If you suffer from low back pain, whether chronic or acute, you’re likely heading toward the medicine cabinet way too often. Pain medication may help in the short term, but if used too frequently, it can cause its own set of problems.
The best solution for lower back pain is to find its reason and promote natural healing that gets fast results. Chiropractors understand the body’s musculoskeletal system (the soft tissues and joints) and the spine. They use a comprehensive approach to treatment to determine where imbalances are and create a solution strategy based on the injury, not the symptoms.
However, sometimes, you need low back pain relief now, and this post gives four excellent ways to reduce lower back pain with chiropractor-approved tips. Let’s get to it.
Tips to Quickly Relieve Low Back Pain At Home
Lower back can affect every part of your lifestyle. From sleep quality to exercise to lounging on the sofa, your discomfort can appear and take over. These natural at-home lower back pain remedies can provide comfort and contribute to the healing process.
Stretch the back
Stretching is essential to your body’s function. It promotes flexibility, proper movement patterns, and range of motion and can be of benefit when experiencing lower back pain.
Stretches to help reduce low back discomforts include:
- Cat and cow
- Child’s pose
- Knee-to-chest stretches, both while lying on your back and while standing
- Seated spinal twist
These gentle stretches can provide temporary relief within the low back by reducing stiffness and improving range of motion and nutrient-rich circulation.
Massage the back
Massage is a great way to promote healing as pressure, tension, and stress are removed (both physically and mentally). Whether you use a handheld device, ask a loved one, or go to a massage therapist, you can get quick low back pain relief and help restore damaged soft tissues with a massage.
Exercise the back and core
When the back and core muscles are strong, they help support the pressures put upon the lower back and spine. If your low back tissues are compromised and causing discomfort, simple exercises can help heal and strengthen targeted muscle groups for relief.
Exercises to help reduce low back discomforts include:
- Bridge exercise: Lie on your back with both knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Keep your shoulders and head relaxed, then tighten the belly and glutes while raising your hips off the floor. Hold for three seconds and release. Repeat.
- Shoulder blade squeeze: Sit tall and straight, pull your shoulder blades together, and hold for five seconds. Relax. Repeat.
- Plank: Lie on the floor face down, put your forearms against the floor with the elbows in line with your shoulders, tighten your abdominals and glutes, and lift the knees and hips from the floor. Hold for 10-20 seconds. Relax. Repeat.
- Single leg lifts: Lie on the floor with one leg bent and the other extended; keep the small of your back connected to the floor as you lift the outstretched leg about 6 inches from the floor. Hold for 10 seconds, lower the leg. Repeat 10 times on one side before switching to the other.
Apply ice and heat to the back
Ice and heat both reduce pain through numbing and soothing properties; however, they offer healing benefits as well.
Ice therapy restricts circulation, which can cause swelling and inflammation to already impaired tissues. Heat therapy encourages circulation that carries oxygen and nutrients to an injury and provides relaxation within tense tissues as pressure is removed.
Starting with ice, apply the treatment for about 10 minutes, remove, wait two to three hours, and apply heat for 10-15 minutes. Do this up to four times a day.
Not that you must always listen to your body. If any of these tips cause you further pain, stop immediately. Working with your local chiropractor will help ensure your body is protected as you get the optimal treatment plan for lasting relief.
Visit Our Tampa Chiropractic Clinic for Effective Low Back Pain Relief
Our chiropractic team is well-versed in low back pain solutions. We understand the balance between rest and movement and will determine the reason for your symptoms before implementing a treatment plan.
We’ve helped people of all ages and lifestyles get effective and long-lasting results. Whether you have a condition such as sciatica, have been involved in an auto accident, or have an old sports injury, we’re confident we can help end your lower back pain with our responsible methods.
Common chiropractic services for lower back pain include:
- Chiropractic adjustment
- Active Release Techniques (ART)
- Graston Technique
- Dry needling
- Massage therapy
- And others
Contact our Tampa chiropractic clinic or book your appointment today, and let’s get your low back pain under control so you can return to your active lifestyle.
Dr. Jessica Stranman
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