Since stress and weak muscles are the two most common causes of back pain you can start right away to prevent future attacks. However, if you are experiencing excruciating pain at this moment you will want to focus on eliminating the pain first, and then dealing with prevention later on.

The cause of back pain is sometimes difficult to determine. A bulging disc may or may not elicit pain. However, the most common causes of lower back pain are physical stress and weak musculature. There are three things you can do to minimize back pain. The third method is lesser known, but can be quite effective.

First: Strengthen Weak Muscles

We sit many hours at work or ride for hours in a car. Industrialized people have become over-mechanized and under-exercised. Cars, elevators and household machines have made our lives comfortable, but this lifestyle has its own drawbacks.

Strong back muscles are necessary to keep our spines healthy. It is also important to have strong hip flexor muscles. When we sit too much, our back muscles weaken. If we are inactive, hip flexors atrophy. When the stabilizing muscles are weak, the core spine will take all the stress. Breathing can have a deep impact on the condition of your back. Correct breathing reaches deep into the lower part of the torso, energizing and loosening the lumbar region. If our breathing is shallow, the lower back will suffer from decreased circulation.

Second: Decrease Your Stress

Both internal and external stresses are in our lives. Family problems, work pressure, and money are among the most common triggers. It is important to find ways to manage the ups and downs of living. Otherwise, over time, your health will deteriorate. For some people, stress causes a big headache, while for others, stress creates pain in the back. During difficult situations, the parasympathetic nervous system kicks in. Our breathing becomes shallow, the heart starts beating faster, and the internal organs receive less blood. Additionally, muscles contract and the body becomes tense. When stress overwhelms us, our focus is outward and less within our bodies. At these moments, most of us ignore the posture and physical habits, which created irritations and pains in unwanted places. Become aware of your stress level and where it affects you and you will be lessen your risk for back pain. Frequent use of acupuncture and massage may also help reduce episodes of backpain.

Third: To Invert

Inversion is a lesser-known way to help your self to a healthier back. Most people who invert themselves regularly find satisfying relief from back pain. The main function of the inversion is to create a natural traction that invigorates blood circulation. The inversion method uses your own body weight by hanging - to provide a pull. Thereby you gain a rejuvenating effect on the hip flexors, lower back and the whole body.

You don't have to go to a hospital or clinic to invert. You can hang by your arms or your knees from a horizontal bar at the playground, or from a mount in a doorway at home. However, if your arms or legs give way before your back has had enough time to give you a relaxing spinal stretch; or if there is pain that doesn’t let you relax, you can opt for the comfortable versatility of the inversion table. An inversion table lets you hang up side down with very little effort. Most inversion beds are also portable, and some fold easily into a closet or behind a door when you aren’t using them. Whatever method you choose, it is relatively inexpensive and easy to get inverted traction to prevent and relieve your back pain.

Teeter Hang Ups (F5000)

Contact Us New York City residents, come in for one free 15 minute back relief session on a Teeter Hang Up. Call for an appointment 917-582-6216.