Back pain is a common condition that affects millions of people each day. From the odd niggle to more chronic back pain, it can be frustrating to have to deal with this kind of injury. For many people, back pain can be debilitating, but it is crucial you learn to handle the pain and stop it from taking over your life.
Get the help you need to cope with back pain with the following tips.
Identify the cause
Back pain can be caused by a number of factors. Exercise, an accident or event a sudden movement can lead to back pain, which can be instant or creep up on you over time. If there’s an identifiable cause, you can stop doing what you were doing immediately to make sure you don’t aggravate the pain. Sometimes it’s difficult to pin down the exact cause, but you should try to avoid activities that are making the pain more acute.
Take a break
A back injury requires some rest and relaxation to help you heal. Try to rest where you can and not do any strenuous activities. With lower back pain especially, you should try to avoid exercises that put pressure on it, as you could make things worse. Some time to rest and recharge could do you some good, helping you to recover from any immediate injuries.

Try an over-the-counter solution
Dealing with back pain can make you lose your focus, and some days it can be hard to make it through the day. Some over-counter-medication can help ease your discomfort, especially for sleeping. Nurofen has anti-inflammatory properties that can help relieve your back pain. It’s important to check with your doctor before taking painkillers, as there could be varieties that you’re allergic to or could interfere with any other medication that you are taking.
Maintain good posture
Maintaining good posture is a good way to prevent back pain, and can help prevent your symptoms from getting worse. Some useful tips for improving your posture include avoiding slouching and not crossing your legs when sitting down. You can get special office equipment such as standing desks, footrests and adjustable chairs to help you maintain good posture at work.
As well as displaying good posture when sitting, you need to think about your posture when you’re standing or walking. Your knees should be slightly bent, and you should stand straight and pull your shoulders backward. If you’re concerned that your posture isn’t right, you can always ask a friend or relative to critique it.
See your doctor
If your back pain is severe or doesn’t improve after a couple of days, you need to see your doctor. Going to your doctor for back pain can help identify the cause, as well as provide you with some treatment options that can help improve tour symptoms. It’s wise to see your doctor to work out how long you need to rest, when you can start exercising and whether there are any exercises that could be beneficial for you. Don’t let your symptoms progress, get to the doctor as soon as you can.
After getting a diagnosis from the doctor, make sure you follow their instructions carefully. Trying to do too much, too soon will most likely make things worse, so it’s best not to argue with the experts.
Keep moving
While resting after an initial injury or trauma is important, you shouldn’t stay immobile for too long with an injured back. If you spend a large portion of your day sitting down, try to get up and move around every now and then. Movement is important to stop your muscles from becoming stiff and you could even try doing some stretches from your desk to loosen up the muscles. Why not set an alert on your phone to remind you to get up every so often?
Many people give up on exercise after a back injury, which can affect your fitness and soon lead to weight gain – which will impact your back even more. There are some excellent examples of exercises you can do for lower back strain that can help ease your symptoms and help you regain strength in this area. Don’t rush back into your fitness routine, some gentle exercises such as walking or swimming can help you build your fitness back up without putting pressure on your back.

Try a manual therapy
There are other kinds of therapies that people with back injuries can find useful to promote healing and restore movement. Learning more about the benefits of a chiropractor could help you see how a more hands-on treatment could help your back. You can also try getting a regular massage as a way to improve your symptoms and help you to relax too.
While manual therapy can be beneficial for your injuries, some of these treatments might not be covered by your insurance. It’s best to check with your provider before you sign up to an expensive course of therapy.
Stay positive
One thing that’s extremely important to do while suffering back pain is to stay positive. It’s easy to wallow and feel negative about the situation, but if you can pick yourself up and put your energy into recovery, things will happen much quicker. Healing after a serious injury takes time, and it’s normal to expect some setbacks now and then. Keep a positive attitude and do what you can to help you beat back pain.
Coping with an injury is difficult, and back pain is one of those injuries that can affect you both physically and mentally. While you should do everything you can to prevent back injury, it’s important to know that these things can happen, even to those who are in the best shape. Find ways to manage back pain that make you feel more comfortable. This will help ease your pain and get you on the path to a quicker recovery.