Are You Dealing With Low Back Pain?

Do you suffer from low back pain? There are millions of Americans who suffer from this malady!  If you’ve dealt with this problem, you know that back pain changes your life. Low back pain is the number one reason people miss work. Your ability to work suffers and enjoying your hobbies and free time also suffers. A bad back interferes with normalcy in every realm. Research supports the use of chiropractic care for the treatment of low back pain. If you’re been living with aches and pain, now is the time to contact Texas Spine & Sports Therapy Center for treatment. 

There is a new generation of people who spend their workday at a computer, which is damaging to your back. Medical professionals, and chiropractors alike, recommend if you have a desk job that you move around as often as you can. The American Medical Association (AMA), recently cited this as a major problem for Americans. There are several alternative solutions for employees who suffer from back discomfort while sitting.

Do You Sit Too Much During the Day? Following are Some Tips for Individuals to Limit Low Back Pain

Lower back pain is common for people who work at a desk and sit for long periods of time. The chiropractors at our Texas Spine & Sports Therapy Center chiropractic office recommend for those who sit much to take short breaks. Too much sitting is harmful to your health in many ways. Moving around and standing every 30 to 60 minutes may reduce back pain. Research suggests that moving can lower the risk of health issues associated with prolonged sitting. Moving also increases circulation and may help manage your blood sugar levels.

Following are a few other tips for those who have a desk job:

Apply heat or ice therapy – 

Heat or ice can help relieve lower back pain. If you experience an injury or muscle soreness, use ice in the first 48 hours to decrease swelling and inflammation. Heat increases blood flow and may improve flexibility and movement. Heat tends to provide more relief than ice, and depending on how long you’ve had your chronic back pain, heat might be your best choice for relief. 

Make healthy lifestyle choices – 

Opting for healthy choices after work can also help relieve lower back pain. It might also thwart lower back pain from turning into a chronic problem.

Make sure your work furniture is ergonomically correct – 

Your desk, chair and computer need to sit at the right height. Your chair should lend a lot of support when you sit at your desk. An ergonomic office chair should provide adjustable support for your back, arms, legs, and your bottom. If your chair doesn’t provide proper lumbar support, buy a lumbar support pillow.

If your computer screen is too high or too low, it can strain your back and neck. Consultants recommend that your eyes hit the middle of your computer screen when you’re looking straight ahead. If your monitor is not flexible, buy a computer stand to adjust the height of your computer.

Massage Therapy– 

Massage therapy can reduce muscle pain and relax your muscles, which improves your overall well-being. In turn, it may also help with chronic back pain.

Over-the-counter medication for the short term – Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the best type of pain relievers for low back aches. These medications decrease inflammation, which helps relieve pain. These medications are for short-term (10 days) so don’t use them any longer.

Healthy lifestyle choices also include:

• Achieving a healthy weight. Research denotes a link between obesity and lower back pain. Implementing a nutritious diet and daily exercise to your routine is helpful.
• If you smoke, now may be the time to quit. Smoking cigarettes damages arteries in your spinal joints and discs, which likely contributes to back pain.

The World Health Organization Guidelines for Treating Chronic Low Back Pain

It is projected that roughly 619 million people suffer from low back pain. The World Health Organization (WHO) created guidelines for managing chronic low back pain, which is one of the leading causes of disability throughout the world.

Some of the interventions recommended for treating low back pain include the following:

• Exercise
• Massage therapy
• Non-steroidal and anti-inflammatory medication
• Physical therapy
• Spinal manipulative therapy (Chiropractic Treatment)

Back Pain Treatment Options at Texas Spine & Sports Therapy Center

At one time, those with low back pain had limited choices to relieve their pain. In the past, pain killers or surgical intervention were the typical options available. Chiropractic Care has changed all that. The advancement of chiropractic spinal treatments which is holistic in nature, now provides many more options that don’t come with risks and addictive side effects. We help Austin area patients with treatments such as:

• Electrical stimulation to calm irritated or damaged nerves
• Posture Therapy is designed to eliminate chronic pain of the back, neck, shoulders, and knees. In addition, it has been found effective for treating other physical conditions (like headaches among others), without drugs, surgery, or manipulation.
• Spinal alignment therapy to straighten out slipped vertebrae and relieve pressure on discs.
• Spinal Decompression Treatment utilizes a, Non-surgical Spinal Decompression system which will relieve pressure on structures that may be the cause of low back and leg pain as well as neck and arm pain.
• Trigger Point Therapy helps relieve painful symptoms that a little knot of muscle on your neck or back could cause painful havoc on your nerves. If your symptoms are the result of irritated trigger points, we can quickly relax them.

Chronic Low Back Pain Can Isolate You from Your Normal World

Chronic back pain often causes individuals to withdraw from their social life. While isolating yourself may be necessary at times, long-term isolation due to chronic pain can increase the problems. If you’re experiencing chronic pain and find that you are less social, call our office at (512) 806-0015 or contact us online.

If you are suffering from low back pain, the team at Texas Spine & Sports Therapy Center are ready to help. We provide specialized treatment plans for back pain in Austin, Texas and can help you understand where your symptoms are coming from and what it will take to improve your circumstances.