Back pain and modern lifestyle go hand-in-hand. Most commonly occurring following an injury or events like awkward twists or lifts, hunching over smartphones, long hours in front of the laptop, and a sedentary lifestyle also contribute to back pain.
More often than not, people suffering from a back pain commit common mistakes that worsen their condition and delay relief. If you are suffering from a back pain, here are some common mistakes that you must not commit:
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- Continuing with bending, lifting, and twisting
Activities that involve bending, lifting, and twisting can exacerbate your back pain. If you have acute back pain, avoid these movements for at least four to six weeks. It’s better to avoid activities like weeding, dancing, and golfing for some time if you are already suffering from a back pain.
If it’s not acute back pain, do exercises to enhance muscle flexibility and strength.
- Not moving at all
While performing movements in acute pain can lead to a flare-up, not moving at all is also a bad idea. Moving a little assists recovery.
To support your spine, the muscles in your abdomen and butts need to be strong, and inactivity reduces the elasticity of your muscle fibers making them stiff.
Do not sit for long hours. Get up and walk around for 10 to 15 minutes every two hours.
- Not trying to find out the root cause
Back pain can be acute or chronic. Acute back pain can be due to obvious reasons, gradual back pain may be due to an unknown cause.
Back pain is common but living with persistent back pain is not a good thing to do. Hence, find out the cause of the pain.
If you have been dealing with back pain for more than two to three months, do not procrastinate its diagnosis. It is vital to find out the underlying condition and take proper back pain treatment.
- Popping pain killers
Taking pain killers is the easiest way to manage back pain, but certainly not the wisest way. Popping too many pills can be very dangerous as it can lead to severe side-effects.
Moreover, if you are prone to migraines or tension headaches, taking painkiller pills very often can trigger a headache.
- Using heat packs on injury
Backaches due to injuries can be unbearable, and if you use heat packs to minimize the pain, you may end up increasing the swelling.
After sustaining a fresh injury, the area surrounding it swells. Using heat at this stage enhances swelling and exacerbates pain and spasms.
An ice pack is recommended during the acute stage of an injury and once you pass it, switch to heat to minimize muscle spasm. Also, do not use heat packs for more than 15 to 20 minutes at a time.
- Smoking
Smoking tobacco products has uncountable side-effects. It leads to pulmonary issues, deteriorates your bone health, enhances the risk of brain damage and stroke, causes cancer, and many more health issues.
Talking about the link between smoking and back pain, it restricts the blood flow leading to degeneration in the spine. Also, it impairs your body’s natural tendency to heal and worsens the pain over time.
- Stretching too much
Stretching your muscles during the early stages of injury can aggravate back pain. Instead of stretching too much, walk at a slow speed to boost the blood flow to your back, and enhance its flexibility.
Also, before beginning to stretch, find out the muscle group that needs tending. Visit a pain management clinic and see a therapist. Perform the stretching exercises recommended by them.
The bottom line
Although common, back pain can begin to interfere with daily activities if not attended on time. So, if you have back pain, see a doctor, and meanwhile, try not to commit these mistakes to avoid worsening your condition.
