Eight Tips for a Better Back

1.Keep Moving.
The joints were designed for movement. Sitting is where the spine design can fail. The joints, not just the spine, are nourished by movement that pumps the synovial fluid around. This lubricates the joints, washes the grit away and brings in the nutrients that rebuild the joints. 

2. Sleep Tall.
Avoid sleeping on your front. If your low back survives years of sleeping on your front, your neck usually wont. To breathe when face down, you have to turn your head to the side. If you knew someone that kept their head turned to the side 7 hours a day would you be surprised if they developed neck pain?
Sleeping on your back or sides is usually best. When sleeping on your side, don't curl up into a ball. This puts unnecessary pressure on your back. Try to sleep tall instead.

3. Shave in the Shower
This tip applies to shaving the face only. Lumbar Discs are at most risk in the morning because they are most swollen at this time. They have been soaking up water all night while sleeping, thus we are also taller in the morning. Stooping in the morning can put enough pressure in the lower back to make the fittest persons back ache. Shaving in the shower means you don't have to bend over the sink. This may apply to the way many people wash their face and brush their teeth also.
4. Try Ice
When your Low back is hurting, try applying an Ice pack. Wrap in a tea towel, apply 20 minutes on, take it off 30 minutes and repeat as necessary. Move around a bit if the ice makes you feel stiff. You should discontinue if you feel worse. Heat can help muscles ease, but most recent injuries are inflamed. Heat can make inflammation worse, usually an hour later. Ice is a natural anti-inflammatory and can numb the pain.

5. Don't ignore pain
When you know you have done something out of the ordinary and its upset your joints, give it rest. If it hasn't healed up on its own within two weeks it may need some help, so seek advice from a health professional. If you cant think of what you've done to upset things, seek help if it hasn't settled in a week. Most musculoskeletal problems respond very well to treatment. I often hear patients that have suffered for years say wish they would have come sooner. 

6. Don't panic either
Low back is rarely deadly or a sign of impending doom. If you have Spinal pain and onset of other symptoms that worry you, then seek help quicker. Needless fear and worrying can turn a simple case of mechanical low back pain into much bigger trouble. Fear adds extra muscle tension as well as making people scared to move at all. As Tip 1 says, you need movement for joints to work properly, including healing themselves. Listen to your body and do what movements you can. For example. Patients with acute neck pain, often become very scared to turn their necks because of pain. They will walk around for days like Frankenstein keeping their necks stiff. This makes things worse. Walking around all tensed will make other muscles stiff and sore and can frighten people into thinking their condition is now spreading! This can fuel their fear and all that extra muscle tension puts more and more pressure on the joints and thus more and more pain. Things can out of hand for the patient quickly when this happens. If you feel this happening with your Low back or neck, seek reassurance from a health professional quickly.