Nothing can stop you in your tracks quite like a serious round of back pain. Here's a look at what you can do when your injuries are preventing you from enjoying your life.

Nothing can stop you in your tracks quite like a serious round of back pain. Even minor aches can dramatically reduce your quality of life. It's no wonder than Americans spend exorbitant amounts of money each year on surgeries, medications, and other methods of relieving what ails them. While there is sometimes no substitute for having surgery for a major problem, there is evidence that suggests some go to expensive route when other options may have done just as much to improve their situation, and for a whole lot less. Here's a look at what you can do when your injuries are preventing you from enjoying your life.

Minor Adjustments

In some cases, just making small adjustments in your lifestyle can make a big impact when it comes to improving back pain. If you're having regular flare-ups, the problem could be in something you're doing. For instance, how you sit in a chair can go a long way towards determining whether you will or won't have problems. Sit back and straight for best results. You don't have to sit like a statue, but the more you slouch, the more that spinal curvature and compression is going to cause issues. If you need help breaking bad habits, you may want to look for furniture that is designed to help your posture.

Weight

Lose weight if you want to reduce your back pain problems. Those who are carrying around a big gut in front of them, are giving their muscles, tendons, and skeleton a great deal more to do than a person of average size. Studies have shown that those who are beyond their ideal weight limit often experience many more problems with their discs and muscles than those who are in within the healthy regulations. If you needed one more reason to start exercising and changing your diet, there it is.

Physical Therapy

Don't overlook the benefits of the non-surgical approach. Physical therapy, massage, and chiropractic treatments can often do the job of surgery without the expense, the downtime, or the risks. If your doctor is insistent upon prescribing medications and scheduling you for surgery, get a second opinion. Yes, it may be true that you are facing an issue that can only be corrected through surgery. On the other hand, you may not be. But if you're seeing a doctor who believes that surgery is the answer for everything, you may not be getting the whole picture.

Article Tags: Back Pain