Many people complain of upper back pain on daily basis but are not sure of its cause. Some attempt to avoid back pain by putting the phrase “Lift with your knees, not your back” into practice, or they may blame their mattress. Common self-treatments for lower back pain include taking aspirin and cracking your back yourself, but, there are better methods to treat back pain.
The most basic cause of low back pain comes from poor posture. Many people tend to hunch over and stick their necks out or overcompensate and stand up as straight as possible. However, when people think they are standing up straight, they really are overarching their backs and sticking their behind out too far, which leads to more back pain.
The proper way to stand is to keep your back straight with a slight arch. Yoga teaches its practitioners to engage their abs by dropping the bottom down as if you have a long, heavy dinosaur tail behind you. This eases the tension from lower back pain and strengthens your core muscles.
Back pain may also be a result of having abs that are too strong combined with a back that is too weak. When the abs are very strong without corresponding strength in the back, it tends to pull muscle away from your lower back, thus weakening it. With this weak back, people then to sit in a slouched position as well, which pushes the spinal discs out and causes discomfort and pain. Make sure you do exercises to strengthen your lower back as well as your abs for optimal core strength.
Some good exercises to do for back pain relief without medication are simple exercises and stretching the lower back. Yoga is a great because it teaches you to align the joints of your body and breaks the habit of using your spine like a hinge. Tai Chi really helps back pain by protecting the spine and teaching you how to keep it in a neutral position while being able to push, pull and lift. Swimming also eases tension in the body while allowing for fluid movement.
Studies show that owning a pet can lower blood pressure and relieve tension in pain-prone areas like the lower back. Having a dog also encourages you to exercise and keep the both of you healthy by taking your dog on daily walks.
Walking barefoot activates pressure points in the feet that is normally cushioned and blocked off through wearing shoes. Despite some negative opinions of living conditions in Third World countries, most people who live there have little or no back pain because they are constantly running around in bare feet.
All of these methods help to stimulate your muscles and encourage self-regulation of back pain relief without having to rely on medicine and results in a healthier lifestyle.