One of the greatest indignities of age is experiencing greater back pain. What can you do to help address the lingering feeling and get back to feeling like your old self?
You may likely need to seek out a doctor or medical provider to develop a plan of action that works for you. But you don’t have to wait to get started on your road to recovery There are a number of steps that you can take at home, although you may potentially also want to reach out to a medical professional to ensure that your symptoms don’t bloom into a more significant long-term problem.
Some steps to consider to begin addressing your back challenges and get back on the path to recovery and feeling like your old self:
- Stay active. Even if you feel absolutely wiped out with no energy, you’ll find that you can tap into new reservoirs of energy and wellness by keeping your body moving, whether your preferred exercise is running, dancing, lifting weights, or even just a brisk walk. “Do what you can, when you can, where you can.” That’s a good general rule of thumb for exercise that we can all strive to follow in our daily lives.
- Focus on posture. Especially in this day and age when so many of us spend endless hours stooped over our laptops working and holding Zoom meetings, it’s easy to lose sight of the importance of good posture. You may want to use support like tapes or stretch bands to help align your spin and ensure that your shoulders don’t slouch.
- Explore supplements. While the vast majority of your minerals and vitamins will come from your diet, you may also be able to get needed elements like Vitamin D that can help address the risk of long-term challenges like magnesium deficiency.
- Keep an eye on your weight. Watching your waistline will help you feel good and look good, while reducing the force you’re placing on your spine.
- Give medicated creams a try. If you’re feeling stiff or tense, you might consider turning to an over the counter remedy like a skin cream or patch which can help to numb the impacted area.
- Watch out for bad habits like smoking. You may not see an immediate connection between a cigarette habit and back pain, but research has shown that nonsmokers are far more likely to develop spine problems thanks to nicotine and their weakening effects on spinal bones.
Taking these steps on your own can help you to make enormous strides in addressing back pain issues. But if you find that you need additional consultation or a more comprehensive response, consult with your medical provider on what options may be best suited for your condition.