5 Things You Need To Do If You Throw Your Back Out

Sep 18, 2018 by apost team

When you're dealing with minor back pain, these 5 tips can help. For major injuries, they can relieve discomfort while you wait to see a doctor.

As we get older, our bodies like to betray us. They don't give us the same support or meet our needs in the same way they used to. Things that would never have bothered us as young people will leave us sore for a week. Bodies like to be lazy. How do you deal with the consequences of a pained body when you can't see a doctor right away?

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There are a variety of injuries that might make you feel like you've thrown your back out. These can range from mild discomfort to debilitating pain levels. Pulled muscles will twinge, but injured ligaments and slipped disks might keep you completely immobile. These are a few things you can do for minor to moderate back pain until you can see a specialist.

Your back has been put into a delicate state, and you need to protect the health of your spine and muscles. The best way to do this is to keep from slouching. It's important that your spine be aligned properly in a "neutral position." Your shoulders should be square over your hips. You should feel like standing flat against the wall would cause your hips and back to both touch. When you do this, your abdominal muscles will move toward your spine, which keeps you from over-arching your back.

If you have the ability to, you should take some time to let your back recover. Ideally, you'd be able to relax for a few days before attempting any strenuous activity. It's important that your back be given time to heal, especially in cases where the pain is caused by muscle spasms. Laying flat might help you rest. So can avoiding heavy lifting, strange twisting, and sudden movements. It's important that you let the muscle relax so that it can stop hurting.

It might sound strange to say that water can help your back. However, proper hydration helps your blood to circulate efficiently through your body. This speeds the healing process. Experts recommend drinking at least 8 glasses of water per day to ensure your soft tissues remain healthy. Hydrating when your back is healthy is a good way to prevent problems from cropping up in the future.

You'll want to take a few days to rest up, if that's possible. But after the first few days, it's important to get back into a physical routine. Failing to do this might cause your muscles to weaken too much. Muscle weakness can be permanent in cases where you've been bedridden for a long time. You should slowly try to build up your back and core muscles, as doing this will help prevent you from injuring yourself further.

As an additional note, exercise helps to release endorphins. These chemicals make you feel better both physically and mentally. They stimulate your brain and act as a natural painkiller.

If you want to ease your pain, you might want to try a few types of simple stretches. The simplest stretch is to raise your arms above your head. You don't need to overdo it or stretch more than your body feels capable of managing. But just this simple movement will help lengthen your spine, which can release pressure buildup and ease discomfort. It's also helpful to stretch any strained muscles to ease back spasms and tightness. This quick solution often provides a great deal of relief.

If your muscles are tight, you might have a higher risk of suffering a muscle-related injury. It might help to have a professional massage done to work out the knots and the built-up acid in your back. Alternatively, you could ask a significant other or close friend to help you.

What kind of stretches and home remedies do you use for back pain? Have you found that any of the ideas on this list work for you?

Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation with your doctor. Your health is important to us!