Back pain? Here’s how to fix it
Most of us experience low back pain at some point in our lives. Often this will only last for a couple of days. However, if you have low back pain that doesn’t go away or keeps coming back, your body isn’t functioning as it should. You should see the pain as a sign to take action and make sure the problem doesn’t become chronic and more difficult to get rid of. Of course taking painkillers will give instant relief, but it’s not a real solution because it doesn’t address the cause of the problem.
Most of the time there is no obvious damage to be seen on X-rays or MRIs in people with low back pain. The pain will usually have a functional cause and have something to do with the joints and muscles in your back. When joints in your spine don’t move the way they should, they can interfere with the flow of nerve signals between your brain and your body and cause low back pain. As a result of this, your muscles can tighten up as well and make the pain even worse. Most low back pain results from one of the following things:
Sedentary lifestyle
Prolonged sitting puts a lot of pressure on your lower back. Most of us sit way too long! Make sure you take regular breaks and move around every 20-30 minutes.
Bad posture
If you sit too much and too long, and you also slump while doing so, this increases the pressure on your lower back even further. This is the perfect recipe for low back pain.
Repetitive motions and overuse from improper lifting or bending
We all know how we should lift and bend, but how many of us actually do it properly all the time?
An accident or a fall
As a result of the impact from a car accident or a fall joints in your lower back can become stuck. This can cause low back pain.
Pregnancy or being overweight
The extra weight pulls the spine forward, increasing the pressure on your joints. This can overload the joints and muscles in your back.
As you can see most of these causes build up over time and have to do with our lifestyle. This is why most cases of low back pain tend to come back eventually. To avoid this from happening it’s important to make lasting ergonomic changes, strengthen specific muscles to make your back stronger, and last but not least: have your spine checked by a chiropractor regularly!
Chiropractors are experts when it comes to your back and make sure your spine can function optimally. A chiropractor doesn’t ‘treat’ of ‘cure’ you back pain, but when your spine moves the way it should, a lot of people get relief from their pain and future problems can be prevented.
If you live in or around Amsterdam and are looking for a chiropractor to help improve your low back pain, make an appointment today!