Preventing Back Pain - The Basics In this article, I'm going to go over basic info with some facts, causes and prevention.
Finding back pain and sciatica relief can be a journey and the goal of this article is to make sure you have the basic information and treatment options.
Almost every person has back pain at least once in their life at some point or another.
85% of the population suffers from repeated back pain attacks periodically.
30% suffer from constant back pain known as chronic back pain.
What's the cause? Most of the time back pain is a result of the human factor meaning, we cause ourselves back pain in some way.
The most prevalent reason for it that doesn't originate from anatomical damage (meaning a preexisting physical problem) is muscle spasm (muscle contraction) from incorrect movement patterns: Let me illustrate for you how back pain can typically happen: At the outset, what triggers back pain can be an event like an injury or it can be from other causes such sitting or standing with poor posture, inappropriate footwear and lack of body movement.
The constant pressure on the muscle slows the flow of blood to the muscle tissue and capillaries that nourishes your muscles.
In this state of reduced blood flow, the muscle receives fewer nutrients, less oxygen and less of the elimination of waste (toxins) from the cells in the muscle.
This, in turn, contracts the muscle causing it to spasm and the situation usually goes downhill from here.
Enter "chronic" back pain.
I call this the "Circle of Chronic Back Pain" and it goes like this: Contraction of the back muscle and capillaries --> reduced blood flow to the muscle.
Less oxygen, fewer nutrients, less elimination of toxins from the cells in the muscle --> contraction of the back muscle and capillaries What you can do to help prevent this from happening? Keep in mind these key points to maintain a healthy back and prevent back pain: Remember to keep your back straight standing, sitting and walking.
There are a few different things you can do to help you out once back pain has gotten a grip on you:
Finding back pain and sciatica relief can be a journey and the goal of this article is to make sure you have the basic information and treatment options.
Almost every person has back pain at least once in their life at some point or another.
85% of the population suffers from repeated back pain attacks periodically.
30% suffer from constant back pain known as chronic back pain.
What's the cause? Most of the time back pain is a result of the human factor meaning, we cause ourselves back pain in some way.
The most prevalent reason for it that doesn't originate from anatomical damage (meaning a preexisting physical problem) is muscle spasm (muscle contraction) from incorrect movement patterns: Let me illustrate for you how back pain can typically happen: At the outset, what triggers back pain can be an event like an injury or it can be from other causes such sitting or standing with poor posture, inappropriate footwear and lack of body movement.
The constant pressure on the muscle slows the flow of blood to the muscle tissue and capillaries that nourishes your muscles.
In this state of reduced blood flow, the muscle receives fewer nutrients, less oxygen and less of the elimination of waste (toxins) from the cells in the muscle.
This, in turn, contracts the muscle causing it to spasm and the situation usually goes downhill from here.
Enter "chronic" back pain.
I call this the "Circle of Chronic Back Pain" and it goes like this: Contraction of the back muscle and capillaries --> reduced blood flow to the muscle.
Less oxygen, fewer nutrients, less elimination of toxins from the cells in the muscle --> contraction of the back muscle and capillaries What you can do to help prevent this from happening? Keep in mind these key points to maintain a healthy back and prevent back pain: Remember to keep your back straight standing, sitting and walking.
- Make sure you're sitting with correct posture: Keep your back upright, lying against the back support of the chair.
Make sure both feet together to the floor.
Keep the back of your neck long pulling upward with your chin downward.
Your chair should be positioned at knee level with the back support supporting the small of your back.
(In general, I'd recommend making an investment in ergonomic furniture, starting with your desk chair) - Try to avoid prolonged sitting or any other condition where the body isn't moving for a relatively long period of time.
If you're working in an office environment, it's always a good idea to get up and stretch for a few moments every half hour to promote circulation. - Be aware of your body.
Avoid making any sharp or sudden turns or movements.
Many people report that right before an injury they felt uneasiness in the body.
Listen to your body.
When your body talks to you, learn to be aware of what it's telling you. - Lift heavy objects correctly by bending your knees and keeping a straight back.
While lifting, keep heavy object close to your body and refrain from lifting them above shoulder height. - Stay active with physical activity you enjoy doing.
The emphasis here is "you enjoy doing".
If you don't know of any activity that is comfortable and you enjoy, make an active effort to look for one.
There are so many options out there are gentle on the body like yoga, Pilates, Aikido, tai chi.
Find what's right for you. - Wear shoes with shock absorbers on long walk or during sports activities.
- Sleep on a hard mattress that supports the entire body, it's best to sleep on your back if you can.
There are a few different things you can do to help you out once back pain has gotten a grip on you:
- Get Professional Help - The first thing you want to do is consult a medical professional to get insight regarding your situation.
It will also help you rule out any serious causes of back pain. - Massage: massage is wonderful because it's both relaxing and increases the blood flow in your back area.
The muscle relaxations can help with insomnia and give an overall feeling of well being.
There are different types of massage you might want to check out like Swedish massage and Shiatsu which is Japanese acupressure. - Apply Heat - Heat expands the blood vessels, increasing the blood flow, oxygenation and nutrients to the affected area, which helps healing.
Remember to apply heat cautiously so you don't burn yourself.
The temperature of a hot water bottle, heating pad or bath water should be warm, not hot.
Heat also relaxes the muscles. - Cut down smoking.
Clinical studies show a direct connection between smoking and back pain.
Smokers are up to 3 times more likely to develop low back pain compared to non-smokers.
Smoking in effect reduces oxygen levels and increases toxins in the muscle tissue and bone structures of the back.
Even long-time smokers have shown a significant decrease in back pain after quitting.
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