Back pain is a very common discomfort that a large number of people experience. A recent study showed that people who are not physically fit, obese, aged (specifically after the age of 45), or who are exposed to back pain risks by virtue of their job, such as, pushing, pulling, or lifting heavy are more susceptible to experience back pain. In another case, back pain could be hereditary too, as some genetic disorders can cause discomfort which manifests as back pain.
The manner in which back pain is experienced largely varies from person to person and could manifest in different forms. There are acute, subacute, and chronic back pain, most commonly experienced in the lower back.
Acute lower back spasms or acute lower back strains are mostly caused by poor posture or strain on the muscles due to the nature of one’s job or other personal work. It can either be acute lower left back pain or acute lower right back pain. And in some cases, you can experience both.
Regardless of the nature of back pain, however, it can be diagnosed and treated using chiropractic therapy.
A lot of us have low back pain. In fact, 69% of Americans say that pain in their lower back affects their daily life, from taking a walk to sitting at the office. Despite that, only 60% of us with low back pain even try to find doctors to help us with it. About 40% try exercise, like taking a regular walk or doing stretching exercises, to get relief. If you’re feeling that low back pain tug on your walk or when you’re cooking, here are a few things to know:
Early Treatment is Cheapest
Studies show that medical costs for treating low back pain are more than $2,700 cheaper when a patient goes in for therapy earlier rather than later. Catch it early and you’re most likely to be able to ask the doctors about treatments that can turn things around before it gets too bad. The back is a complicated thing. It supports the weight of the upper body but also helps control the motions of the lower body. Your back needs to bend and twist, flex and rotate, support and pull. If you let the undiagnosed pain go on, you’re risking an untreated issue becoming a lot worse.
Walk for Low Back Support
Low back pain can make daily functioning difficult, but a walk of 30 minutes at least three days a week goes a long way to help you remain flexible and active. Taking that daily walk might be the thing that makes the difference between having to give up your favorite hobby, or even your job, and being able to keep going. Not to mention that a walk will make your body produce its own pain-reducing hormones.
Take Time to Do Your Stretches
When you were young, you never thought about stretching. You can take off running at the drop of a hat, and when you played sports in high school you thought the coach was nuts for making you stretch before running. Your coach was trying to instill good lifelong habits, because the older we get, the more essential it becomes to stretch our bodies to keep them limber and flexible. It’s easy to find good stretching activities online, or a medical clinic can give you advice on specific stretches that are good for the back.
Don’t Avoid Clinic Care if Things Are Rough
If your low back pain doesn’t get better even with some walks, rests, and stretches, know when it’s time to go in. If you’ve suffered any trauma preceding your low back pain, you should seek a doctor’s help immediately. If there was no trauma, clues that you need to do more than take a walk are constant pain, numbness, worsening pain, or the presences of a fever.
Your back is an amazing thing that you take for granted till it starts acting up. If you’re not yet in pain, keep up the walks and the stretches to keep yourself limber. If you are suffering, take the steps necessary to help yourself.
