Natural Methods for Easing Your Back Pain

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Back pain can be a serious problem that causes debilitating and intrusive pain. When you suffer from back pain on a regular basis you can experience difficulties sitting, standing, or laying down comfortably, and your mental health can be negatively impacted.

This isn’t a small issue. As many as 80% of Americans have reported experiencing back pain at least once in their lives and it’s the culprit for more than 264 million lost work days in one year. Most people recover from back pain, but for some it’s a chronic condition.

Some choose to remedy the pain with over-the-counter drugs to reduce inflammation, but for others anti-inflammatory drugs aren’t the right or preferred solution. If you suffer from back pain regularly, try implementing this strategies for a natural remedy to your pain.

Soak in a warm bath

A warm bath has many benefits including boosting your mood, promoting relaxation and sleep, and helping your sore muscles. Immersing yourself in a warm bath can be much more effective than using a heating pad. The warm temperature can help your tightened muscles relax and ease your pain.

For extra relief, you can try to throw in some epsom salts or essential oils. It’s yet to be proven whether these truly help reduce pain and inflammation, but some report success and extra relaxation from these additives.

Add a little cushion

Cushioning can be used to help relieve the pressure on your back and ease your pain. When you sit or stand for extended periods of time, you’re likely to end up slouching and putting your spine in an unnatural curvature that causes pain. A way to alleviate this is to use a lumbar support cushion that promotes proper alignment. There are many different types of lumbar supports you can implement. It may even be as simple as using a pillow or folded towel.

You can also use inserts in your shoes, especially if you stand or walk for long periods of time regularly. Shoe inserts help to manage lower back pain by keeping the foot and ankle in proper alignment. This won’t be an immediate fix, but may be a long-term solution.

Improve your posture

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Working on improving your posture can be a long-term fix that helps prevent further back pain in the future. To perfect your standing posture, envision a string pulling your head upwards keeping your head, hips, knees, and ankles vertically aligned.

It’s often easy to recognize when someone else has a bad posture, but it’s more difficult to learn what proper posture feels like for you and how to maintain it. If you are sitting or standing for long periods of time, make sure to periodically evaluate your posture and correct it. It’s also good to take breaks from one spot and walk around occasionally.

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Your sitting and standing posture is important, but the often forgotten about issue is your sleeping posture. On average, we spend about eight hours sleeping each night, so it’s important that we maintain proper spinal alignment in that time. Whether you’re sleeping on your back, side, or stomach, you should make sure you’re sleeping on a supportive surface that keeps your spine in a neutral position to avoid daily pain.

Stretch and strengthen your muscles

Stretching your muscles will help to both reduce immediate pain and prevent future injuries. Stretching is particularly important before and after periods of physical activity, but even if you aren’t physically active, you should be stretching. Common stretches for back pain include child’s pose, lower back twist, hamstring stretch and pigeon. Stretching should be a part of your daily routine. It only takes 20-30 seconds for each pose to make a difference in your daily life.

It’s also important to strengthen your core and back muscles in the prevention of pain. By strengthening your core, you’re strengthening the center of your body and lowering the risk of straining your back muscles. Exercises to strengthen your core include crunches, hip lifts, planks, and other abdominal exercises.

Consult with a licensed professional

When you do as much as you can and still can’t get rid of your pain, it’s time to speak with a professional. There are many different specialists to turn to who can help you treat your back pain including your general practitioner.

For a more specific treatment plan you may choose a chiropractor, massage therapist, physical therapist, or an acupuncturist. Whatever treatment you choose, make sure that it’s what’s best for you and effectively treats and manages your pain in the best way.

Author’s bio: Laurie Larson is a freelance writer residing in NC. She writes on home, health, and lifestyle topics.