Tips for Lower Back Pain Treatment at Home
Lower back pain is a common health ailment that ranges from mild discomfort to debilitating hurt. Not only does it affect you physically, but lower back pain also affects you mentally. If left unchecked, lower back pain could worsen and have a long-term negative impact on your overall health and wellness.
Today, we’re giving you tips for lower back pain treatment at home. These remedies are intended to help you get back to feeling your best as quickly as possible and lead a pain-free life. As always, before starting any kind of lower back pain remedies (or any home treatments), you should consult your doctor. Read on, and let’s leave back pain in the rearview!
Effective Lower Back Pain Treatment at Home
Whether it’s from normal wear and tear of daily activities or the result of bodily changes as we get older, lower back pain is one of the most common health conditions. Experienced by an estimated 80% of all adults at some point in their lifetime, it’s no wonder there are a number of lower back pain home remedies that have been established over the years for relief. There are also many benefits of zero gravity chairs for lower back pain.
Some of the most effective options for lower back pain treatment at home include:
- Exercising and stretching
- Maintaining good posture
- Applying heat and cold therapy
- Practicing spinal decompression
- Wearing proper shoes for foot support
- Getting a massage
Stretching and Lower Back Pain Exercises at Home
First up on our list of tips for lower back pain treatment at home is to get active, exercise, and stretch. Instead of starting right away, however, give it a day or two before beginning lower back pain exercises at home to ensure you won't accidentally further the damage. Exercising and stretching within your physical limitations, however, increases mobility and flexibility which can help alleviate lower back pain and potentially help prevent it in the future.
A few examples of stretches and lower back pain exercises at home are:
- Yoga, especially child’s pose
- Cat/Cow stretch
- Double knee-to-chest stretches
- Core rotation stretches for the lower back
- Tai chi
- Pilates
Engaging in lower back pain exercises at home can loosen your muscles and help your body heal more quickly. Each of these stretches and exercises also works to reduce excess pressure and tension on the lower back, which is a common source of pain.
Maintaining Good Posture
Next up on our list of tips for lower back pain treatment at home is practicing good posture. More than just a directive you heard growing up, practicing good posture has a direct impact on your overall health in a variety of ways. In fact, practicing good posture is one of the most important spine health tips you can follow whether you’re sitting, standing, or moving around.
For example, many people experience lower back pain because of bad sitting habits. Make sure you’re sitting properly, with your feet flat on the floor and spine aligned upright. Too often, we subconsciously hunch over while working on a computer or reading which adds excess pressure to the neck and back. The benefits of an ergonomic work chair are a great way to ensure you’ve got the back support and posture you need while working from home.
Good posture doesn't stop at work! Make sure you’re practicing good posture regardless of where you are. It’s one of the most effective lower back pain home remedies to alleviate and prevent discomfort. Many people have turned to options like zero gravity chairs. (To learn more, check out our guide on the benefits of zero gravity for back pain relief next) and to provide plenty of support for good posture. These recliner designs are versatile to many different aesthetics while the design of the zero gravity position removes pressure from the lower back and pelvic areas.
Applying Heat and Cold Therapy
If you’ve ever looked up ideas for lower back pain treatment at home, chances are you’ve come across heat and cold therapy applications. Applying ice in the first 24-72 hours is ideal to reduce pain and swelling. Once you’ve moved beyond this period, heat therapy applications help the body heal more quickly and efficiently. Whether it’s an acute injury or symptoms of chronic back pain, applying heat eases muscle tension and stiffness that often accompany lower back pain.
Once more, the benefits of zero gravity chairs for lower back pain come into focus as many models like the Svago ZGR offer bonus features like heat therapy. These heat programs pair perfectly with the zero gravity position to boost your lower back pain treatment at home and get you back to feeling your best in no time.
Practicing Spinal Decompression at Home
There are many complementary therapies that work as a lower back pain treatment at home including spinal decompression. Spinal decompression is a gentle stretching of your spine in order to alleviate back pain, help your body heal, and improve blood circulation.
Spinal decompression can take many forms ranging from specific lower back pain exercises at home to reclining in the zero gravity position. Zero gravity chairs have become extremely popular for those living with lower back pain. Relaxing in the zero gravity position for as little as 20 minutes a day results in the same healing experienced from 8-10 hours of sleep. With so many options, you’re sure to find a method for handling spinal decompression at home that works for you.
Wearing Proper Shoes for Support
It may come as a surprise to you, but did you know wearing the right shoes can serve as a lower back pain treatment, too? A commonly overlooked cause of back pain, the type of shoes you're wearing actually have a profound impact on your spinal health. Shoes with proper support help you maintain good posture, increase your stability, and absorb some of the impact of each step you take. This reduces the overall stress put on the lower back and may help alleviate or prevent lower back pain.
While wearing shoes without the proper support you need (i.e. sandals or high heels) for short periods of time may be unlikely to result in prolonged back pain, it may be enough to cause acute pain experiences. Overall, the important thing to remember is to wear the proper shoes for whatever activity you’re doing. For working out or playing sports, this means athletic shoes with foot and ankle support. For some kinds of work, this may mean boots. Who knew one of the most impactful lower back pain home remedies was right on your feet?
Getting a Massage
Last, but not least, on our list of tips for lower back pain treatment at home is getting a massage. Massage has been shown in a variety of studies to be an effective complementary treatment for back pain relief. It loosens tight muscles and stimulates better blood flow for efficient healing throughout the body. From a mental health perspective, it also helps alleviate stress that can accompany physical pain.
Since having an in-home massage therapy appointment isn’t time- or cost-efficient, many people have combined lower back pain home remedies with zero gravity chairs here, as well. Alongside heat therapy, the benefits of zero gravity chairs with vibration or air pressure massage (sometimes referred to as air cell massage) pair with other methods of lower back pain treatment at home to have you pain-free in no time.
Activities to Avoid When Focusing on Back Pain Relief
Just as there are plenty of lower back pain treatment options, there are also activities you should avoid to aid in the healing process. Any form of overdoing it could lead to worsening back pain or causing long-term complications. Some common activities to be mindful of and avoid to prevent straining your back further include:
- Avoiding sitting too long in bad positions
- Stopping activities that involve heavy lifting until healed
- Limiting bed rest
- Practicing poor sleep habits
The body needs to rest to heal, but too long in a single position or without movement can be counterproductive to recovery. So, too, can sleeping in positions that contort the spine or leave the lower back without support. Be mindful of your body positioning when you’re moving, sitting, standing, or sleeping to optimize your path to being pain free.
We hope these tips for lower back pain treatment at home have given you new relief methods to try. Lower back pain is extremely common, so having an effective remedy ready to put into action right away will minimize your discomfort and downtime. As with any new health routine, be sure to consult your doctor before starting any of these lower back pain home remedies to ensure it’s safe for you to do so.
Interested in a zero gravity chair for back pain relief? Check out our comparison guide to determine which is the best zero gravity chair for you.
