Back pain is a common problem; according to data, over 20% of adults worldwide suffer from chronic back pain. Earlier, back was a common issue in the elderly, but lifestyle factors have also made it common in young adults. In this post, we will have a look at the ways to improve back pain.
Ways to Improve Back Pain
Almost everyone experiences back pain at some point in their lives; the pain’s intensity depends on its cause. Both surgical and non-surgical treatments are available for back pain, let us have a look.
Physical Therapy
Physiotherapy is the best form of non-surgical treatment for various musculoskeletal disorders. Not only for mild or moderate pain but it is also effective in relieving severe pain. Orthopedic specialists often suggest physical therapy in most cases when someone goes with complaints of back pain. Physical therapy is a form of targeted exercise that requires expert supervision. A physiotherapist will tailor exercises depending on the pain intensity and its location in your back.
When it comes to physiotherapy, the effectiveness depends on the sincerity of the patient. This means one needs to strictly follow the routine set by the physiotherapist. If you miss physiotherapy sessions, no benefits will be there.
Physiotherapy helps improve spinal posture, strengthen core muscles, relieve pain, and improve flexibility.
Meditation & Yoga
Now, you might be wondering what meditation has to do with back pain. Well, the person who suffers from back pain experiences both mental and physical stress. Hence, frustration and irritation are likely. So, staying calm and composed is important, and for that, meditation can do wonders. Doing meditation will help you cope with mental stress and keep you from focusing on pain. Meditation can also help improve the results of chronic pain treatment.
While on the other hand, yoga can help improve balance, strength, spine posture, and back pain relief. Tai Chi is another form of exercise that would be of help.
Lifestyle Modifications to Improve Back Pain
Poor lifestyle is among the common causes of chronic back pain in young adults. Lack of physical activity, bad eating habits, smoking, and drinking are some of the lifestyle factors that result in chronic back pain. In such cases, the best way to improve back pain is to change your lifestyle. The first and foremost thing you should do here is quit smoking. Tobacco increases the bone deterioration process, and the spine feels the heat too. Not only this but nicotine in cigarettes also contributes to delayed healing.
Apart from all this, one should also add exercise to their daily routine.
It is seen that people suffering from back pain often hesitate to do physical activities. This is because they think that exercising will aggravate pain and make the condition worse. But this is not the case. Doing low-impact exercises will help relieve pain while improving the quality of life.
Adopting a healthy lifestyle will help with chronic back pain in the long run.
Diet
When it comes to back pain, your diet plays an important role. What we mean by saying this here is to avoid consuming food items that promote inflammation. For example, foods high in trans fats, processed foods, and refined sugars can contribute to aggravating back pain. So, if you are suffering from chronic back pain, it is advised to have a healthy diet rich in nutrients. Your diet must contain whole grains, pulses, nuts & seeds, green leafy vegetables, and fruits.
Maintaining a healthy diet will also keep the body weight in check while eliminating pressure caused by extra body weight on the spine.
Maintain a Good Posture to Improve Back Pain
Poor posture is causing musculoskeletal disorders in most adults these days, and the commonest is back pain. It won’t be wrong to say that most of us do not practice good ergonomics and that eventually results in back pain.
When it comes to maintaining a good posture, one should practice it anywhere and everywhere. Young adults spend most of their time in the office, hence, they should focus on maintaining the right sitting posture. Upright shoulders, straight back resting firmly on the backrest of the chair, and knee bent at 90 degrees with feet flat on the ground. This is what your sitting position should be. In the long run, this will help you with back pain and spinal posture.
Pain Relievers
Sometimes, over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are enough to improve back and provide relief. However, it is not a permanent solution to back pain and other methods should be tried. Sometimes, OTC drugs do not have any impact on improving pain, and in such cases, the orthopedic specialist will give prescription medicine. In most cases, muscle relaxants are prescribed.
Ice and Heat Therapy to Improve Back Pain
Ice and heat therapy are the best home remedies for improving pain and this works well for back pain as well. It may not help stop the pain but provide temporary relief from pain & inflammation. Heat and ice packs are available in the market that one can use. However, you can also use ice cubes by wrapping them in a towel and applying them to the affected area.
Ice therapy can improve pain & inflammation whereas heat therapy relaxes muscles while increasing blood flow. Do not use these therapies simultaneously, try one at a time. Heat or ice therapy should be done 3-4 times a day for at least 15-20 minutes at a time.
Injection-Based Treatment
When none of the treatment strategies work, the orthopedic specialist may suggest injectable drugs. In most cases, the healthcare service provider prescribes corticosteroid injections that provide quick pain relief. This is often best when the orthopedic specialist know pain source. Again, this is not a permanent solution to improve pain as the effect remains for a certain period of time. Besides steroid injections, nerve blocks and nerve ablations are a few other strategies that may be tried.
Nerve Stimulation
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) is one of the most effective ways to improve back pain and delay surgery. This technique uses low-voltage electric current to stimulate nerve cells that block pain signals coming from the brain. TENS therapy increases endorphin levels in our body which helps improve pain. Endorphins are the body’s natural pain-killing chemicals.
Surgery to Improve Back Pain
An orthopedic surgery is the last option when it comes to treating chronic back pain. It is often suggested when all the above-mentioned strategies fail to provide relief. Sometimes, non-surgical methods are used to delay surgical intervention. The type of surgery performed depends on the cause of the back pain and its location. Some of the common causes of back pain include slipped discs, spondylolysis, spinal stenosis, and sciatica. Thus, the surgery performed depends on the cause.
If we talk about one of the common spinal surgeries to relieve back pain, then it is spinal fusion. This surgery includes the use of spinal orthopedic implants. Before opting for surgery, the orthopedic specialist waits for some time to confirm the non-effectiveness of non-surgical methods. Besides this, if back pain is because of a severe cause, there should not be any delay in the surgery.
Siora Surgicals Pvt. Ltd. is a renowned manufacturer of a CE-certified range of orthopedic implants and instruments including Spinal Implants. Operating for over 3 decades, the company has served clients in over 40 countries and is currently serving around 130 global distributors and orthopedic surgeons. Siora is also a trustworthy OEM/contract manufacturing service provider across the globe.
