Tips for Easing Back Pain

Approximately 80% of the population will experience back pain at some point in their lives. Thankfully, there are a number of easy-to-incorporate lifestyle changes and treatments that can help prevent or mitigate your back pain. The following is a quick list that will help your back pain and prevent future symptoms.

Standard treatments

The following treatments are widely accepted as being the most effective for back pain management and relief.

• If currently experiencing back pain, take an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicine to reduce swelling that can aggravate back pain.


• Stay as active as you can. Only take bed rest if explicitly advised by a doctor. Weak, tight or inactive muscles are more susceptible to strains.


• If you must sit at a computer most of the day, be sure to sit with feet flat on the floor. Depending on the type of back pain you suffer, lumbar supports and footrests may also help in alleviating symptoms. Also, when you sit at a desk for long periods of time, be sure to get up and move around once every hour.


• Physical therapy can help manage pain through a series of muscle strengthening and aerobic exercises.


• If you must stand for long periods of time, be sure to regularly shift your weight.


• Don’t sit on a large billfold for extended periods of time.


• Eat right and exercise. Many instances of back pain are correlated to excess belly fat. That extra weight means more strain on your back muscles. A few lifestyle changes will help reduce your waistline and your back pain symptoms. Focus on strengthening your core and back muscles. Choose lower impact aerobic activities like cycling or swimming.


• Your mom was right - bend from the knees, not your back when lifting heavy objects.


• Regular massage can help to release toxins and loosen tight muscles.


• If back pain persists over a 6 week period, you need to visit your primary care physician to develop a treatment plan.


• If you experience moving pain traveling down your legs (aka sciatica) or notable weakness in your legs, you should contact your primary care physician right away.


• If you experience problems associated with your bowel or bladder function while experiencing back pain, you should contact your primary care physician right away.


• Even with herniated disks, very rarely does back pain require surgery. However, if your condition does require surgery, techniques are becoming less evasive and there are a number of effective back braces that will certainly aid in a quick recovery.

Alternative Treatments

There are a few interesting alternative therapies that may enhance your standard treatments.

• Some alternative health practitioners recommend special anti-inflammatory diets and supplementation. A food allergy test may identify foods that are contributing to muscle inflammation. Supplements such as omega-3-fatty acids are also known to reduce inflammation.


• If stress is contributing to your symptoms, herbal medications such as St John’s Wart and Kava naturally aid in relaxation.
  
• Yoga can aid in flexibility and strength, as well as relax the body and mind.


• While scientific research is still pending, acupuncture, healing touch and Reiki have been purported to aid in alleviating back pain.


• Contact your primary care physician to discuss how you can incorporate alternative treatments into your back care regimen.

About MMAR Medical Group: MMAR Medical Group Inc. is a supplier of orthopedic medical products including a wide selection of braces and supports. To find a quality hinged knee brace, wrist brace, lumbar brace or other quality braces, please visit mmarmedical.com.

Back Stretches for Relieving Back Pain

If you suffer chronic back pain, stretching is an excellent pain management strategy. Not only does stretching feel good, it also increases your range of motion, enhances flexibility and reduces the likelihood of further injury.

There are several stretches that target the back specifically. Garard Malanga, the Director of Pain Management at New Jersey’s Overlook Hospital, suggests starting with gentle neck stretches. If you loosen up the neck muscles, you will also reduce the tension in your upper back. Always stretch slowly, to the point of tension rather than pain. Hold the stretch for approximately 10 to 20 seconds, and do not bounce. If you feel to urge to bounce, you are probably stretching too far. And don’t forget to breathe deeply when you stretch!

The following five stretches will help alleviate pain and feel great.

