Doing lower back pain exercises or ab exercises that won’t hurt your lower back are great ideas for the prevention of back pain or for lower back pain relief. However, exercise is just one side of the coin. For the prevention of back pain and back pain relief, it is also important to follow a few important healthy lifestyle strategies.
In this post, I would like to share 7 home remedies for back pain relief and for the prevention of back pain.
Since I am an ACE Certified Fitness Instructor your safety is extremely important to me. If you have or have had any health issues, operations, or injuries, it is especially important to consult with your doctor and make sure that the tips that are mentioned in this post are healthy and safe for you to do.
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1. MASSAGE THERAPY
Massage could be a great option for back pain relief along with the other strategies I will mention later.
What massage does is reduce tension in the muscles which is an effective way to reduce back pain.
A study confirmed that both relaxation massage and structural massage could be beneficial for chronic back pain with longer than 6-months lasting benefits since there was an improvement in
- the number of days spent in bed
- back pain related dysfunction
- use of self-medication for back pain (1.)
2. ESSENTIAL OILS FOR BACK PAIN RELIEF
The second home remedy for back pain relief is using essential oils that are mainly extracted from plants. There are 9 of them that are medically reviewed as well(2.).
Probably the 4 most popular ones I heard very good things about are
- peppermint oil,
- lavender oil,
- eucalyptus oil
- and rosemary oil.
You should use these oils topically, for example along with the massage I mentioned before apply it directly on your skin by adding a little water to the oil beforehand.
3. IMPROVING POSTURE
Keeping the right posture during work is crucial for lower back pain prevention.
The reason why I emphasize ’during work’ is because we tend to keep a harmful posture while we are sitting on a chair during work.
- Sitting with flat feet on the floor within easy reach of your computer keyboard by pushing your hip as far back as possible on the chair are the main factors of sitting the right way in front of a computer.
- The neck is in a neutral position, and you should avoid leaning forward.
Paying attention to your sitting posture is just one side of the coin. Avoiding a sedentary lifestyle is the other side of the coin since a sedentary lifestyle can be an evidence-based cause of chronic low back pain (3.).
If you are sitting long hours in your workplace or office and don’t exercise regularly you are likely to live a sedentary or inactive lifestyle. So that’s what you should do to avoid lower back pain and weight gain.
With this thought let’s move on to the next very important home remedy for back pain relief which is regular exercising
4. REGULAR WORKOUT
If you are just getting into the habit of working out on a regular basis (2-3 times a week) I have a few workout ideas for you that not only improve your health and fitness but they are specifically efficient for back pain prevention and/or for back pain relief.
- YOGA AND PILATES could be a preventional tool for lower back pain (4.).
- According to experts strength training can be useful for back pain relief (5.). However, if you already have some kind of lower back pain make sure you check out the ab exercises that won’t hurt your lower back and try to include them in your strength workout.
Make sure you have a reliable quality yoga mat if you are doing YOGA at HOME. For this purpose, I personally recommend the YOGA MAT of the brand called MANDUKA, as they are really specialized in this area. The link to this MAT you can reach here below:
5. STRETCHES
Talking about exercises, I definitely want to emphasize the beneficial impacts of regular stretching when it comes to back pain relief.
Such as massage, stretching will also loosen up muscle tension. To include this tip make sure you check out my 5-minute stretching that you should do after your workout.
6. COMFORTABLE SLEEP
Sleeping is a fundamental element for living a healthy lifestyle and for the prevention of back pain. Especially getting a comfortable sleep is very important to avoid back pain. Basically, there are 3 ways how we sleep, and according to the Mayo Clinic they all have the right way to do them (6.):
- Sleeping on your stomach could be detrimental for your back, however, if you are a fan of this position you should place an additional pillow under your pelvis and lower abdomen.
- If you mostly sleep on your side, put a pillow between your legs, and bring your legs up towards your chest a bit.
- Finally, if you sleep on your back, make sure you place a pillow under your knees beside the one you support your head and upper back with.
7. PROFESSIONAL HELP
The previous evidence-based lifestyle tips for back pain relief could be really helpful to follow. However, these tips might be more applicable for the prevention of back pain, because if you already suffer from chronic back pain you should seek out professional help.
According to a medically reviewed article on healthline.com you should see a doctor
- if you suffer from back pain
- if the pain does not go away or gets worse after trying the home remedies,
- if you wake up at night because of the pain
- if there is stomach pain involved
- or if you experience weakness or numbness in your limbs (7.).
As I discussed getting professional help from a doctor is important, but in addition you can get other help which can be beneficial as well:
- If you experience low back pain it is recommended that you see a physical therapist, which is usually recommended by your doctor (8.). This way you make sure you do the right exercises with the help of a qualified person who specializes in these types of health issues.
- Studies reveal beneficial impacts of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on chronic low back pain which is based on a biological, psychological, and social approach (9). You should definitely look for a licensed healthcare professional, such as a psychologist or psychiatrist who has experience with this technique!
I have summarized remedies and tips I would recommend for back pain relief based on my experience as a certified fitness professional.
Please make sure you also consult with your doctor if you experience such issues because this blog post only provides general health-related tips that are based on the best knowledge available by healthcare professionals. This post is not responsible for treating any health-related issues and is not a substitute for being treated by a doctor or other medical professional.
Stay safe and healthy,
Eszter
Did you know that a sedentary job or lifestyle may cause lower back pain. Setting up a healthy lifestyle plan alone can be a challenge sometimes especially with a stressful and time-consuming job or business. Click on the image below to register for my free webinar about getting in shape with a sedentary job!
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