If you suffer from back pain, you are not alone. Americans visit the doctor with back pain more often than with any other health problem. Regardless of whether you are recovering from an incorrect assessment of the heavy load, dealing with a protracted injury or you have a chronic problem, you shouldn’t take tons of painkillers a day. In this article, we gathered 10 non-medical remedies for your back pain
1. Yoga
Patients with lower back pain who attended one yoga lesson per week for three months noticed a greater improvement in function compared to those who received traditional care, such as medication or physical therapy. However, you should be very careful and start with simple positions (asanas).
2. Stretching
You should also know that stretching is as effective as yoga in treating back pain. The 52-minute stretching workouts consisted of 15 exercises that stretched all major muscle groups but paid more attention to the trunk and legs.
3. Massage
If you suffer from back pain, it is important to treat your back. People with chronic lower back pain who received weekly massages reported less pain after 10 weeks than those who didn’t.
4. Acupuncture
Even if the idea of inserting needles into your skin makes you dizzy, try to be open-minded. Acupuncture may be an effective part of your chronic back pain treatment. Some studies show that people who got acupuncture treatment were more likely to find back pain relief than those who received traditional treatment.
5. Strength training
Stand with your back to the wall, pressing the shoulder blades to it. Can you hold a position for one minute? If not, you need to strengthen your back and core. Building strength in these areas can help prevent and ease your back pain.
6. Physical therapy
There is no need to wait for a miracle if you have back pain because there are a lot of things that can help you get rid of it. Physical therapy is one of the most popular and effective options. Starting physical therapy within two weeks after the occurrence of back pain can lower your risk of the need for follow-up care, as well as lower overall health care costs.
7. Osteopathic manual therapy
With osteopathic manual therapy, an osteopath or chiropractor moves the back muscles using practices such as stretching, light pressure, and resistance. One study showed that people who performed osteopathic manual therapy for 12 weeks experienced a 30% decrease in back pain.
8. Stress reduction
Stress reduction is beneficial to both your back and mental health. When you are anxious, your body starts muscle tension so you are ready for action. Moreover, people who are prone to negative thoughts and anxiety are more likely to have back pain.
9. Meditation
The ability of meditation to reduce chronic pain has been proven in several scientific studies. One study showed that people with chronic back pain noticed a significant reduction in pain and psychological stress after practicing meditation that focuses on releasing anger. In another study, meditators saw a 40% reduction in pain severity.
10. Pilates
It may be quite tempting to stop the exercise if you suffer from back pain. However, it is important to keep moving even if your back hurts. Pilates is a great option. One study Researchers found an improvement in pain, disability, and psychological health in patients with chronic lower back pain who attended Pilates classes for five hours a week for six months. People who remained sedentary experienced a further worsening of their pain. Another study showed that pilates or exercise twice a week for six weeks can ease your pain and improve the quality of life as well.