Lower Back Pain- Causes and Treatments

Back pain can be fatal if not addressed earlier with medical interventions. In the study published by The Lancet, the lower back pain is at the root of causing disability amongst most individuals around the globe. It is as common ailment as others, but still, there is no explanation about its source and why it refuses to heal. However, the disorder is relevant for so many patients and they turn to the specialist for relief from this. But the question is, what procedure should you apply to get relief from it?

Many causes can be at behind the lower back pain. Though, age is the primary factor in causing the lower back pain, poor lifestyle, illnesses, wrong postures, and obesity are some of the reasons too. If the condition persists for a long period, you must figure out it with no time.

Previous injuries 

• Injuries from trips and falls, car accidents, or putting pressure on your lower back too much in a game over a weekend may trigger the pain in your lower back.
• Torn ligaments, tendon or muscle of your back after lifting and swinging some heavy objects, create problems in your back.
• You may have a vertebrae fracture after a fall from a great height.
• Muscle spasms also trigger strain and sprain in your back. 

Mental illness:

Stressed back muscle coupled with mental anxiety and illness can be worse for your back.

Inactive lifestyle:

A series of poor lifestyles can result in lower back pain. 

• Carrying heavy loads from the support of the back instead of your legs
• Drooping towards the bench while sitting
• Smoking
• Abstaining from a daily exercise
• Obesity
• Overweight and others

Sometimes, lower back pain can arise from the mechanical issues. The back gets its cushioning support from the adjoining joints, tissues, spine and muscle, which remain in a sync altogether. When there is a misalignment in their setup, the back pain happens.  

Now, it is time to take action and do something to get relieved from this condition. Let us see what steps you can take to relieve your conditions.

Don’t Stay Away from the Daily Exercise

Intense lower back pain may scare you from doing daily exercises as you think the activities could worsen your condition. But to your surprise, daily exercises help keep you active and your activeness strengthens your muscles and avoid sprains.

As per the study, individuals with lower back pain can improve their conditions better and feel active with regular physical exercise regimens while people intended to stay in the bed suffer more. Providing this, exercises are more helpful in this condition. Besides walking, try out some low-intensity swimming, aerobics, and cycling.  

Combine your exercise regimen with yoga and stretching.  The techniques and postures of yoga or stretching can help reduce your discomfort and heal your back pain to a great potential. The best thing about daily exercises coupled with yoga or stretching is that it minimizes the chances of medications.

Cold and Heat Therapy at Home

Though no strong evidences are there about the effectiveness of the ice and heat treatment, many individuals believe it works. If you really want to have the results, apply ice thrice a day on your lower back. Put the ice in a towel and apply it in the morning, after school or office and before the bed at night. Be remembered not to apply ice more than 15-20 minutes.

On the other hand, applying heat to the affected area may give you some soothing feeling and relief. Electric heating tools can be used to alleviate your pain. However, you must set a timer lest you fall asleep and cause yourself some serious injuries. Moist heat such as showers, baths and hot packs give a faster result. Apply it to your back for 15-20 minutes.

Massage or Manipulation

Massage may come to your rescue. Researchers find that by addressing the musculoskeletal issues using soft-tissue techniques as used in massage can help the symptoms improve after a couple of weeks. Relaxation massages also help in this case.

Manipulation is another type of technique involving setting muscles back to their normal movement. Chiropractic care or physiotherapy treatment can offer this type of manipulation. Studies found that this treatment procedure can be safe for you. However, you must opt for at least two sessions of manipulation a week for 15-20 days.  

Relax your mental health         

Mental conditions can help identify the issues of back pain without going for MRIs as per the study published by Stanford University School of Medicine. Individuals with poor coping abilities are likely to develop back pain as compared to individuals equipped with better cognitive skills. Therefore, it’s clear that if you are thinking worse and anxious, you may develop lower back pain.

Practicing mental based stress reduction techniques allows you to reduce your chances of developing the condition. With a regular practice, it is easier for you to avoid negative thinking from your mind.

Consult a Doctor

It can be a serious matter if the problem persists for more than 4 to 5 weeks. In such case, you must visit a doctor or a physical therapist. They can help you improve your movement and flexibility by using muscle relaxation, ultra-sound and electric stimulation. They can even teach you some exercise steps to enhance your postures and keep your muscle healthy.