Once you encounter back or neck pain, you are four times as likely to experience it again. This is why prevention is essential to your long-term recovery.
One of the best ways to avoid back pain is by exercising and stretching. Low-impact aerobics, such as walking or swimming, is an ideal way to prevent or treat back pain. Stop if the exercise becomes painful, and always remember to stretch. Stretching is easy to incorporate into your daily routine. You can even do it in front of the television.
Below are some more specific ways to prevent back or neck injuries:
The spine likes movement. Anything that puts the spine in a static position creates stress, which can cause back and neck pain. Every hour, stand, walk around, bend, arch backward gently and twist. Doing so at regular intervals will lengthen the amount of time you can sit comfortably. Also, get an ergonomically-designed chair or an orthopaedic insert to support your spine, especially if your job involves long periods of sitting. Or roll up a towel, and place it behind your low back.
Prolonged standing can also strain the back. If you have to stand for long periods of time, prop one foot on a small stool or telephone book to reduce stress in the low back. Alternate with the other foot. Every half hour, bend over and touch your toes, with your knees slightly bent or do some of the stretching exercises shown in this Web site. They will help loosen your muscles, ligaments and joints.
While traveling on a plane, it helps to raise your feet on a briefcase or a bag underneath the seat in front of you. Ask for a pillow to place behind your low back to improve lumbar support. It is important to get up frequently and walk to the bathroom and back, whenever possible. Avoid hour-long periods in your seat.
Avoid sleeping on your stomach, which arches your back and puts pressure on your spine. Instead, lie on your back with a small pillow tucked under your knees. This position unloads the spine. An alternate position is to lie on your side with a pillow between your knees. If you like sleeping on your stomach, place a soft, flat pillow under your stomach to eliminate some of the arch that can stress your back.
It is important to sleep on a mattress with optimal back support, whether it is a conventional mattress or a waterbed. Older waterbeds were mushy and provided little support. However, now there are waterbeds that allow you to adjust their firmness. A good mattress should relate to your body shape. Generally, go with what feels comfortable to you.
Avoid transporting heavy or large objects from one place to another after your surgery (eg. leaving ironing board in a suitable place rather than taking it in and out of a cupboard, arrange to have someone take out the rubbish). Also try to avoid heavy physical tasks (e.g. washing the car), particularly jobs that involve twisting and bending.
Relaxation is a useful tool for people with back pain (or anyone in general) for several reasons:
The main aim of relaxation is to achieve a complete state of physical rest. Although this sounds easy, it is not something that comes naturally to us and must be learned and practiced. Talk to your medical team for more information.
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Have back or neck pain? Learn what causes symptoms and the home remedies that relieve pain. Experts estimate that 50% of back surgeries are unnecessary. Fact: Many people can recover from painful disc-related symptoms with nonsurgical treatment options like a spinal injection that reduces inflammation around a nerve root or customized spine therapy.
The good news is that 80% of back and neck pain gets better on its own over time. Only a small percentage of patients will ever need spine surgery. Isn’t that a relief? Learn about non-surgical treatment options.
As a community service to those who live on Long Island, SpineCare Long Island mails out a free 36-page Home Remedy Book with customized stretches that can relieve some back and neck pain symptoms. Enter your name and address and we will mail you a copy.
Some symptoms can become permanent if you don’t see the physician within 24 hours. Find out when you can use “watchful waiting” and when you have an emergency symptom.
Spinecare Long Island is excited to announce the opening of our new, beautiful, comfortable, state-of-the-art facility in Holbrook, New York. The Holbrook location combines the expertise of board-certified spine surgeons and interventional pain management specialists.
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