Medically Reviewed by Dr. Riaz Ali Shah
Backache is one of the most common reasons behind the purchase of off-the-counter pain killers and almost every individual has experienced this pain at least once in their life.
In most cases, there is no serious reason behind the pain and it usually gets better over time. However, for some people, the pain may be chronic (persistent) and just the use of pain killers may not be enough to give it a pause. This is where the totkas of our grandmothers come into play; some of them are even backed by research and are not merely random tips.
The following tips and tricks will lend a helping hand to you to get relief from back pain.
Adopt an Active Lifestyle
Orthopedics who have specialized in back and spine injuries say that patients with back pain should avoid more than three days of bed rest and encourage them to stay as active as possible. Why all doctors unanimously say that is because resting for long periods will only make the pain worse.
Improve Your Posture
Sitting in a slouchy manner with a hunched back for hours and an overall sedentary lifestyle are the main reasons for poor posture that hurts our back. Keeping a good posture puts the least strain on supporting muscles and ligaments during movements, and reduces the pressure on our backs. So, sit straight, stand upright with your chest out & chin up and do your aching back a huge favor. You can also be wearing a posture-improving belt to improve your posture.
Drink Warm Milk with Turmeric
The spectacular health benefits of turmeric are well-researched and universally recognized—particularly for its effects on reducing inflammation. Turmeric contains a chemical compound called curcumin that helps reduce pain by getting absorbed in fats and tissues of our body. Milk provides a medium for this magic chemical to travel better and faster to the tissues, benefiting them in the long run.
Opt for Brisk Walking
80% of all young adults suffer from back pain due to anxiety, stress, and depression. Opting for brisk walking for an hour every day helps reduce anxiety and depression. By walking, the feel-good hormones called endorphins are released that help alleviate anxiety and depression which in turn blocks pain signals from going to the brain.
When to See a Consultant?
You should go to see a doctor if the following conditions prevail:
- When the pain becomes worse over time
- It affects your day to day activities
- When it starts after an accident (e.g. car accident)
- A high temperature (fever) is associated with it
The persistence of back pain and excessive use of pain killers create some dreadful side effects. However, we can adopt the above mentioned natural remedies and improve our lifestyles to combat this problem.
Guest Post Credit: Dr. Maleeha Syed
