Back pain, whether temporary or chronic, can throw off your whole life, coloring every moment of every day, and limiting your choices and lifestyle. Don’t let back pain keep you from living the life you love. With your back pain resolved, you might be amazed at how outgoing you feel.
About 80% of people in the United States will deal with back pain at some point in their lives, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Your back pain might be related to an injury or strain, or it might be an ongoing or chronic issue. Either way, you can take control of your back pain by checking in on potential causes. For a lot of back pain patients, everyday bad habits contribute to, cause, or exacerbate the issue. At BCS Medical, our healthcare team provides comprehensive and experienced care to back pain patients. Here are some of the bad habits we have observed that could be making your back pain worse.
1. Not sitting right
The way you sit, and how long for, makes a big difference to the state of your back and spine. If you sit hunched over for long periods of time, you put stress on your spine. Too much hunching can actually deform your spine anatomically. Make sure to sit straight, with good back support, and move around regularly to shake out the kinks.
2. Not sleeping right
You spend long hours at night sleeping, although you aren’t directly aware of them. How you sleep can make a big difference in how your back feels the next day. Make sure you have a mattress that supports your back health needs and talk to Dr. Renner about whether sleeping in a specific position, be it your back or your stomach, could keep your back pain at bay.
3. Not exercising right
If you don’t get enough exercise, your abdominal muscles don’t stay strong enough to effectively support your back. However, exercising in the wrong way can also produce back strain. Core strengthening exercises, like Pilates, are often helpful for dealing with back pain, producing increased stability, flexibility, and muscular support. Cardiovascular exercises that keep your body weight down also reduce stress on your back, preventing pain.
4. Not eating right
While overeating puts additional strains on your abdominal region, potentially making back pain issues worse, eating the right foods can actually help with your back pain problems. Look for foods rich in lean protein, whole grains, and healthy fats. Fruits, vegetables, and nutrients, like calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D, are key to maintaining your muscle, bone, and soft tissue health.
5. Smoking
Smoking doesn’t just pose increased risks for lung cancer. The nicotine found in cigarettes also acts to restrict your blood flow, depriving the delicate components of your spine of needed nutrients. Lowered calcium absorption and frequent coughing also put cigarette smokers at increased risk of back pain.
To start down the road to resolving your back pain for good, get in touch with BCS Medical in Bryan, Texas today. Dr. Renner can diagnose your back pain problems, check with you about potential causes or complications, and recommend the best treatments and lifestyle adjustments for you to get back to living pain-free. If needed, our team can order tests, like an X-ray, to confirm your diagnosis. At BCS Medical, we take a holistic and integrative approach to patient care, centering on your whole-body wellness. You can book your initial consultation appointment over the phone, or by using the online tool.