Controlling Back Pain With Chiropractic Care

Posted on: 2 September 2016

Regardless of how you develop it, your chiropractor can help to alleviate your back pain. Through an initial physical assessment and a series of adjustments during appointments set at regular intervals, this back care expert can guide your spine back into its correct alignment and reduce the pressure and strain you've been experiencing on your nerves and muscles. While it's nice to know that your local chiropractor is there to help, you should be proactive about the health of your back by taking care to avoid the common things that people do that can result in pain. Here are some specific things to try to avoid.

Sitting On Your Wallet

Many people who carry their wallet in their rear pants pocket don't think twice about sitting on it, but doing so can be detrimental to the health of their back — especially if the wallet is thick. When you sit on your wallet, it lifts one side of your backside higher than the other, which can result in a kink in your lower back. The longer you sit in this manner, the more likely you'll eventually experience back pain. When you get to work, lock your wallet in a desk drawer; at a restaurant, put it in a coat pocket. As much as possible, you should always try to avoid sitting on it.

Sleeping In A Worn-Out Bed

It's easy to make the mistake of keeping your bed for much longer than you should. Beds have a finite lifespan that differs among models, but if you keep telling yourself that you hope to get a little longer out of a worn-out bed, you could be compromising your back health and eventually need chiropractic care. There are several symptoms that suggest your bed is compromising your back health. For example, the mattress is saggy enough that your hips sink in; this can put your body into an unnatural alignment while you sleep, eventually leading to pain. If it doesn't feel as though your mattress is adequately supporting you, it's worthwhile to buy a new one.

Smoking

You already know that smoking is connected to several health issues, but you might not know that this habit can also contribute to back pain. Smoking can increase your risk of blocked arteries, which can heighten your likelihood of suffering from pain in your lower back, as well as experiencing disc degeneration. Quitting smoking can be a challenge, but it's in the best interest of your back — and your overall health — to do so.

For more information, talk to a professional on back pain, such as Yaeger Chiropractic.