For many years, I have suffered from lower back pain. It happened slowly, and I’ve always been aware of it, which kind of normalized the situation for me. It took me a long time to take some steps to get things looked at, and I only wish I had done it sooner. So, if you or anyone you know are suffering from back pain, don’t put up with it. I hope this little guide can help.
Understand the situation
In many cases, there are no quick fixes for the kind of lower back pain that I endured for many years. It’s important to understand that before we get started, as you may feel disheartened. Please don’t let it put you off, though. Finding out what’s wrong and starting the process to put things right will be worth it. Now, this guide isn’t for those of you that have had a tweak and a little pain for a couple of days, and more for those that have consistent, long-term issues. However, the advice might be suitable for anyone – but always see your doctor first.
Medical check
Your first step is to go and see your doctor. Be as descriptive as you can and explain your situation. As back pain is very common, it can be easy for a physician to jump to a conclusion, but it’s important that you press the issue if you feel it’s necessary. You don’t want a list of things it could be; you want to know exactly what’s wrong, so you will be better placed to deal with it. For example, two common back problems are scoliosis and herniated disks. I suffered from the latter, but the effective treatment for both is entirely different.
Improve your posture
Once you have the cause of your pain, your doctor will recommend a care plan. One part of that will be to improve your posture. I can’t stress enough how much better I have felt since I addressed my bad posture. It takes a while to stop your shoulders from slouching and you back from arching, but it can be done. In fact, bad posture is a likely culprit for many of the western world’s back problems – as evidenced in this article.
Tell your employer
Don’t hide your back problems from anyone at work, no matter how ‘weak’ it makes you feel. Forget about weak. There’s no reason you should suffer from pain and not expect a little assistance here and there. It could be that your employer gets you a more comfortable chair or gives you an hour off to do some exercises. Most bosses will be sympathetic to your needs, as long as you don’t overdo it.
Find a chiropractor
I’ve been getting chiropractic treatment for back pain for some years now, and it’s worth every cent. It helps me move better and has strengthened my back muscles to a point I didn’t know I could get to before. It does depend on your condition, but if you can see a back specialist, then they will be a lot of help.
I hope this guide has been helpful. Of course, everybody has different problems, but if you make sure you carry out as many of these steps as possible, I’m sure things will improve.