There seems to a be a generic complaint among the working population of today that is rising rather alarmingly. The onset of the lower back is a symptom that is rather becoming dangerously common in professionals that have long hours of desk work or involves them sitting in one position for long distances. Truck drivers, cab drivers and the horde of IT professionals are lining up at the doctor’s clinics to find solutions to their lower backache.
Lower backache can be rather very painful and tiring, as the entire body weight when in the seated posture rests on the lower back. Lower back can be temporary or rather chronic – A small muscle pull due to lifting a heavy object or the repeated cry of anguish of a repeating condition, there are solutions that can be done at home, both as a precautionary measure or as a response to an already existing backache.
Although most of us tend to get hold of a pain-killer, pop the medicine with a glass of water and relax as the pain subsides, there is a list of things that can be easily done, also effectively mitigating these factors that contribute to lower back pain in general. They are as follows:
Treat yourself to a massage:
The massage can effectively help you, de-stress and relax. The lower back can be massaged gently with a mixture of oils that are readily available at home. The best remedy is to heat a few teaspoons of coconut oil and let it cool for a few minutes and gently apply it to the place where there is a pain. It helps by improving the blood flow to the area and also by making one relaxed and happy (mostly due to the release of the happy hormone- the endorphins).
The Ice pack or the hot pack:
Both of these remedies are very effective for the short-term relief in times of a backache as they tend to increase the blood flow to the affected area and numb the pain respectively. They can be easily done and is highly cost-effective as well. As a substitute for the hot pack, one can use a poultice or heat common salt available at home, cup it in a cloth such that you can hold them at the site of the pain. These methods are used to mainly as for the temporary or event triggered back aches but don’t do much when in case of a chronic backache.
All work and no play makes Jack, a dull boy:
It is of utmost importance that one does not sit for too long at the same place and continue to do things, whether it is at home or at the office. It is suggested that one takes to stretching oneself a few times and moving in and around the house to attend to the chores. Be It gardening, climbing stairs or just moving from in front of the laptop to take a coffee break, it is best to give your body a change of position.
Also Read: Easy tips which will help to stop back pain at the workplace
Posture is the new picture perfect:
The slouch or the crouching poses may not be the right poses to stay, for a long time. Whether it for sitting to watch tv or reading your favorite novel- these postures need to be corrected to a more relaxed and straight back position to allow for the lower back to have very less pressure. These poses maybe because of the weight, height of the person, but these factors can have a very huge impact in the long run.
Whether at home or at the office, the right posture is picture perfect.
Start with Yoga:
If you are pushing that ritual of doing Yoga on the context that you don’t have time; then ask again as PM Modi himself finds time to do Yoga, surely you can start for the sake of your back pain. Yoga is highly beneficial as it helps to exercise the muscles that are present in the lower back, adds the element of happiness to your day and helps you sleep better. Another symptom of lower backache may be that you are not sleeping enough or that you may be using the wrong footwear such as high heels.
Lower back pain may be taking over most of our adult life, this can be stopped by following the above tips. Also, it is recommended that you maintain a healthy diet that can watch over your growing tummy and help prevent backaches even before they start.