Back Problems: Suggestions for Relief

Back problems could be unbearable, caused by some type of sprain in the muscles or tendons.  It might hurt for a couple of days, but should gradually go away until your back feels normal again.  Backaches could be caused by sleeping wrong, taking out the trash, or bending over to pick up an item.  Backache, like sore throat, is the most common condition doctors treat.  Eight out of ten people, some time or the other, would eventually complain of a gnawing backache.  Although some common backaches are not serious, according to statistics, approximately sixteen billion dollars are spent, in the way of doctor’s fees and other expenses, each year. The good news, according to Dr. White, Author of “Your Aching Back: A Doctor’s Guide to Relief,” is that real, serious back problems are rare, and most backaches do not require surgery.  But for those who suffer from backache, such a medical deduction might not be quite convincing, particularly when they have to lie flat on their backs, “paralyzed” with pain.

The places where your back could go wrong are between the bottom of your head and the top of your tail.  Your spine is a tall, curved stack of doughnuts.  Your spine might feel solid, but is, in fact, flexible.   The muscles of your spine, ligaments and vertebrae (all 33 of them) bend along with you, each time you nod your head, brush your teeth, turn around when you are awake or when you lie in bed.  Yet, there are times when everything that moves could also stop moving.  For instance, when you sleep, your muscles could bunch themselves into powerful, painful contractions called spasms, caused by strained ligaments, or hard work. Malfunctioning facet joints could also cause back pain, according to Dr. White.  Facet joints are gliding surfaces between vertebrae. They are coated with slick cartilage that facilitate twisting your hips when you dance, until they are liable to get sore, causing temporarily-restricted mobility.

Back problems could be caused by faulty spinal disks, slipped disks and herniated disks, all of which might signal trouble.

Shock Absorbers wear out:  Every time you jump out of bed, rush to the store, or pirouette around the flowers, your back takes a pounding, which is why your vertebrae are equipped with their own shock absorbers, the spinal disks.  When your disks start aging, they become dry and brittle, and are denied the use of one of its shock absorbers.

According to Dr. White, there are many healthy, pain-free people moving freely with moderately herniated disks, and they are not even aware of this.  But when the disk starts pushing against nearby nerves, the pain could be excruciating.  There is no cause to worry about your own disks.  Disks have a tendency to dry out all the time, causing problems. Even when they do rupture, the pain usually goes away on its own.

In order to avoid back problems, you should not lift heavy weights, or work beyond the limit of your capacity to do so.  Think of your back as a building.  It could only stand on a strong foundation.  Take away the foundation, and it collapses.  Strong trunk muscles could help keep your back feeling good.

Recommendations:

1) Swimming; 2) Put on your walking shoes: 3) Aerobic exercise helps improve circulation, keeping your spinal disks supple; 4) Walk upright with arms swinging; 5) Hold things close to your body when you pick things up; 6) Take a stretch.  Actually long term sitting could exert pressure on your spine, unlike standing; 7) Walking in waist-high water also helps; Pull your shoulders back.  Do not slump when you sit, stand or talk on the phone.  Another way to relieve muscle strains is by the application of ice cubes. Cold helps reduce swelling and relaxes muscles.  As an alternative, you may use a heating pad.  Follow this treatment with some light stretching.  Massage also helps stimulate the circulatory and lymphatic system and serves to restore fluid and nutrients into muscles.

At all times, between treatments specified above, take deep breaths.  This helps relax you and stimulates the production of endorphins, your body’s natural pain reducers.