Stretch #1

1. Sit in a chair with feet flat on the ground


2. Curl /arch your back and neck slowly forward until you chest meets your thighs


3. Reach to the ground (touching it if you can)


4. Hold for 10 seconds


5. Return to neutral seated position and repeat 10 times

Stretch #2

1. Kneel on all fours


2. Arch your back towards the ceiling like a cat


3. Hold for 5 seconds


4. Return to the neutral position


5. Now push your stomach towards the floor (mirror to the cat stretch)


6. Hold for 5 seconds


7. Return to neutral position and repeat this stretch 10 times

Stretch #3

1. Lie on your back, feet flat on the floor


2. Grab the back on your thighs and pull them towards your chest until a comfortable stretch is felt


3. Hold for 15 seconds


4. Repeat 10 times

Stretch #4

1. Continue lying on your back, knees bent, feet resting flat on the ground


2. Rotate your hips to the left until you feel the stretch, keeping your entire back flat to the floor


3. Hold for 10 seconds, then rotate slowly, smoothly to the other side


4. Repeat 10 times

Stretch #5

1. Last stretch – continue lying on your back, feet flat on the floor


2. Push down, through the feet, and slowly, smoothly lift your gluts towards the ceiling


3. Hold for ten seconds


4. Repeat 10 times

Couple a solid stretching routine, with a quality back brace, and you should feel tremendous relief from your chronic back pain.

Note: This information is not intended to supplement or replace advice from a medical professional, or to diagnose or treat any condition.

About the Author: MMAR Medical Group Inc. is a supplier of orthopedic medical products including a wide selection of braces and supports. To find a quality back brace, including a high quality lumbar brace, please visit www.mmarmedical.com.

Why does my back hurt?

As we’ve previously mentioned, many Americans suffer from back pain at some point in their lives – 8 in 10 of us roughly. For some, back pain is chronic and severe enough to lead them to seek medical help and for a percentage of people that back pain is symptomatic of a larger health issue.

Fortunately for us, most back pain is temporary and easily alleviated. Back pain sometimes comes about because we have been sitting hunched in front of a computer for many hours, for others because of strenuous physical labor. For the easy fixes, exercise, a back pain brace or another simple fix can quickly lessen your pain.

Some common causes of back pain can be easily identified so as to make them avoidable – or, at least, fixable.

1. Strained muscles: the most common cause of back pain is an injury to a muscle (strain) or a ligament (sprain). Muscle strains cause up to 85% of back pain experienced. How do you pull a muscle? By overloading it. When you overstretch a muscle, you essentially tear it which causes inflammation, muscles spasms and pain. Lifting heavy weights, pulling on your back instead of using your legs and abs, unexpected twisting or falling down are some of the ways in which back muscles can be pulled.


2. Muscle overuse: overusing your muscles means that one group of muscles is being held in tension for too long – this occurs when you remain in one position for too long (such as sitting down) or only work out one muscle group to the detriment of others. The body was made to move and our multiple muscle groups have distinct duties – when one muscle or group of muscles is forced to work harder and/or longer than others, they tire and cause us pain. Lumbar support can often alleviate lower back pain due to poor posture or prolonged seating, while other back brace and supports can help mid-torso pains.


3. Nerve pressure: pressure on the nerve roots in the spinal canal can be caused by a herniated disc in the lower back. Herniated discs occur when repeated vibration or motion are applied to the back. Sometimes herniated discs occur simply because of old age due to normal wear and tear as vertebrae and spinal discs become less flexible. In most cases, symptoms of a herniated disc can be managed with nonsurgical treatment and will go away over time.


4. Stress: it is well documented that stress wreaks physical havoc on the body – from gastrointestinal disturbances to headaches. Add back pain to that list too. Tension caused by stress and internal turmoil can manifest itself along your spine and cause pain. Acupuncture, exercise, meditation and yoga have all been shown to help as has physical therapy which can be undertaken for as little as two months with results.

Of course, back pain that is extreme in discomfort, prolonged, or accompanied by other symptoms (fever, vomiting etc) ought to be checked out by a doctor to ensure that more serious conditions are not an issue.

Note: This information is not intended to supplement or replace advice from a medical professional, or to diagnose or treat any condition.

