Back pain seems to quietly take over your life. But pain doesn’t have to control your days or dictate what you can and can’t do. Note that back pain during pregnancy is different from the one experienced by an athlete. So, sad to say, an all-in-one solution doesn’t exist when you have back pain.
Impact of Back Pain to People’s Lives
The impact of back pain extends to both physical ability and emotional well-being. So, each recurring pain can gradually limit what a person can do and how they feel on a daily basis.
1. Daily Movement and Activities
If you have back pain, simple tasks can become uncomfortable or painful, which makes everyday routines harder than they should be. These include bending, driving, lifting, sitting, and walking.
2. Work and Productivity
One of the common reasons for missed work is back pain. You should know that pain can slow you down, limit your mobility, and reduce your focus and efficiency whether you have a physical job or a desk role.
3. Sleep and Rest
Another thing is that it often disrupts sleep, which causes tiredness and irritability. Thus, poor sleep can make the pain even worse, which creates a frustrating cycle.
4. Social and Family Life
What’s even more frustrating is that you may begin to avoid social gatherings, hobbies, travel, sports, or playtime with children. That is due to the fact that it hurts to move or sit for long.
5. Overall Independence
Back pain can also affect your confidence and independence in more serious cases. This makes you rely on others for tasks you once did easily.
How to React when Facing Such a Condition
You need to deal with back pain seriously at the early stage so it will not become a long-term problem.
1. Seek Proper Medical Guidance
You need to get a proper assessment of your condition by visiting a GP, physiotherapist, or chiropractor. This becomes an emergency if you feel severe pain, spreading to the legs, causing numbness, or affecting bladder or bowel control.
2. Keep Your Body Moving
Gently make light movement to prevent stiffness, so avoid long bed rests. You can also ease the tension if you take short walks, gentle stretching, and do mobility exercises.
3. Improve Your Posture
You need to adjust your sitting position, if possible, particularly when you are working at a desk. You may also have to use chairs with proper back support and avoid slouching when sitting down.
4. Apply Hot or Cold Therapy
Use ice for the first 48 hours if you are experiencing a new injury, so the swelling subsides. Use heat instead if you are experiencing muscle tightness or chronic pain in order to relax the muscles.
5. Strengthen Core and Back Muscles
If the pain improves, do some strengthening exercises to prevent future episodes. You can ask for assistance from a physiotherapist to guide you on the right form.
Sports-related back pain is different from back pain during pregnancy. At BPC Physio, we can provide comfort and make sure that you feel safe. If you want to get personalised care, do contact us today!