Getting up and moving around is probably the last thing that you feel like doing when struggling with back pain. Although many doctors recommend combating this discomfort with bed rest and over-the-counter pain medications, movement may be the best source of relief. Mild to moderate cases of back pain are usually the result of stiff, sore muscles that have been overworked.
When this is the case, the right stretching exercises can alleviate your discomfort, improve your range of motion, and prevent your back pain from recurring. There are actually a number of easy and all-natural ways to relieve lower back pain without confining yourself to the bed or couch. In fact, if poor posture, a lumpy or sagging mattress, or a sedentary lifestyle have actually caused your discomfort, laying still could cause your problems to progress.
Back pain can have many underlying causes. Learning why your back is hurting and then tackling the issue directly at its source is important. When you work with a chiropractor, your lower back pain treatment will be based upon a careful assessment of your spine, your life habits, and your overall health.
Chiropractors take a needs-specific and hands-on approach to addressing this and all other musculoskeletal issues. In addition to targeted stretching exercises, a chiropractor might recommend:
- Changing to more supportive shoes
- Improving your posture
- Adopting safe heavy-lifting techniques
- Avoiding repetitive movements or correcting how you perform them
Even seemingly unrelated lifestyle changes such as shedding excess body weight can have a tremendous impact on how your back feels and functions.
Using Natural Chiropractic Therapies to Alleviate Back Pain
One of the primary goals of chiropractic care is to promote proper spinal alignment and balance. When this central supporting structure is aligned, no single muscle, ligament, or joint will be forced to overwork. Correct alignment can also prevent and improve problems with pinched or compressed nerves, alleviate muscle spasms, and optimize a person’s overall physical performance.
During a chiropractic visit, simple adjustments to displaced spinal structures can promote immediate improvements in how your back feels. Thus, if you want to alleviate your back pain fast, scheduling an appointment with a chiropractor is a good idea. Hot and cold therapy is another natural technique that’s frequently used by chiropractors to relieve lower back pain for active individuals. Intermittent applications of ice packs and warm compresses reduce inflammation and swelling, promote improved circulation across the targeted area, and incite natural healing.
Understanding why your lower back hurts is always key to finding the right solution. For many people, low-back pain occurs after:
- Heavy-lifting
- Jarring, impact events like car crashes
- Long shifts at work engaging in repetitive motion activities
For others, this is a gradual problem that results from ongoing physical abuse. For instance, if you have poor posture while sitting and standing, you may be placing unnecessary demand on your lower back muscles. If you’re overweight, your spine may be supporting more weight than it’s designed to comfortably carry. During an initial chiropractic visit, you’ll receive a thorough spinal examination.
You’ll also be asked questions about past injury events, your current state of health, and the different activities that you engage in. If you live a very sedentary life, it may be that you simply lack adequate strength in your core or abdominal muscles. Your abdominal muscles both oppose your spine and support it. When they aren’t strong enough to do their job, the lower back can get overworked and muscle spasms can occur. Postural correction services, weight loss management, and other services can all be leveraged to help improve your condition and ensure that your back pain doesn’t return.
Chiropractors can even make recommendations for ergonomic work equipment, better mattresses, and more supportive footwear among other products. Back pain is often attributed to the normal aging process. There’s a very widespread misconception that an aching back is an acceptable eventuality. In reality, when the back is well cared for, the body is healthy, and the spine is properly aligned, people can effectively avoid back pain at every stage of life. Whether you’re dealing with chronic or short-term back pain, chiropractors can use natural therapies like inversion, manual adjustments, and massage to quickly alleviate the discomfort that you’re currently feeling.
They can also recommend lifestyle changes that support natural healing, prevent the problem from returning, and optimize your overall health. They know that although back pain is an incredibly common issue, each patient and instance of back pain is unique. If you’ve been looking for a natural way to relieve your lower back pain, we’re here to provide it. Schedule a consultation appointment today by calling 205-637-1363.
