. What you can do to bring some relief in this time is apply one of the compresses mentioned above. This will give you at least minor relief while you wait and may even allow you to start relaxing.

Stretching Often

Exercise was mentioned earlier, and while it can be vital in easing back pain long-term, it is also time-consuming to start because you not only need to make time in your already overcrowded schedule for it but you also need to find the right routine. One thing you can start looking at in the meantime is stretches. 

Stretching gets your muscles moving, can help undo muscle knots and makes your muscles more flexible. All of these things combined will lead to you feeling less back pain not just over time but also immediately. There are a ton of stretches whose entire purpose is to alleviate back pain so you’re guaranteed to find at least one that suits your needs.

Implementing Move Breaks

Every thirty to sixty minutes, take less than five to walk around, stretch and get a drink. Your life has been spent in this one position for hours on end as your posture just got worse and worse, and you didn’t even realize it. 

It’s no wonder that so many people suffer from back pain since they also work in similar conditions. Standing up and moving around every once in a while will not only give you a bit of exercise and reset your posture but will also help you clear your head. Essentially, it acts like a reset button when done right.

Take this time to stretch, think about what you’ll do when you get home or even just do a brief bit of meditation or other mindfulness exercises. Take deep breaths, acknowledge your emotions and promise yourself stress relief. You could even take a second to write down the names of your emotions or identify what has you so stressed. 

By the time your little break ends and you sit back at your desk, you’ll be feeling significantly better and be ready to tackle more of the challenges that will be thrown your way.

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