More than 80% of people ever suffer low back pain, we will tell you 7 ways to relieve and prevent lumbar pain.
Most of us have ever felt low back pain. It is a back pain, located at the base of the spine, from the waist to the buttocks, where our body holds most of our weight. It is the most common ailment, worldwide, only surpassed by the cold; more specifically, 80% of humanity has this symptom at some point in life.
Lumbar pain occurs equally in men and women, although it is more frequent between the ages of 30 and 50, either because of the aging process, because of a very sedentary lifestyle or because of too much exercise, sometimes incorrectly. In the case of adolescents, as long as the pain is not associated with injuries, it is usually due to a backpack overloaded with books, which eventually twist the back and causes muscle fatigue that will lead to pain.
In most cases, low back pain occurs when you take a weight that exceeds the physical capacity of the person, improper lifting or abrupt movement.
How can I relieve back pain?
In addition to all of the above tips, which will also be very helpful in easing back discomfort, here are a few guidelines to take when lumbar pain begins:
Avoid lying around constantly:
Although it sounds contradictory to stay in bed is not recommended. When it starts to hurt and more if it is acute, at first we should rest lying down, but as soon as we can, it is best to get up and try to walk for half an hour every three hours. In this way, we will stimulate the circulation, and thus, avoid the effect of rigidity.
Testing simple relaxation techniques:
If we lie on the floor on our back and support our calves in a chair, so that our knees form a 90 ° angle, we will reduce the pressure in the back and will be a relief for the lower back if we begin to feel resentful, we must ensure that we maintain an upright posture that does not carry certain parts of the body.
Monitor the posture:
It is very important to be straight, both when standing, walking, and sitting. It is important to be aware of the posture, which may cost us at first, is also effective in avoiding the rigidity of the body.
Attack the pain with cold or heat:
Not all pains are the same, so you should wait a few minutes applying cold or heat to see what is most effective in your case, which gives you more relief. To apply ice cold, we must be careful to wrap it with a thick cloth or towel to not harm our skin. The two best options for applying heat are water bags or electric blankets. It is important to consider how our pain is: if we apply cold will help reduce possible swelling and reduce severe pain, but if we apply heat to our lower back we will get relief from muscle spasms and pain.
Go to the pool:
Swimming and exercising in the water helps our joints and toning our muscles without causing a strong stress for muscles. Also, the simple fact of floating is a great relief for our back and will relax us.
Wear the right footwear:
Although we do not realize, walking with inappropriate shoes, can cause back pain, due to the impact of footprints on the floor. We should look for shoes that will help us absorb that impact, or buy specific templates. We will notice relief almost immediately.
Take aspirin, ibuprofen or paracetamol:
They are the fastest resource when pain appears, as they are also over-the-counter drugs in pharmacies. Ibuprofen, in addition to reducing back pain, will reduce swelling.
We can also find analgesics for topical use, in many cases specific for this type of ailments, that we can apply to the skin, in the area where the pain is located with a gentle massage that will help to relax the area.
If the back pain becomes more intense, despite treating it with heat or cold, to rest and to treat it with painkillers, if it persists for more than 72 hours, we notice a numbness or tingling, it is important to go to the doctor to look for the origin and cause of our pain or prescribe other treatment that does need a prescription.
How can we prevent low back pain?
Taking care of the health of our back is fundamental. Over the years, it is normal to feel some discomfort, because in our body there is a natural wear, which as we have said, is the result of aging. But we can prevent low back pain and improve the health of our back, also prevent pain from recurring again, if we are attentive, in our day to day, to these simple guidelines:
Avoid bad postures when walking or working: When we walk, we should try to concentrate on keeping the back straight and shoulders slightly back and avoid stooping. The same happens when we sit in a chair, without realizing it; we end up draining in it or leaning towards the computer screen, when we must sit upright and straight back, leaning on the back. If necessary, we must adapt the height of both the computer screen and the chair where we sit, to avoid forcing the posture.
Be very careful when lifting weights and if we have to, we should pay attention to how we do it; the right thing is to bend your knees and keep your back straight.
Swimming prevents and relieves back pain, both by exercise and by floating
Be careful when performing crunches: It can lead to not only back pain but also a cervical pain. We must do them properly. One of the practices that cause more back pain, occurs when we carry out on a sloping bench with the feet attached, because when raising or lowering the trunk to perform the abdominal force we force the lumbar area.
It is also important to exercise in moderation and warm up and stretch before doing the activity to prepare our body. Walking swinging our arms, turning slowly from side to side and doing a slow neck rotation will be enough. Walking 30 minutes a day is enough.
Being overweight, since the lumbar area is the one that carries most of the weight of our body. If we stick to our recommended weight, we will force our back down. No need to obsess, with a balanced diet, we will keep our weight and prevent another factor that impacts on the back.
Stress and anxiety can cause a strong muscular tension and can lead to back pain.
Sedentary life: When we spend a lot of time, for example, on the sofa, without realizing it, instead of varying posture keeping the back straight, we tend to bend the spine, which will end up causing a low back pain.
Avoid carrying very heavy bags, that is, do not get inside more than the essential, and keeping in mind that it should not exceed 10% of our body weight.
Avoid high heels: Heels too high cause us to arch and force the back, pressing the joints, and over time, will seriously affect the spine.
Renew our mattress: It is easy to neglect, but vitally important, considering that we spend a third of our lives on it. When lying on an old mattress is easy that our back is not receiving the support it needs for a proper rest.