About MMAR Medical Group: MMAR Medical Group Inc. is a supplier of orthopedic medical products including a wide selection of braces and supports. For quality back braces, including a wide lumbar and cervical braces, please visit MMAR Medical online.

10 Tips to Avoiding Back Pain

We all experience some sort of back pain at one point in our lives; in fact, about 30 million Americans suffer from back pain regularly! For many, these pains are indicative of larger health problems – from sciatica to multiple sclerosis. Fortunately, for most of us a few healthy tips and tricks can keep our backs healthy and back pain at bay for a long time.

1. Improve your posture – Your Mother was right when she said “sit up straight!” Hunching over causes undue stress on your back and neck which leads to back pain and headaches.


2. Exercise – Cardio and strength training keeps your back strong and the muscles that support it limber. When the supporting muscle groups are healthy and in shape, that leads to less strain and pressure on your vertebrae and fewer backaches. Many people are unaware of how important the abdominal and lateral muscles (core muscles) are in keeping your back healthy – if some muscles groups are weak, your back will have to do the work of several body parts. This double duty can cause damage over the long term.


3. Fix your chair – Lumbar support is especially important for those of you working in office conditions where you remain seated for hours at a time. It is also key to adjust your chair to the right height:
   
   a.)  Make sure you are eye level with your computer screen, not arching your neck to peer down
   
   b.)  Your elbows should form a 90 degree angle with your desk
   
   c.)  Your knees should be at a 90 degree angle from your chair to the floor
   
   d.)  The chair should not be too high or too low as to be difficult to sit in or get up from
   
   e.)  Make sure you have lumbar support for the arch of your lower back; selecting a lumbar brace is a good way to guarantee structural support as you are seated
   
   


4. Lifting and Loading – Many people make the mistake of bending from their back/hips while picking up boxes or other items. Be sure to bend your knees when picking things up so your knees bear the weight. This is one of the most common and avoidable injuries to your back! Just remember: Bend at the knees, not at the back!


5. Sleeping situations – Each of us has different requirements for our bodies. Some people with back problems need very firm mattresses; others need a specific type of pillow for neck support. Be sure to talk to your doctor or a specialist about your particular conditions and pains to find the correct mattress and pillows to give you the support and rest you deserve! Most people benefit from a medium firm mattress that minimizes curvature in the spine.


6. Check your feet – Flat footedness is a common and often unnoticed cause of back pain, if you are dealing with back pains, problems walking upstairs or knee or leg pains, talk to a doctor about getting fitted for orthotic insoles. Additionally, always wear comfortable, low-heeled shoes as poorly constructed or very high heeled shoes add strain on your back.


7. Stop smoking – Smoking cigarettes impairs blood flow and blood transports oxygen throughout our bodies. When your blood flow is impaired, oxygen and nutrients cannot reach the spinal tissue it supports.


8. Relax – Stress tenses muscles in your body and prolonged tension can cause pain. Release muscle tightness and stress by exercising, going on a walk or taking a soothing bath!


9. Get a massage – Different massages exist to focus on different issues, but they will all relax and de-stress you as well as loosen key muscles groups that may have been tense or tightened.


10. Avoid sitting for long hours – Walking and lying horizontally are the activities that put the least amount of pressure on the spring (standing is third and sitting is in fourth, the worst  for spines).

Remember to listen to your body – if you are taking the necessary steps to eliminate back pain and still experiencing discomfort, talk to a doctor or specialist who can better address you condition and identify any health issues that need to be rectified. For some temporary conditions wearing a back brace for a brief period of time can alleviate the pain whereas for longer term issues, like scoliosis, a custom TLSO brace will be necessary.


About MMAR Medical Group: MMAR Medical Group Inc. is a supplier of orthopedic medical products including a wide selection of braces and supports. For quality back braces, including a wide lumbar and cervical braces, please visit www.mmarmedical.com.