Back ache is a common complaint for many people. It is usually the result of lack of physical activity and a sedentary lifestyle. As an individual who has had desk jobs for over thirty years and suddenly switched to a job where I am on my feet constantly for eight hours a day at work – I can attest to the fact that back pain is a very real issue that requires the proper care if you wish to continue to function in your day-to-day activities.
This poor lifestyle, poor eating habits and obesity are the leading causes of painful back aches. If you have a painful back and suffer from it consistently, you may need to find a specialist who deals with back pain treatment. Some of the major causes of back ache are sitting in one place for too long, poor posture, improper lifting, obesity and smoking. Ayurvedic medical practices and conventional approaches can relieve lower back ache. If you find yourself experiencing consistent back pain, rest for several days can help. You can also find strengthening exercises on YouTube that will help alleviate your pain as well over the course of time.
Ice pack and heating pads can give you relief
Ice is your friend. When the pain starts, apply ice to your back. Take a soft towel and add in ice cubes. Apply this cold compress to freeze back muscles into its place. Applying heat and ice packs at regular intervals can help a lot. Use the ice pack for 20 minutes to avoid any burning sensation. Heating pads are also an effective way to address the pain. After 24 hours of applying an ice pack, you may rest heating pads to the affected area for 30 minutes at a time. Heating pads usually come with varied temperature settings – find the one that works best for you.
Some stretching exercises may help
As someone who suffers back aches and knee pains on a regular basis when I’m scheduled to work, I have found that stretching exercises bring about some much-needed relief from the pain. Some common exercises that help are heel lifts and wall squats against a wall after getting out of bed each day.
Yoga and Pilates are gentle stretching exercises that can also help. Pelvic thrust and knee lift exercises can easily be done on your bedroom floor. If the pain is persistent and recurrent, consider joining a Yoga class to help alleviate the pain.
A relaxing therapeutic bath can also help
Provided your back pain is not so debilitating as to prevent you from getting in and out of the tub without assistance – don’t laugh, I’ve found myself “stuck” in the bathtub on more than one occasion and required my husband’s assistance to get out of the tub – a soak in a hot bath can give you much-needed relief from back pain.
Soak your entire body in the bath for as long as you can and relax. A great help is to mix bath salts into your water, such as epsom salts. Make your bath a relaxation zone for yourself. Set the temperature of the water to the hottest temperature that is comfortable for you and soak yourself down into the tub, making sure your back is totally submerged, preferably up to your neck for maximum results.
Swimming may also help
You may not know that swimming is commonly recommended to the patients with back conditions. When aerobic exercises and walking can stretch the back muscles to increase the pain, swimming can help a lot. Swimming stretches your back muscles gently and relaxes it totally. I’ve found that after a particularly rough day at work, taking some time to relax in the pool helps so much!
How can Yoga help your back?
Yoga is an effective treatment for back discomfort. Not only can it give relief from back ache but also it resolves joint issues. It alleviates lower back ache by stretching and strengthening lower back muscles. It increases blood circulation towards problem area and reduces inflammation. Yoga is also an effective knee pain treatment.
For the pain at the back and knees, you may be asked to use crutches. You can put your weight on the crutch and walk. You may also find that a back brace or a knee brace will help alleviate some of the pain you are experiencing as well.
Ayurvedic therapies, yoga and certain medications can bring about relief from back ailments. While these are great suggestions, as always, check with your doctor and have a frank discussion about the ailments you are experiencing to discover the treatment or combination of treatment and exercises, that will work best for you and your unique situation.
