Lower back pain can be caused by anything. You may have overexerted yourself trying to lift a heavy box, exacerbated an old sports injury, or strained it while working in your yard. A physician should check severe, persistent, or sudden back pain, but you can treat mild cases at home.
What Causes Lower Back Pain?
Age is usually the main reason behind the discomfort. With time, the bones and joints in our lower back deform, and the discs between the bones deteriorate, causing pain. In many cases, lower back pain results from a herniated disc – a disc that pushes outside the space between vertebrae and compresses a nerve.
But lower back pain also stems from daily strains and sprains, overuse, an accident, or body contortions you aren\’t used to. First, you should wait to see if the pain dissipates. It\’s time to see a physical therapist or physician if it doesn\’t.
Top Ways to Treat Lower Back Pain at Home and Restore Mobility
Here are some ways you can reduce and treat lower back pain at home for relief and mobility restoration:
Make Your Core Muscles Stronger
Our lower back is under immense stress from the weight of our upper body. But you can strengthen it by toning your back and core muscles. The strong muscles will be able to support your back and reduce pressure on it so you don’t hurt yourself.
This is important because we rarely use our core, so it should be toned regularly with exercise. Do crunches and other core exercises to prevent lower back pain.
Do Stretching Exercises
In most cases, lower back pain is caused by unused and tight muscles that strain the spine and joints. Do simple stretching exercises daily before you start work so your body is limber throughout your work day.
Yoga is one of the best ways to stretch your back and improve the health of your lower back muscles and joints. It will also increase blood circulation, ensuring the bones get sufficient nutrients and increase spine flexibility.
Be careful and go slow in the beginning.
Correct Your Sitting Posture
If you sit slumped in front of your workstation, your poor posture is probably causing your lower back pain. In this case, the discs in your lower back are overloaded. Walk around after every half an hour to avoid this and alleviate the pain.
Take Walks Regularly
Besides walking for a few minutes at work, walk during your days off to get fresh air and strengthen your lower back muscles. It will keep pressure off your back and help you maintain a healthy weight. It will also loosen your spine and reduce lower back pain.
Try Meditation
Meditation can relax your muscles, improve focus, and release endorphins that will help you feel good, thus reducing anxiety and stress, which can cause pain. With time, you can control how your body reacts to lower back pain.
Use a quiet and dark room to meditate for a couple of minutes each day and before bedtime. Start with simple breathing exercises to regulate yourself.
Change Your Diet
Some diets can cause inflammation in the body, particularly those rich in refined sugar and processed food. It may be making the pain in your lower back flair up. Exercise to maintain a healthy weight and reduce pressure on your spine.
Get Sufficient Restorative Sleep
Persistent lower back pain can prevent you from getting sufficient sleep and may make falling asleep difficult. This can lead to fatigue and insomnia, which can exacerbate your condition. You need at least eight hours of restorative sleep for the healing process to work.
Ask your doctor to prescribe pain medication and other treatments so you can get a good night\’s sleep. Accompany it with exercise, yoga, and meditation so you can fall asleep later without pain or medication.
Use a Hot or Cold Pack
Cold packs can reduce pain and inflammation in the lower back. If you don\’t have one, just use a pack of frozen peas or wrap ice in a cloth and apply it to your back. Never apply it directly to the skin! Keep a cloth layer between the skin and the cold pack, or you may worsen your pain.
Heat therapy or a heat pack enhances blood flow, which can relax stiff muscles in your lower back that are causing pain. A warm bath will also work in a pinch. Soak in one after your work day and feel the stiff muscles loosen and relax.
Contact irvingprimarycare.com for a Consultation
Back pain, particularly lower back pain, is one of the main medical complaints among people who have a nine-to-five job. But each case is different. Book a consultation with a primary care provider at irvingprimarycare.com in Irving, TX to find out the underlying cause of the pain and what you can do to alleviate it.