Lower back pain is something we all endure from time to time. Even some of the healthiest athletes might face a few strains inthe lower back. Living with it can be arduous and there is a good chance your posture and your daily level of productivity will suffer if this is not treated.
We have decided to look at some of the fundamental ways that you can use to treat lower back pain and reduce some of the pain. This is definitely something you will need to invest time and money in, but since the pain can become unbearable, it is better to get rid of it, than to live with it for the rest of your life.
CAUSES OF LOWER BACK PAIN:
Lower back pain can be caused by a wide variety of different factors and even the healthiest humans do occasionally suffer from lower back pain. By knowing some of the main causes, you could pin point the cause of your lower back pain problems and this could save you doctor’s expenses and help you to start recovering. Here are a few of the main causes of lower back pain:
- Bad Posture: The lower back is one of the essential parts of our posture if the posture is not correct, one might find that it puts immense strain on the lower back. In medical terms, this is referred to Musculoskeletal lower back pain.
- Bad lifting techniques: Do you love training and working out? If so, you might have had some troubles with lower back pain and dealing with it. Bad lifting techniques also link to Musculoskeletal lower back pain. By dropping some weight and improving lifting techniques, this can be fixed.
- Herniated or slipped discs: This is one of the top reasons for extremely painful lower back problems. Herniated discs are not only associated with sports, but studies have also found that slipped discs can be found in 20% of adults over 20, but only 3% of these ever show sign of nerve impingement.
- Sciatica: Sciatica is one form of nerve impingement found in the lower back and often sprouts out to the lower body. It is commonly associated with a sharp pain and can be found in the feet and the legs.
- Vertebral fractures: This is one of the most painful back pains you could ever experience and this is commonly associated with injuries or people lifting heavy things for prolonged periods. The pain is often the most painful at night or when sitting or standing for prolonged periods.
While there are much more causes of lower back pain, these tend to be the most common and they happen to the most individuals. Some other rare diseases can also cause lower back pain and we have found that cancerous tumors also lead to lower back pain.
HOW TO TREAT LOWER BACK PAIN WITH THESE 5 NATURAL METHODS:
Now that you understand some of the main causes associated with lower back pain, we have also dug up a few different methods of dealing with lower back pain and reducing some of the stress. These methods have all be proved scientifically and they will definitely help you reduce the pain and live life comfortably again. Here are our top 5 ways of dealing with lower back pain:
- Heat and Cold Therapy:
Heat therapy on its own is extremely beneficial for lower back pain and when heat is applied to the area, it enlarges the blood vessels and increases the blood flow. This will then allow the waste or toxins to be removed much faster from the specified area.
Cold therapy works in the opposite way and it narrows the blood vessels but flexes the muscles. This will help to relieve any inflammation that can be found in the lower back area and will work best when done with ice packs, or the old-fashioned ice bath.
Combining these 2 is very effective and will reduce both inflammation and improve the blood flow. We recommend alternating between the hot and cold process to relieve pain. It is also worth noting that applying moist heat works best. This could be a hot bath or even the shower.
- Physical Therapy:
Once the pain is severe and you have it infrequently for around 6 weeks, most therapists will recommend physical therapy for the problem. The point of physical therapy is to help strengthen the muscles around the lower back to help support your weight.
One of the best ways to do this is by doing aerobic exercises. This is generally done with your own bodyweight and you will be strengthening the lower back naturally. Studies have also shown that the core and the strength of your core will also have a major role to play when it comes to reducing lower back pain.
We would also recommend stretching as this would keep the muscles in the lower back active and slightly improve the flexibility and strength. By using this in conjunction with heat and cold therapy, you should be seeing results in no time, but it is always recommended to have your therapists do regular checkups.
- Massage therapy:
Massages are not only relaxing, but they have a ton of benefits for your entire body. The lower back is one of the muscles that generally takes the most punishment during a day and having a massage every now and again is a great way for you reduce stress and relieve anxiety.
Firstly, you will notice that massage therapy improves the blood flow and circulation. This means that more oxygen and nutrients will find its way to the injured muscle. It also allows the waste in the muscle, like lactic acid, to be evacuated away. With increased blood flow over the whole body, you will relieve lower back problems.
Since the lower back is under constant pressure, it helps a lot if you can have the muscle relaxed. When too much tension builds up, the lower back can be left full of stress and massages will remove this stress. A relaxed muscle is less painful than an overworked one.
Massages also lead to increased endorphin levels and having this increase of endorphin levels will numb the pain. The release of endorphins is a chemical that helps us feel good. With higher levels of endorphins, you will find that managing chronic pain becomes easier.
- Gentle exercise:
Exercise links to physical therapy and could help to reduce you lower pain. Often times we find that lower back pain is associated with people with weak cores and weak lower back muscles. Gentle exercise is beneficial in two ways that will help to relief to your lower back pain.
Exercise will increase blood flow to the specific area and help to reduce to get rid of some toxins. This will also allow more oxygen to reach the muscles and improve the nutrient absorption.
The lower back muscles will also be strengthened, which means that you will have no troubles when it comes to holding your weight up. With stronger lower back muscles, your posture will also greatly improve.
- Lose weight and stop smoking:
Being overweight has a ton of drawbacks, but none is as severe as the impact it could have on your lower back. If you are overweight, chances are that your posture will also be off and you might find your self slouching often. By losing a few extra pounds, you will be more inclined to have a better posture and reduce some of the strain on the lower back.
Smoking, on the other hand, will narrow the blood vessels that help evacuate the inflammation and waste in your blood. The blood might also take longer to reach this specific area and with severe pain, you might even need a surgical procedure to enlarge the arteries. The simplest way to avoid this is to gradually quit smoking and within 10 years, your blood flow will be back to normal.
NATURAL WAYS TO PREVENT LOWER BACK PAIN:
Now that you know some of the ways to treat lower back pain, you might also find it useful to know how to prevent lower back pain if you are not already familiar with the process. Here are a few tips that could be helpful to you when preventing lower back pain:
- Eat a healthier diet to control your body weight:
- Reduce overall stress
- Improve sleeping patterns
- Quit smoking for better blood flow
- Workout regularly
- Relax with a massage from time to time
CONCLUSION:
No one likes lower back pain and this is definitely something that must be avoided at all costs. If you are already suffering from lower back pain, we would like to recommend a good back brace for extra support and then a trip to your health care provider.
We hope that you have found these treating methods helpful and if you think we might have missed any other methods, please share your thoughts in the comment section.
Bio: I’m Anna Smith, chief editor at Healthankering.com. I’m a proud mother of three passionate about health tips, beauty and ways to live healthier with more energy ! I start Healthankering to provide advanced material about not only the best ways to get healthy, but also to entertain and create a great community
Thanks for sharing this article. As an individual with degenerative disc disease and spinal stenosis which resulted in 2 major surgeries, back pain has been a big part of my life. All of the suggestions are important. I would add supplementing with turmeric (and adding it to foods whenever possible) has been a tremendous help in relieving inflammation. The importance of a healthy diet cannot be overstated.
HI Nancy,
You sure are right about a healthy diet – it helps our whole body in so many ways not just with pain but the proper diet helps the immune system, digestive etc. Turmeric is a very good anti-inflammatory and ginger too. Supplementing with both of these can be very helpful. Thanks for suggesting that, stopping by, and commenting. Have a healthy, happy & blessed day.