Suffering from back pain is a life-changing issue. It can cause your routine and lifestyle to be interrupted and can sometimes result in your needing medical attention. All of this adds up and can take a toll on your health and the quality of your life. Back pain affects more than 31 million people at any given time in America alone. Thus, at some point in your life, you may suffer from it. If so, here are the five steps you should take. 

Work out the cause

You will need to figure out the cause of the back pain. This is so that you can prevent it from happening again or worsening. For instance, if you have caused your back pain from an injury when working out, then you will need to avoid exercise until it has healed. When you know the cause, you can seek the right treatment. 

Seek the right help

Back pain can be mild or severe. Depending on the severity of your back and the cause, you may require different treatment. For instance, if your back pain is severe and caused by an injury, you may require a Spinal Surgeon. These can help correct your spine, help treat your issue and reduce back pain. Or, if you are suffering from mild and short-term back pain, anti-inflammatories and pain relief may be enough to help manage and treat the pain.

Relax

When you are dealing with lower back pain, the best thing you can do is rest to avoid making it worse. You won’t want to lie down all of the time, and movement can help the tension reduce and the muscles loosen. Yet, getting enough rest and moving slowly will help you recover effectively. 

Going out for slow walks is a great way to exercise, get some air, and loosen the tension. Yet, no jogging or running should be involved. When your pain is easing, sitting in a soft chair will help support your back. Avoid sitting or lying on hard surfaces as it can tighten the tension and slow down the healing process. 

Avoid heavy lifting

Heavy lifting is a common cause of back pain. If you strain your back muscles when lifting something heavy, the pain can stay for a while. If you’re lucky, the pain may fade quickly. Yet, that isn’t always the case. Nonetheless, whatever has caused your back pain will not be helped if you lift heavy objects. Avoid lifting anything at all if you can so that the back can heal quicker. 

Stretch regularly 

Whilst maintaining a relaxing routine, stretching can effectively loosen the tension and can aid a quicker recovery. If you see a physiotherapist or surgeon, they will likely advise you on what stretches will be best for your back pain. Avoid stretching too vigorously as you will want to avoid overstretching the affected area. 

If you ever suffer from back pain, take these five steps for a better and quicker recovery. 

Photo: Image by Ryan Hoyme from Pixabay