Chronic pain is one of the most common health conditions in the country. In fact, over 20% of adults in the United States deal with at least one type of chronic pain.
And among that percentage are millions of Americans who experience lower back pain in their day-to-day lives. If you suffer from this type of pain, you’re not alone, but you don’t have to accept it as the norm!
There are steps you can take for alleviating lower back pain that can make chronic discomfort a thing of the past. Listed below are some of the best methods for relieving back pain. Keep reading to learn more!
Table of Contents
1. Prioritize Health
Depending on your current weight and lifestyle habits, this one could be tough. But taking strides toward good health is crucial to relieving chronic pain.
If you’re overweight, you’re putting an excessive amount of stress on your joints and back. Let’s say, for example, that you’re ten pounds overweight. This might not seem like a big deal, but that extra ten pounds are putting a whopping 48,000 pounds of additional compression on your knees for every mile walked.
The best way to shed pounds and maintain a healthy weight is through your diet.
Now, there’s no need to go on a crash diet or invest your hard-earned money in a fad. Instead, work toward making the bulk of your diet whole, nutrient-dense foods. Not only will avoiding junk and processed foods make weight loss easier but it will also make you feel like a new person in your daily life.
Many processed foods contain ingredients that contribute to inflammation, which only worsens back pain and discomfort.
2. Get More Exercise
In addition to making improvements in your diet, getting more exercise can make all the difference when your goal is to alleviate lower back pain. Physical activity in general is fantastic for your health, but for back pain, be sure to include some strength training in your routine.
Strengthening your back muscles will help to support your spine and prevent you from straining it in your daily activities. Start with two days a week of strength exercises and try to work your way up to three over time to maximize your benefits.
Physical therapy can help with a damaged spine due to weakness, but it’s best to avoid this type of injury in the first place. When you’re in the gym, focus on rows, deadlifts, pull-ups, and pull-downs. Before you know it, you’ll have a strong, pain-free back!
3. Practice Yoga
Building your back muscles is important, but you also need to stretch them. Yoga is an excellent tool for doing so, as it boosts your flexibility and health while alleviating lower back pain. It can also reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and even improve your quality of sleep!
As you can see, yoga is a no-brainer. You don’t have to practice hours of yoga a day to receive all of these great benefits, either. Aim for three to five days a week with 20 minutes per session.
4. Stay Conscious of Posture
The best way to alleviate lower back pain while sitting is to remain conscious of your posture at all times. Especially when we’ve been sitting at a desk for an extended period of time, we have a tendency to slump forward toward the screen. You probably don’t even notice you’re doing it, but it’s terrible for your back and neck.
You can find tons of detailed guides to ergonomics online, but the basics are to keep your knee and elbow joints, as well as your hips, at a 90-degree angle when seated. It’s also a good idea to invest in an adjustable desk that allows you to alternate between seated and standing positions throughout the day.
Do what you can to keep your spine in alignment at all times while seated and standing. Your ears should be above your shoulders and your back straight. A coccyx seat cushion can be a lifesaver with keeping good posture, as it reminds you to stay upright while relieving pressure on your hips and spine.
5. Improve Your Sleep
So many of us have decided that sleeping is a hindrance to productivity and therefore do as little of it as possible. However, good quality rest is vital if you truly want the answer to how to alleviate lower back pain.
While we sleep, our bodies do all kinds of restorative, regenerative functions. And the higher the quality of sleep, the more effectively these functions are performed. You should be getting between 7 and 9 hours of restful sleep per night.
According to many health blogs, addressing other aspects of your health, such as your diet and exercise habits, will make huge positive changes in terms of your sleep. But if you find that you still struggle to fall or stay asleep, you might need to take an honest look at your schedule.
What does your afternoon look like? How about the hours before you go to sleep?
The road to good sleep begins in the early afternoon. Avoid any afternoon cups of coffee, and two hours before bed, put away any electronics. Instead of browsing social media, use the time to take a relaxing bath, read a book, or practice meditation.
Start Alleviating Lower Back Pain Today With These Tips
Back pain might be common but that doesn’t make it any less debilitating. With these tips for alleviating lower back pain, you won’t have to worry about constant discomfort ever again.
Remember, while home remedies and healthy lifestyle habits can make a huge difference, it’s important to consult your doctor if you find them ineffective or if your pain worsens.
For more tips on improving your health and wellness, take a look at our blog!
