Does low back pain interfere in your daily routine? 4 out of 5 people will experience low back pain in our life times. Our back is so important to our mobility that during our lifetimes we experience problems at one point or another. Low back pain can come from disease, injury and even stress. Even slight discomfort may be signs of needing attention. Healing and rehabilitation are important to restore and maintain the vitality of the spine and its soft tissues. Rehabilitation of the spine may see the need for physical therapy, chiropractic adjustments and massage chair treatments.
Low back pain is a costly condition in the US. It is estimated that over 50 billion dollars per year is spent on health care related to low back pain. It is the most common cause cited for job related disability. In fact, the states and the fed are now including chiropractic care in their insurance programs. Chiropractic care is also been picked up on many HMO and private care plans as well.
The treatment for low back pain usually incorporates the use of non-invasive recommendations and usually doesnt involve surgery. Rehabilitation with a physical therapy will involve the use of analgesics or pain medications, protocols to help reduce inflammation, restore proper function and strength. Most patients will recover without any residual functional loss.
One avenue of recovery involves chiropractic treatments. Chiropractors are trained to restore the health of the spine with natural methods. Some treatments involve spinal adjustments, electrical stimulation and massage treatments. The key is to rebalance the spine allowing the muscles and soft tissues the properly heal and pull their weight again.
Some preventative measures that you can take to avoid low back pain can range from posture to exercise. If you exercise, then apply ice when there is inflammation. Use an ice pack or fill a plastic bag with ice. Wrap a towel around the ice pack and apply for 20 minutes. Ice helps to reduce swelling that can occur after exercise.
Heat has been applied throughout the ages to relax muscles and improve blood flow. Warm baths were the common approach in Roman times and are quite effective. Using a heating pad or hot packs on particular areas is effective. Try applying heat to warm up the muscle and provide relief. Control the temperature so you do not overheat the muscle and cause burns.
Believe it or not exercise is an important aspect of rehabilitation of the lower back muscles, even within one week of the injury. The key is to slowly build muscle strength and flexibility. A routine of back-healthy activities should be included each week that will keep the muscles moving and speed the recovery process. These activities will include stretching, swimming, walking and other exercises to improve coordination.
Many have turned to Yoga as part of the rehabilitation of the lower back muscles. Focus can be given of the regions of muscles in need of a good stretch. Exercises also focus on particular muscle groups. You want to build back flexibility into your low back. Periodic stretching and muscle strengthening helps your back recover and then some. However, work slowly into any new routine. You do not have to win the gold medal the first time out.
An interesting and accessible technology is massage chairs for rehabilitation. In many ways, massage chairs automate certain types of therapies which can be precisely controlled. Massage chairs are used to deliver a variety of massage therapies including Swedish, Shiatsu, and even Reflexology. They can target specific points or regions or provide full body relief. Many have stretching systems for the arms and the lower body to help increase flexibility.
If you are looking for low back pain prevention or rehabilitation, then you need a good balance. You need a good cycle of diet, exercise, massage and stretching. Warm up and down before exercise with a massage chair. Massage chairs are convenient to get a quick 5 minute warm up. Low back pain can be relieved and restored with the proper healthy balance.
