What is Lower Back Pain Telling You?
By Randi Morse
Pain can be annoying because it can prevent you from going to work and doing all the things you do daily. Pain, however, is important. It's trying to tell you that something in your body is wrong, and you need to pay attention to it. If we didn't experience pain, we wouldn't know that there was anything wrong and could easily do more damage to our body. Some pain is easy to diagnose: if you have pain in your ear, you are dealing with some sort of ear, nose, or throat situation. If you have pain in your stomach, it's likely a digestive issue. But what about if the pain is in your lower back? What could your body be trying to tell you then?
Get Moving
If you work in an office, chances are high that you spend the majority of your time sitting in a chair. You may think that sitting in a chair and being sedentary all day places no stress on your spine. The truth, however, is exactly the opposite. Excessive sitting can cause your muscles to stiffen, which can place more stress on your spine than your body can handle. If you are dealing with lower back pain and your job requires you to be seated the majority of your day, your back may be telling you to get up and walk around. Try setting an alarm on your phone that goes off every 30 minutes. When the alarm rings, make it a point to get out of your chair, walk around, and stretch for a couple of minutes.
Weight Loss
Excessive weight in the stomach area can place stress on the lower back due to pulling the pelvis forward. The back needs to stay aligned for it to work efficiently. When your weight shifts too much in one direction, it can stress in the muscles and tendons, which can be extremely painful. Losing weight, however, is never easy. Try to make sure that you reduce your caloric intake and start a low impact aerobic activity. Even walking five minutes a day will help by allowing your back to stretch while also building muscles in your core and back. All these things will help to alleviate low back pain.
When your lower back hurts, your body is trying to tell you something. Don't ignore it. An experienced chiropractor can help you determine why your back is in pain while also helping to build a program that will help alleviate the discomfort you're feeling.
To learn more about your health, wellness and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Memphis, Tenn.