Back Pain

This week I want to talk about how to help your back pain. Most people experience back pain at least a few times in their lives and I know I am no exception. As the weather begins to turn cold, I feel the muscles in my back start to constrict as if trying to hibernate without me. For this reason, I wanted to share with you some of my favorite ways of making sure that my back and I both make it through this season.
1. Stretch. I am a large proponent of stretching for just about any reason. It is one of the least impactful ways that you can get some exercise in and it still helps to loosen up your muscles. Bending down to touch your toes or leaning backwards as far as you can without really pulling something can do wonders for your back when you need to get rid of your pain in a pinch.
2. Heat and Ice. Alternating ice and heat on the spot that hurts is one of the best ways to get your muscles and nerves to relax back to where they should be. Ice helps to reduce inflammation while the heat serves to loosen up your muscles. If you are not sure how you hurt your back, see which one feels better or you can alternate with twenty minutes between each session. If you don’t have a heat back you can either take a shower or make one with some uncooked rice and an old (clean!) sock.
3. Posture. Americans are notorious for our bad posture and this may be a contributing factor to your back pain. If you have noticed that you are slouching or leaning to one side, especially for long periods of time like at work, try to sit up straight for small amounts of time each day increasing them as time goes by. Also, laying down on the ground or a flat and firm surface if possible is a good way to make sure that your back straightens out.
The best way to deal with back pain is to come into Wirth Chiropractic for a spinal adjustment. In the meantime, however, these three tips are going to be a great place to start. Come in and see how much better you feel!