The Back Pain SOS

Deanne Bhamgara didn't think much of it at first when she fell off her electric scooter on a pier in San Diego. Her fall left her sore, but she only felt minor discomfort.

But over the next several days, she slowly began to hurt more and more.

Unlocks The Secret to Annihilating Back Pain For Good...In Just 90 Seconds

"What started as a tingling sensation in my thighs had soon become sensitive to touch,” says Bhamgara, 28. Her lower back, tailbone, pelvic areas, and hip joints were all damaged by the incident, according to the San Francisco resident. Bhamgara's agony had spread to the remainder of her back and thighs within a few days.

Almost everyone in the United States suffers from back pain at some point in their lives. You can have an uncomfortable night's sleep or a backache from carrying something heavy. Or, like Bhamgara, you could be involved in an accident and injure your back. However, according to physical therapist Eric Robertson, DPT, the problem is generally caused by too much sitting and not enough movement.

"We're essentially a sedentary society," adds Robertson, who is also a spokesperson for the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). "So any type of movement exercise, walking, working with a physical therapist to create an individually customized program for you is a fantastic option."

Unlocks The Secret to Annihilating Back Pain For Good...In Just 90 Seconds

When Bhamgara asked doctors, physical therapists, and chiropractors about her recovery, they all offered her different answers. She was told it may take anything from 6 to 12 weeks to go back to normal, or it could take a year.

“I was mostly in bed after the pain started,” Bhamgara says. She had inflammation on her thighs right up to behind the knees, groin, butt, lower back, and sometimes in her shoulders.

Bhamgara, perplexed and concerned, tried a variety of remedies to alleviate her discomfort. Twice a week, she went to physical therapy. She received trigger point massage and acupuncture, both of which she claimed were beneficial.

Bhamgara is now recovering. She realizes that full recovery and keeping her inflammation under control will take time and work.

The American Physical Therapy Association's Robertson claims that feeling better with back pain doesn't have to be difficult.

Here are some practical measures to take:

1. Stay away from the bed.

According to studies, lying down too much slows healing and increases pain.

"The one thing we've learned definitively about back pain and bed rest over the last 25 years or so is that it's not OK," says William Lauretti, DC, an associate professor at New York Chiropractic College and a spokesperson for the American Chiropractic Association.

Unlocks The Secret to Annihilating Back Pain For Good...In Just 90 Seconds

"You want to be as active as you can with your back discomfort," she says.

2. Move.

When you're in pain, you may not want to move, but it's crucial to do as much as you can.

According to Robertson, most back discomfort isn't significant, even if it is excruciatingly painful. "It's really important to not be afraid of motion and to keep moving even when you're in pain," he says. Walking is an excellent option that you can do on your own.

You can also work with a physical therapist to learn how to recognize potentially dangerous pain levels and which movements are best for you.

3. Maintain a decent posture.

When you sit, stand, walk, sleep, or go about your daily activities, pay attention to how you hold your back. When all of the bones in your spine are positioned appropriately, you have good posture.

Your back may become tight and rigid as a result of poor posture. This frequently results in back pain.

Lauretti provides the following posture advice:

Sitting up in bed with your laptop slumped over is not a good idea. That's a definite prescription for long-term back pain.

Use padded chairs if you must sit for an extended period of time. Hard seats will not support your back and may make it difficult to sit up straight.

If you require a comfortable workstation and chair while working, get one.

Here are some broad guidelines for excellent posture:

Maintain a shoulder-width distance between your feet.

Unlocks The Secret to Annihilating Back Pain For Good...In Just 90 Seconds

When you're standing, tuck your stomach in.

If you're standing for an extended period of time, transfer your weight from one foot to the other and from your toes to heels on a regular basis.

4. Back up your shoulders.

Allow your arms to hang naturally on your sides.

5. Sleep wisely.

According to Lauretti, the ideal bed is one that is "pleasant for you." He claims that sleeping on your side or back is better for your back than sleeping on your stomach. If you sleep face down, you'll turn your head all night to breathe, which might cause neck pain.

Bhamgara claims that tucking a cushion between her legs helps her back problems by aligning her hips.

6. Relax.

Back discomfort can be caused by stress, tension, and other non-physical issues, according to Robertson. Massages and acupuncture may aid with muscle relaxation.

Yoga, meditation, and other mindfulness activities may help you manage your back pain by improving your mood, stretching your muscles, and relaxing you.

Bhamgara claims that meditation made her feel more alive, especially when she was unable to move freely due to back pain.

She says, "I would worry about healing every inch of my body." "I used to fantasize of wandering through a park with my headphones on and simply dancing!" That resurrected me."

7. Make an appointment with your physician.

Consult your doctor if your back discomfort persists after four weeks or if you have long-term pain that lasts longer than 12 weeks and prevents you from carrying out your daily activities.

They can assist you in determining the source of your discomfort and may propose new treatments. If your legs tingle, feel numb, or are weak, seek medical help immediately once.

Unlocks The Secret to Annihilating Back Pain For Good...In Just 90 Seconds