The lower back supports the body through muscles and ligaments from the spine to the pelvis, and plays a role in maintaining equilibrium. When pain occurs in the lower back, which is the center of the body, it can cause discomfort in daily life. Also, once pain occurs, it is more likely to recur in a continuous form, and if it continues, it increases the risk of developing related diseases such as herniated disc. Therefore, it is important to reduce back pain through regular management and to prevent related diseases caused by exacerbation of pain. So today, we’re going to look at a number of ways to help relieve back pain. How to relieve back pain
1. Steady exercise
To relieve back pain, it is important to strengthen the muscles around the spine through regular regular exercise. A typical exercise that is good for the lower back is walking, and it is the easiest exercise you can do in your daily life. It is said to have the effect of not only preventing a herniated disc by strengthening the muscles around the back, but also improving the symptoms of disc patients. However, it is known that walking at a slightly high speed is effective in strengthening the back muscles, as walking too slow is less effective. Swimming is also the most recommended exercise for herniated disc patients, and it is said to help minimize the load on the spine and relieve the burden on the back. In addition, plank, indoor cycling, Mackenzie exercise, and bird dog exercise also strengthen the core muscles by supporting the spine, pelvis, and abdomen, which are the center of the human body, so it is recommended to continue it continuously.
2. Refrain from excessive exercise
Regular exercise can relieve back pain, but excessive exercise can make back pain worse. High-intensity strength training or sudden exercise that is out of one’s physical strength range can cause pain and worsen symptoms by rapidly increasing the pressure on the spine. And if it is more severe, the risk of disc deformation and rupture increases. Therefore, it is desirable to continue the exercise in the form of strengthening the back muscles while minimizing the pressure on the disc introduced earlier.
3. Posture correction
Sitting in the wrong posture for a long time while sitting or studying for a long time puts strain on the back muscles and spine, causing back pain. In particular, in recent years, as the use of IT devices such as smartphones and tablets increases, more people are suffering from back pain, and the incidence of herniated discs is also increasing. Therefore, it is important to correct the incorrect posture of sitting with bent shoulders and maintain the correct posture to straighten the back. In addition, it is recommended to avoid sitting for a long time and do stretching and bare-handed gymnastics to relieve tension in the back muscles from time to time.
3. Maintain a healthy weight
If you are overweight or obese, you can increase the burden on your back and spine, making your back pain symptoms worse. In particular, obesity affects not only herniated discs, but also neck and knee pains, and spinal stenosis. Therefore, it is necessary to manage an appropriate weight with a diet control habit composed of various nutrients. It is also important to reduce excess intake of high-fat, high-calorie foods that cause excessive fat accumulation.
4. Lower-body bathing
Regular lower-body bathing not only relaxes the spinal joints, but also has the effect of relieving tension. However, if the temperature of the water in the lower-body bathing is higher than 40℃, and if you soak the body for too long, the muscles and ligaments will relax excessively, which can make the pain worse. Therefore, it is recommended to set the water temperature to around 36~39℃, and to set the time not to exceed 20 minutes. And if you apply warm compresses regularly, it can help relieve back pain by relieving stiffness of back muscles and ligaments, and relieving tension in tissues around the spine.
Other methods In addition to the various methods mentioned above, smoking can also make your back pain worse. When the nicotine contained in tobacco enters the body, it is said to cause problems in the normal function of cartilage, which makes the bones worse and the joints move smoothly. According to statistics, it is reported that smoking increases the incidence of disc and spine-related diseases by about four times, so it is desirable to quit smoking. In addition, it is also recommended to be exposed to sunlight for a certain amount of time a day for smooth synthesis of vitamin D, a nutrient directly related to bone health. If back pain repeats and worsens even after implementing these various management methods, it is important to visit a hospital to receive an accurate diagnosis and treatment.
