Suffering from mysterious, chronic back pain that just won’t go away? Or have you recently been in an accident that is creating agonizing pain and affecting the quality of your life? When you get the right treatment for back-related issues, you can put an end to the seemingly endless discomfort and pain without hurting the injured area even more. The best treatments for back injuries and back pain will depend significantly on the severity of the injury and the pain. If you broke your back in an automotive or sports injury, clearly the most appropriate treatment is immediate medical attention. If you are suffering from a sore back simply because you were standing on your feet all day, you will probably require less intensive forms of treatment such as rest and pain reliever. Whether you are suffering from a sore back caused by working out a little too hard or recovering from a serious back injury, this post will introduce 10 of the most effective treatments for back injuries and back pain.
- Ask Your Doctor About Physical Therapy: After suffering a major injury such as a bone break in your back or a torn ligament, you may require physical therapy. Your general physician or a back pain specialist will be able to evaluate the severity of your injury and recommend the appropriate amount of physical therapy that you will need. A licensed physical therapist will ease you into the rehabilitation process and make sure you are doing the correct therapeutic exercises that will strengthen your back without further injuring it.
- Try Chiropractic Therapy: Depending on the type of back injury you are suffering from, chiropractic care could be the answer. Consult with your doctor first as well as a chiropractic professional before settling on this form of treatment for your back. Chiropractic therapy can offer relief for a variety of back-related ailments including sports injuries, sciatica, and joint dysfunction. Chiropractic care also offers preventative benefits including protection against spine disc degeneration and abnormal nerve signals.
- Visit a Massage Therapist: Don’t mistakenly believe that a massage is nothing more than an indulgent luxury. While a 90-minute deep tissue massage certainly is relaxing, massage therapy offers a variety of health benefits and aids in relieving back pain for different injuries. Whether you have a spine condition, lower back pain, back spasms, or any other back ailment, scheduling a few therapeutic massage appointments will improve the well-being of your back almost immediately.
- Give Your Back a Rest: Sometimes the best treatment for back pain or a back injury is simply doing nothing. If you are suffering from mild back pain that hasn’t worsened or gotten better, get off your feet and rest your back for a few days. Stay away from strenuous activities, sitting and standing with poor posture, working out too rigorously, and staying on your feet for too long. An impressively high number of back ailments can be improved by giving your back a break for a certain period of time. Instead of rushing into intensive rehabilitation or popping heaving painkillers right away, you may only need to rest your back with a heating and cooling pad. Consult with a physician or back specialist to determine the severity of the injury and evaluate whether or not rest is all that is needed.
- Take Doctor-Prescribed Pain Medication: For certain back problems such as chronic back pain, you may need to consider taking medication to relieve your back from the pain. Talk to a back pain specialist about the options available to you and get all the information you need about the medication before you start taking it. Doctor-prescribed medication could be all that is needed to eliminate the back pain and allow you to resume your day-to-day life.
- Get a Little Work Out in: Some people have back injuries that will require a bit of action rather than bed rest. Light exercises, stretches, leisure walks, and some gentle yoga poses could be the answer to all of your pain and back injury problems. Consult with a medical professional about the best physical activities you could perform without overdoing it while simultaneously building your bone and muscle strength.
- Try a Few Acupuncture Appointments: Not a fan of the painkillers? Maybe needles are more your style. While it isn’t for everyone, some people find that this ancient Chinese medicinal practice offers even greater pain relief than traditional, Western medicine. The reason acupuncture is so effective for some people is because the needles affect the way your nerves react to sensation and this can potentially reduce inflammation around the joints in your back. So long as you don’t have a fear of needles and are open to alternative forms of treatment, acupuncture could be the best kind of relief that you can find for your back.
- Focus on Core Strengthening Exercises: Because your abdominal muscles are what support your spine, everyone should consistently make time to focus on core strengthening exercises in order to prevent back pain and injury and treat mild back pain that they already have. Spend up to 20 minutes a day working your abdominal muscles with simple exercises such as sitting on an exercise ball with proper posture or holding your body up in the plank pose. Consult with a physical therapist or other medical professional on the most effective exercises you can do to strengthen your core without damaging your back. Working with a licensed physical therapist or a professional fitness trainer will keep you safe from doing core exercises incorrectly and thus causing greater, long-term back pain issues.
- Alternate Between Cold And Hot Therapy: Something as seemingly insignificant as using a heating pack and cold pack is often overlooked by people suffering from back pain. However, for certain back pain or back injury cases, alternating between hot and cold therapy might be all that is needed for relief. Change your pack from hot to cold every 20 minutes while resting your back. When you apply a cold back on the injured area, you are relieving your back from the inflammation that is commonly the primary reason behind the pain. A cold pack will also prevent nerves from spasming because it acts as a local anesthetic. When you apply heat to the affected area, you are improving the blood flow which in turn provides nutrients that will heal the back. Heat will also thwart the pain messages that are being sent to your brain. Heat therapy comes in all different forms, so use a heating pack, take a hot shower or bath, or try a heat wrap.
- Start Practicing Yoga: While there is a spiritual element to yoga, many people use it simply for fitness purposes as well as therapy. Whether you suffer from chronic back pain or pain from a recent injury, try starting your day out with gentle yoga poses and stretches. If you are still suffering from a serious back injury, you may want to first get a medical professional’s approval before diving into different yoga poses or taking up a weekly yoga class. Once you get the green light, you may find that yoga is the best way to obtain pain relief and strengthen your back.
For more advice on the best treatments for back pain and back relief, contact us today.