Low back pain is debilitating in some cases, and while some folks may find it challenging to carry out daily tasks, others can manage with the now and again reminder that their back hurts. Nobody enjoys lower back pain, and finding natural solutions is an excellent way to reduce taking over-the-counter medications.
What should you do when your back is killing you?
Before reaching for those pain meds again, painkillers numb the pain without tackling the source or physically resolving the problem. OTC meds for pain aren’t great as a long-term solution.
You could do a few things to help manage and, in some folks, possibly improve or reduce their back pain.
Do breathing exercises
Our body has the inherent ability to heal itself, and there are certain things you could do to help this process. For example, breathing exercises will help lower stress hormones like cortisol, which is an anti-inflammatory, but it increases inflammation receptors when under stressful circumstances.
When the body has more stress and inflammation, it’s likely to experience more pain. When you do breathing exercises, your body releases dopamine and other hormones that positively reduce stress and pain. Dopamine and endorphins are also known as the body’s natural painkillers.
Change positions
Sitting or standing in one position for too long can put excess strain on the body, such as the lower back, which needs to work even while in an uncomfortable position. Changing positions often during your sitting or standing can help relieve some pressure on these excessively used muscles and joints.
Excursive stretches for lower back pain include but are not limited to the following:
The cat/cow pose
While the cat/cow can be intimidating, it isn’t hard to do. Starting on hands and knees, extend your body so that your arms face outward.
Child’s pose
The child’s pose helps relieve tension build-up and pressure in the whole back, including the lower back. This pose is rather an amazing one that, when modified, extends the arms alongside you. The stretch is almost an instant relief.
Knee to the chest to relieve lower back pain
Another effective stretch to almost instantly alleviate low back pain is the knee-to-chest stretch. It’s very straightforward and aids in reducing tension in the thighs and lower back. You can do these stretches by lying down on your back and bringing one knee up to your chest as far as it can go.
Trunk rolls (wringing)
Similar to knee to chest, trunk rolls also require that people lay on their back and gently move one knee or both knees from one side to the other.
If you’re unsure what exercises to do or whether you can, you can always work with a professional physiotherapist in Bowmanville, Oshawa, Peterborough, Cobourg & Port Hope. Sometimes old injuries can play up, too, leading to painful body parts like lower back pain.
