Heat Therapy Benefits For Back Pain

When you suffer from lower back pain, it is a good idea to use a range of alternative remedies. Posture correctors work and so does many natural remedies. One natural remedy that we don’t often think of us a natural treatment is heat therapy.

Hot and cold treatments along with back supports have long been used by dancers to improve the symptoms of back pain. Heat therapy is particularly useful when you suffer from sciatica as a result of a physical injury.

In recent years, heat therapy has come along way. You can now buy a heated back support that you can have with you at all times. Most heated back supports can be put in a microwave which activates the heat part of the support.

Should I Use Heated Back Support All Of The Time?

Using a heated back support all of the time is not such a good idea. Instead, you should use it when you feel the need. Understanding how a heated back support functions will help you to understand how it benefits you when you experience pain.

Heat applied over a painful area helps to increase circulation. As a result, oxygen in the blood will rush to the affected part of the body. Oxygen is one of the most powerful antioxidants known and helps to reduce pain. Lower back pain is particularly successfully treated with heat therapy.

Is heat therapy as effective as conventional medication? Many times, heated therapy for lower back pain, is as effective. It helps to stop muscle spasms and cramps which are often the culprits behind lower back pain.

What About Other Kinds Of Back Support?

Not only should you use a heated back support to relieve your back pain. Using heated supports is not so easy when you exercise, but there are alternatives.

Exercising is an essential part of treating low back pain. Sitting or lying for extended periods of time only makes any back pain condition worse. Getting moving is one of the most important parts of recovering from back pain. However, it is important that you do so safely. Protecting the back is as vital as applying a heat treatment.

Using A Range of Back Supports

Why should I use a range of different back support?

There is a good reason why you should use a range of different back supports. Most people who suffer from back pain often find it hard to move. They worry that movement is going to cause them more pain and even damage.

The opposite is true. Any back pain will become worse when we don’t move. This is why your fight against back pain should also include the following:

• Regular back support
• Back brace
• Back support belt
• A lower back support

Of course, there are different variations of back braces. Choosing the right kind of back support for your exercise program is important. 

Exercising For Lower Back Pain

Exercising for lower back pain has proved to be as effective as taking medication. Walking and practicing Tai-chi are two of the best exercises that can help to remedy back pain. Using back supports makes exercising during a back pain episode perfectly safe.

What supports should I use and when? Using the right kind of back support at the right time will reduce back pain.

A back support belt is a good idea when you want to engage in exercises such as walking and lifting light weights. It will keep help to gently support your back. You may have noticed many gym-goers use back support belts when lifting weights. The addition of a back support belt helps to make sure your spine is correctly aligned while lifting weights.

What about a back brace? A back brace can support you when you go walking. Once again, it is all about achieving a better alignment of the spine. Many of us tend to walk slightly hunched over and looking down. When you want to reduce back pain, walking in this way is not the best thing to do. Walking with a straight back and your arms swinging will take the pressure off the spine, tendons and muscles.

When Should I Use My Heated Back Support?

Your heated back support is best saved for when you really need it. Either use it when you are resting after exercise or when you go to bed at night. It is also a good idea to use your heated back support first thing in the morning. This is often when you wake up and experience pain.

Sleeping wearing a back support will help to make sure that your back is better aligned during sleep. This may take some getting used to, but orthopaedic pillows and body pillows will make sleeping with a back support much more comfortable.

 How Long Should I Carry On Using My back Support?

It is tempting to stop using your back support when you don’t experience pain any longer. However, no pain does not necessarily mean all of the positive changes are permanent yet.

Using your back support for an extended period of time, from 4 to 6 weeks, is the smart thing to do. There is no reason why not you should not continue to use your support on a daily basis if you are prone to lower back pain.

Using A Heated Back Support On A Long Term Basis

Using a heated back support on a long term basis is perfectly safe. A good idea would be to use your support after exercise to prevent injury. Take a warm shower and then sit down with your heated back support allowing it to do its job.

Other natural remedies go hand in hand with supports. Arnica gel or cream is one natural product which has long been used to treat lower back pain in an effective way. Rosemary is another herb which is used to treat lower back pain. It helps to boost circulation delivering essential oxygen to the muscles.

We are often hung up about back pain and let it spoil our lives. When you suffer lower back pain, it is a matter of adjusting your lifestyle to make sure you look after your back and suffer fewer incidents of lower back pain.

Brought to you by Your Back Pain Relief