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Originally Posted On: https://coloradopainexperts.com/7-tips-for-back-muscle-pain-relief/
Did you know that roughly 20% of adults will experience back pain in their lifetime? With statistics this high, it’s not a matter of IF you’ll get back pain, but rather WHEN.
The good news is that you can often experience back muscle pain relief with a few simple changes to your day. So, to help you get the pain relief you deserve we’ll go over some easy tips you can try at home.
And, if your chronic pain is still around after, we’ll put you in touch with professionals that can help you out. Let’s get started!
1. Improve Your Posture
Poor postures are one of the main reasons why people experience back pain. It’s not hard to see why. Our bodies weren’t made to be sitting for long stretches of the day.
So, to get comfortable we often slouch or hunch over our computers. But, this is a problem for our backs because it puts pressure on our neck nerves. So, it’s important to pay attention to your posture.
Make sure you’re sitting up straight while you sit. One way you can do this is by contracting your abdominal muscles. Sadly, it’s hard for a lot of people to remember to do this throughout the day.
One solution is to purchase an ergonomic desk chair that forces you to sit with good posture. Or, if you’re adventurous you can try a standing desk. Both of these options will help you actively think about posture while you work.
2. Exercise Regularly
Being overweight is another reason why some people experience back pain. Unfortunately, this pain often prevents them from exercising. But, this inactivity is worse for a sore back.
So, try to find exercise activities that you can do with pain. The best options are low-impact activities like biking, water aerobics, and walking. If you feel up for it, you should also try focusing on your core.
Strong abdominal muscles are vital for stabilizing the core. Without a strong core, you’ll get a bad posture. And, as we just learned bad posture easily leads to back pain.
3. Get Massages Often
Ideally, you can get a professional massage done often. This can help significantly with back pain. But, a lot of people don’t have the budget for these types of expensive massages.
One solution is to ask a family member or loved one if they’ll massage your back. You can also try massaging yourself. It won’t feel as good, but it does make a difference.
If you can’t reach the sore spot with your hands, try getting creative. Put tennis balls, a baseball bat wrapped in towels, or a frozen water bottle on the ground. Then, sit back on it and begin rolling back and forth.
4. Try Meditating
It’s easy for those that are unfamiliar with the power of meditation to scoff at the idea that it could help back pain. But, it’s important to remember that the mind is a very powerful thing. Just take this study for instance.
The University of Manchester found the individuals who meditated every day reported that their pain was less unpleasant.
This is huge news for anyone that lives with chronic pain. What’s more, meditation comes with added health benefits including things like:
- Reduced anxiety
- Helps people fall asleep
- Lowers blood pressure
If you’re skeptical about meditation try giving it a shot. And don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t come to you right away. Meditation takes time. Just stick with it and you’ll start to see a positive change in your life.
5. Eat Anti-Inflammatory Foods
When we experience back pain it’s because our muscles are inflamed. This causes swelling and pain. So, a great way to combat this inflammation is to eat balanced foods and spices that bring back pain relief.
The secret is a diet that consists of healthy proteins, vegetables, and whole grains. However, you can also search out foods, drinks, and spices that come with anti-inflammatory properties.
Look for things like fish oil, turmeric, ginger, tart cherry juice, green tea, and apple cider vinegar.
6. Pay Attention to How You Sleep
The way you sleep can contribute to your back pain. Sleeping on your stomach is awful for your back. And, sleeping on your side can cause your top leg to slide forward and twist your lower back.
One solution is to sleep on your back. Or, you can try sleeping with an extra pillow between your legs on your side. This will prevent your leg from sliding and keep your spine aligned while you sleep.
7. Seek Help for Chronic Pain
If you suffer from chronic back pain, there’s only so much that these types of home remedies can do. Eventually, you will need professional help. So, when should you seek it out?
If your back pain hasn’t decreased after a few months, it’s time to seek back pain experts. Sometimes all that’s needed is an over-the-counter medication and certain types of ointments.
But, if your back pain is being caused by a specific condition, you may need more comprehensive back pain treatments. This typically involves prescription medication, physical therapy, and cortisone injections.
Make sure you choose back pain professionals that get to the root of the problem instead of just treating the pain.
Tried Everything for Back Muscle Pain Relief? Contact Us
We hope this article helped you learn some tips for back muscle pain relief. But, what should you do if you’ve tried everything and nothing works? Easy: contact us.
Here at Colorado Pain Relief, we know what a menace chronic pain can be. All too often healthcare professionals on the pain itself instead of the treatment for back pain.
That’s why we use a multi-disciplinary approach that includes things like physical therapy, medication, chiropractic care, and more. So, if you’re ready for the pain relief you deserve contact us today.