The 7 Best Non-Surgical Treatment Options for Back Pain Management

If you suffer from chronic back pain, you’re not alone. Sadly, more than 20% of adults in the United States alone deal with chronic pain in their day-to-day lives. And back pain is the most common of all.

That said, there are things you can do to lessen, even relieve your chronic pain completely – without the need for surgery. If you know how to approach back pain management in a healthy way, you can feel your best without going under the knife or even taking over the counter pain medications.

Keep reading to learn how to manage back pain naturally!

1. Improve Your Diet

It’s easier said than done, but improving your diet is one of the best things you can do for all aspects of your health, including lower back pain management. The typical western diet is built on junk food and contains very little nutritional value, which makes it more difficult for your body to heal itself.

It will take time to make permanent changes, but you’ll be amazed by how much better you feel when you eat a nutritious diet. Pay special attention to anti-inflammatory foods, which will help to lessen your back pain.

Don’t worry, anti-inflammatory foods are delicious! Berries, salmon, almonds, and sunflower seeds are all powerful tools against inflammation, the source of chronic pain for many.

2. Get More Exercise

When we’re in pain, our instinct is to sit or lie still until is passes. This is a mistake, however, as the cure for many types of pain is movement.

Let’s say you’ve been sitting at your desk without standing for the entire morning and your back is beginning to ache. Instead of remaining seated, stand up and walk around the office. It’s the key to managing back pain at work.

Getting movement in whenever and wherever you can is great, but you also need to make time for dedicated exercise. Aim for a minimum of 150 minutes per week for optimal results. Building core muscles can reduce strain on your spine, and aerobic exercise helps to boost blood flow, which promotes healing.

3. Stretch It Out

In addition to strength training and cardio exercises, consider picking up yoga. At the very least, stretch after each workout, regardless of what type of workout it was. Increasing your flexibility and range of motion will improve back function and lessen pain.

Not to mention, yoga helps to retrain your body to maintain a healthy posture. Because most of us are seated in front of a computer all day, we’ve developed poor posture, which contributes to a wide variety of ailments, one of which is back pain.

4. Practice Meditation

Another benefit of yoga, besides making improvements to your range of motion and posture, is that it forces you to take some time to be mindful. Mindful of your body, your breathing, and the current moment in time.

To take this a step further, you can add meditation to your routine. You don’t have to sit alone in the quiet for hours unless you want to. Meditation can be anything that allows your mind and body to relax.

Go for a walk in nature, write a list of ten things you’re grateful for, take a hot bath. The specific activity is less important than your mindset while doing it.

5. See a Chiropractor

Because chiropractors are spine experts and focus on your body’s ability to heal itself through manipulation of bones and muscles, they’re the ideal option for natural pain management for back pain.

A chiropractor can help you to ensure that your spine is in alignment, which can greatly reduce any chronic pain you might be experiencing. Chiropractic treatment is also an effective tool for migraines, neck pain, and other orthopedic conditions.

6. Try Acupuncture

Many chiropractic offices offer acupuncture treatment in addition to spinal manipulation. If your chiropractor offers such services, take advantage of them! Acupuncture might sound scary, but the needles are so small that most people don’t feel a thing during treatment.

The tiny needles used in acupuncture are placed in specific points, depending on your needs. For back pain, your acupuncturist might place these needles along your spine, on the backs of your arms, or behind your knees. 

7. Quit Smoking

If you’re a smoker, it’s time to quit. Smoking cigarettes might be a common bad habit, but that doesn’t make it any less detrimental to your health.

Not only does smoking cause a multitude of cancers and other devastating conditions but it also worsens chronic back pain. This is because smoking inhibits blood flow in your body, inhibiting your body’s ability to heal and weakening your back muscles.

If smoking is a stress reliever for you, consider swapping your cigarettes for medical marijuana. Medical marijuana is much better for you than nicotene-laced cigarettes and can be obtained easily from any medical marijuana doctor.

Improve Your Quality of Life With These Back Pain Management Tips

As you can see, natural back pain management isn’t as difficult as you might think. However, simple doesn’t always mean easy. So, although the answer is simple: make positive lifestyle changes, it takes patience and dedication to do so in a way that sticks, and that isn’t easy.

But if you keep your goal of a pain-free life in the forefront of your mind, you can reach it. And best of all, you’ll improve your quality of life in the process.

Interested in learning more about improving your health through natural means? Take a look at our blog!

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