Back Trouble: 8 Great Ideas for Home Remedies
Back trouble can be one of the most frustrating things to have to live with, especially as so often it can be pretty elusive what the cause is. If your back pain results from a diagnosed condition, please ensure you consult with your physician before taking any of the following advice. Otherwise, there are plenty of small things we can do to ease a sore back.
Here are our eight great ideas to alleviate back pain at home.
Hot Baths
It’s well known that hot baths can make us feel better, especially when we suffer from overdoing it a little. If our back pain results from too much heavy lifting or going a bit harder in the gym or during an activity, then a hot bath can make all the difference. Louisiana Pain Specialists state, “the warm water stimulates blood flow to stiff muscles and joints“. Even if it doesn’t help, the worst we have done is treat ourselves to a pleasant warm experience.
Use Gentle Exercise to Relieve Pain
Using exercise can be beneficial to a sore back; however, we must stress that it is gentle exercise. As we previously discussed, over-exercise can be the cause of back pain, so going hard at it may only make things worse. A nice walk or gentle jog can be good; swimming is perfect as it places less stress on the joints.
Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Proper rest is the key for so many pains and injuries, especially back pain. Ensure you are comfortable and able to fall asleep and stay asleep. We all have different sleeping positions, and sometimes we must evaluate if our bedding is the most appropriate for us; you may want to look into the best mattress for side sleepers.
Posture & Sitting
Bad posture is responsible for many of the back problems in today’s sedentary work culture. If you have a poor sitting position, it can throw your spine out of alignment and cause all sorts of issues. It is essential to ensure you are sitting at the correct height for your workstation and use a good ergonomically designed chair.
Pain Relief, Supplements & Creams
There are a wide variety of pain relief options when looking to deal with back pain. As with any pain, good starting points are paracetamol and ibuprofen; both are inexpensive and readily available over the counter. Many of the more expensive branded pain relief medications with their fancy adverts showing slick graphics that ‘target pain’ are nothing more than paracetamol and ibuprofen with some caffeine and sugar mixed in; simply take the cheaper pills and have a coffee for the same effect. We should also consider trying anti-inflammatory creams to help reduce any swelling that may contribute to your back pain. Other strategies include taking vitamin supplements to help with good back health; some recommend such products as magnesium, Omega-3, and Vitamin D.
Stretching: Including Yoga
Stretching can be beneficial to your physical well-being, even when not dealing with an injury. A good stretch can help anyone prepare their body for even an average day ahead and should certainly be completed before working out. Yoga specifically is excellent for back pain and posture but be careful not to overdo it. Yoga also has the advantage of helping calm and relax you; this is key as built-up tension can be the cause of back pain or make it worse.
Massage
A simple massage can make all the difference, but I would suppose most of us are not lucky enough to have a fully qualified masseuse living with us? But not to worry, we can still employ basic massage techniques at home with a friend or partner. If we live alone or have no one in the house willing to assist with a massage, we can use devices to help us. Consider investing in a massage chair? It can assist with more than just back pain; benefits include better sleep, reduced anxiety, and boosting immunity.
Meditation
Another way of helping our mood and relaxing to help with the pain is to meditate regularly. Meditation can bring a multitude of health benefits, it beings you a clear mind, which also assists in tacking the day ahead. It physically relaxes you enabling quicker healing of joint and muscle pains. Even side benefits such as better sleep and stress reduction contribute to a healthier body overall, including the back.
As always, if any of these tips are not working or make the situation worse, consult a doctor without delay.
