It is believed that with age comes wisdom and experience, but unfortunately, aches and pains also add to the ride. Spinal aging is a fact of life and can develop back pain with time. Receiving back pain treatment on time and following precautions can help manage pain.
Let us educate ourselves by knowing the causes behind age-related back pain and general ways of easing your pain at home.
Causes Of Age-Related Back Pain
With aging, your intervertebral discs begin drying out, wearing away, and shrinking. This may result in stiffness and pain in your back. Narrowing of the spinal cord region is another common occurrence, and the condition is known as spinal stenosis. In this condition, the pressure on the spinal nerves and cord triggers back pain.
Other age-related back problems that may cause pain and discomfort include:
- Arthritis
- Degenerative changes in disks and joints.
- Osteoporosis, or loss of bone mass
- Loss of muscle strength or elasticity
- Spondylolisthesis
These conditions may cause inflammation and strain the nerves, resulting in pain and discomfort. A person may have more than one of these conditions, which is not unusual. The good news is that there are numerous ways to treat age-related pain, ranging from quick fixes to minimally invasive back pain treatment options.
General Back Pain Treatment Methods To Ease Pain
1. Increasing physical activity
“Motion is lotion,” say the experts. The more you engage in physical activities, the more you feel better. If you feel uncomfortable while performing any activity, take the help of experts and try low-impact exercises. Remember, if you stay active, you will recover from the pain sooner than you think.
2. Engaging in physical therapy
Physical therapy is one of the best ways to gain strength and improve balance and flexibility. With specific exercises and stretches, you can improve your back health and recover faster from age-related pain.
3. Correct your posture
Many people experience a little hunch in their shoulder or a bit of excess arch on their back. With aging, this incorrect posture may put extra strain on the spine, resulting in back pain. Maintain correct posture in your 20s to avoid age-related back pain.
4. Applying cold treatments
The ice packs are the first thing to reach for when back pain strikes. Follow the 20-20 rule of applying the ice pack for 20 minutes and take it off for 20 minutes. You can even use a bag of frozen peas to apply and alleviate painful inflammation and muscle spasms.
5. Applying heat treatments
After two or three days, you can apply heating pads or take warm baths to relax your back muscles and stimulate blood flow. Do not overuse it and avoid getting burnt.
6. Resting, but only temporarily
Aging may slow down your recovery. But if you want you can go to bed rest for a maximum of 48 hours. According to the experts, resting for longer periods could hinder your recovery.
In conclusion, for more information on non-surgical back pain treatment, book an appointment with the spine specialists at renowned healthcare centers like ANSSI Wellness and get your back bag in the business.