Lower back pain? How you can help yourself. 28 Jul 2020

When lower back pain starts to interfere with your quality of life you have several possible treatment options that may help give relief.

1. Boost your endorphin levels with activities such as aerobic exercise, massage therapy or meditation. Endorphins help alleviate anxiety, stress and depression which can be associated with chronic pain.
2. Get enough sleep – when you are resting, your body has an opportunity to heal.
3. Exercise your core- strength in the core helps support your lower spine.
4. Stretch your hamstrings (those muscles at the back of your thighs) gently -with tight hamstrings your lower back and sacroiliac joint can be stressed leading to more pain.
5. Help your brain – there are some great mind-body techniques that can really help you have some degree of influence over your pain.   The way your brain interprets and processes pain signals plays an important role in how your perceive your pain, however you can develop skills to help your brain deal with these signals.
6. Soothe the pain with cold and/or hot. Cold therapy (ice pack or ice wrapped in a cloth) helps reduce inflammation and pain. Heat therapy (wheat bag, hottie or a warm bath or shower) helps improve blood flow, relaxation and pain relief. Apply heat or cold in 15–20 minute applications with at least 2 hours rest in between to protect your skin.

If you would like more information, please feel free to contact us at Serenity Massage Therapy. We will be more than happy to answer any questions that you may have or get you started with some massage therapy treatment.