Back pain, folks, is something that a lot of us experience. But despite how common it is, it’s pretty difficult to treat in many cases. We’re often left with lingering pain or invasive options that don’t always have a good chance of success, such as some back surgeries.
While there’s no magic cure for your back pain, there are some natural things you can try to ease your discomfort.
See a chiropractor
A qualified chiropractic can help with many types of chronic pain, including back pain. One study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine journal, found that care from a chiropractor could be just as effective or better than medication in some cases of musculoskeletal pain (https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/0003-4819-156-1-201201030-00002?aimhp=&).
Stretch it out
A lot of us don’t stretch – or when we do, we don’t do it properly. Stretching the wrong way can actually cause muscle strain and irritation, so it’s important to get it right. Proper stretching on a regular basis can help people suffering from back pain, particularly if tense muscles are a contributing factor to the discomfort.
There are assisted stretching sessions offered at some health centers and facilities, and these professionals can tailor a stretching routine meant to address your source of pain. You’ll learn the right way to stretch through a series of guarded movements.
Start strength training
Establish a regular strength-training routine. This will help strengthen your core muscles and your back, which is necessary to prevent injury and ease pain. You can work with a fitness instructor at a gym to develop a safe yet effective program.
Add in yoga
Yoga is known for promoting flexibility and your core muscles, and it has been shown to help people with back pain. As with stretching and strength training, it’s important to do yoga properly to reap the benefits and avoid injury, so you should work with an instructor.
Pencil in a massage
When you get a massage, your body releases “feel-good” chemicals known as endorphins. These chemicals relieve pain and help you relax more. A licensed massage therapist will also have suggestions and advice on how to improve your posture–poor posture is a known contributor to back pain–and reduce the tension in your muscles.
If you’re suffering from back pain, try one or all of the natural remedies above. You don’t have anything to lose, and you just might find something that really works for you!
