A healthy spine makes for a happy life! But not everyone has a good back, do they?
There are many things that people put up with during the entirety of their lives—traffic, stress, bills, and most importantly, back pain. Many people are affected by back pain every day, and they often just try to get used to it.
Getting used to your back pain is not a good idea! Living with the pain in your spine can diminish your quality of life, cause you to miss work and social events, and even prevent you from doing the simplest activities at home. In short, when you have a bad back, you can’t do anything at all!
How to Check For Lower Back Pain
Nobody is safe from lower back pain, especially now that working from home has become prevalent, and many makeshift workspaces don’t have ergonomic chairs. You may think that you’re doing fine—but you may be one of the 4 million Australians suffering from back problems! Even if you’re feeling just a little bit of discomfort in your lower back, you should get it checked ASAP.
To find out if you have lower back pain, your doctor will request your medical history, conduct a physical examination to determine where you’re feeling the pain, and a physical exam to see if the pain is affecting your range of motion. Your doctor could also ask for X-rays, CT scans, ultrasounds, or MRIs to check for bone, disc, and ligament problems.
Treating Your Lower Back Pain
Fortunately, you don’t have to live with the pain forever! You can get rid of your lower back pain with these two methods:
At-Home Care
Once the pain begins, you must start with self-care methods for the first three days. Treat your lower back pain by following these steps:
- Use the RICE protocol—rest, ice, compression, and elevation—for the first 48 hours. Give yourself 10 minutes between ice applications.
- Apply heat to the area by the third day. Wrap the heat pack in a cloth before placing it on your back.
- Take over-the-counter pain medication for pain relief.
- Lie on your side with bent knees and a pillow between the legs.
- Place a pillow or rolled-up towel under your thighs if you can lie on your back.
If the pain doesn’t improve after three days, you should get professional medical help immediately.
Physical Therapy
Besides the medications and medical appliances, physical therapy is one of the best ways to help you get rid of the pain in your lower back. Getting physiotherapy from a clinic near you will help reduce the pain and get you back to your normal mobility.
The treatment could vary since physiotherapists have their own techniques, but your back therapy will most probably include some massaging, stretching, and strengthening exercises. Muscle therapy, combined with the prescribed medications, will help you get back in tip-top shape in no time!
Conclusion
Lower back pain—what a pain!
Back pain is difficult to live with; you can’t enjoy life or accomplish your daily tasks if you have some discomfort irritating you every minute of every day. Don’t ignore the pain—make sure to get physiotherapy treatments and follow your doctor’s advice to prevent it from getting worse. Take care of your back so that you can live well again!
Are you suffering from lower back pain? Leave it to our physiotherapists at Anytime Physio to help you get rid of the discomfort! Our Brisbane sports physiotherapists are experienced in assessing, diagnosing and treating lower back pain. Book an appointment today!
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