Have you been experiencing back pain for more than three months? You might have chronic back pain. Dealing with your symptoms can be tricky, especially if they tend to come and go, and if you don’t yet know the cause. These issues are usually related to your age, but it can also be due to arthritis, a prior injury, osteoporosis, or scoliosis. Some doctors would advise surgery, but it can be quite costly and even risky. Thankfully, there are several safe and affordable nonsurgical treatment options available for you to try out first.
Exercise
It might seem counterintuitive, but moving around is actually an effective natural treatment when you’re experiencing pain. Although it might be difficult to move around when it hurts, exercising can release endorphins which stops pain by binding opioid receptors in the brain. This effect is slightly similar to the effect that opioid pain medications release on the brain. There are plenty of exercises you can do to ease scoliosis, injuries, or arthritis symptoms. These can strengthen the neck and back muscles which will then reduce discomfort in these affected areas. Take note that not every exercise will work for you. There are specific ones that are tailored to your specific condition. It’s recommended that you seek the guidance of a physical therapist or a doctor before you try it out yourself.
Weight loss
Being overweight may contribute to your chronic back pain since your back muscles, joints, and bones have to work harder to support your body. This increased pressure and straight on your spine and back muscles is also a source of discomfort. If weight is a considerable factor to your back pain, losing weight will most certainly help alleviate your symptoms. Besides exercise, you should also maintain a healthy diet in order to lose weight.
Meditation
Chronic back pain can have a negative effect on both the body and the mind. It’s normal to feel irritable, frustrated, and depressed when dealing with this condition. Centering yourself and focusing on mindfulness can help relieve some of this mental anguish and prevent you from focusing too much on the pain. Some of the most common and most effective relaxation strategies may include meditation, tai chi, and yoga.
Appropriate footwear
Wearing improper footwear can cause your hips, legs, and back to misalign themselves. Long-term misalignment will eventually lead to chronic back pain. Do away with tight shoes, high heels, and shoes that don’t have good support for your arch. You can consult with a foot specialist to see if custom orthotics could help alleviate some of the symptoms of your condition.
Anti-inflammatory diet
Certain food, particularly sugary, fatty, and processed food, can exacerbate inflammation and back pain. It might help to shift your diet into one that’s anti-inflammatory. Fill your diet with the following foods which have been known to anti-inflammatory:
- fish
- whole grains
- nuts
- fruits
- vegetables
The Mediterranean diet is ideal since it involves mostly plant-based food and lots of fruits, nuts, herbs, beans, and whole grains. Dairy, poultry, red meat, and eggs are also eaten, but only occasionally and in moderation. The idea isn’t to completely cut out these foods, but to lessen the presence of them in your diet.
Chronic back pain shouldn’t stop you from leading a fulfilling life. Before you consider surgery, you might want to try out these affordable and safe nonsurgical treatment options first.
