Living with back pain is frustrating, to say the least. It is constant. Even if you get used to the pain, it is always there, just in the back of your mind. Fortunately, however, there are ways to live a better life and alleviate or reduce the discomfort you experience on a daily basis.
Please note that the information below is not to be taken in lieu of qualified medical advice. Always consult your trusted healthcare provider for the most up-to-date and scientifically backed information available.
Consider Back Surgery
Depending on your unique situation and needs and your healthcare provider’s guidance, you may be a candidate for spinal fusion surgery. This is a surgical process where your vertebrae are fused with metal hardware. While the process has potential risks, it also offers possible benefits, including increased mobility and reduced pain.
Incorporate Exercise into Your Day
Exercise can be an effective way for almost everyone to lower back pain and live a healthier lifestyle. Moving your body, especially after a night lying still in bed or after sitting at a desk all day, may help you to increase healthy blood flow throughout your body and produce feel-good endorphins that come with a good exercise session. Adding a walking routine or an all-out HIIT session will help strengthen your entire body over time.
Strengthen Your Core
Having a strong core can help improve your posture, which may become an essential part of your back pain management plan. Your body’s core includes the muscles located in the central part of your body, such as the abdominal and back muscles. Strengthening your core muscles will help you stand taller and reduce pressure on your spine while offering it better support.
Watch this video to learn how to do a quick, 12-minute core conditioning exercise routine.
Rethink Your Work Station
During the pandemic, standing desks were the buzzworthy office accoutrement everyone wanted. While they may have fallen off the trending news, they still have merit. If you sit for long hours at your desk every day, only to go home and sit at dinner and then to relax in the evening, a standing desk could help alleviate pressure on your lower spine. Alternatively, a treadmill underneath a standing desk will offer you more movement while you work. Another viable option is a balance ball. Swap your chair out for this core-stabilizing gym-worthy seating arrangement. If you are worried about wobbling and rolling across the room during a work call, there are simple bases or chair accessories you can place underneath the ball to keep it in place.
Living day to day with pain in any part of your body, but especially in your back, can make you miserable. Talk to your healthcare provider to learn more about the options available to help you feel better and live a happier and more comfortable life. Discuss the pros and cons of each choice to ensure you are fully informed before making any decisions.
