Back pain starts small and may erupt into one of the most significant health concerns you might face. Like most aches and pains, back pain is extremely easy to ignore and take for granted. However, the real issue starts when the pain becomes a pinching sensation that can stun you with its intensity for a few seconds. Many everyday activities like cycling, slouching while you sit, long hours in front of the computer or laptop, lifting heavy objects or small children, sleeping in the wrong position, and so on have the tendency to cause a backache.
Muscular aches, sprains, strains, and pulls are extremely difficult to diagnose since they are not visible like substantial cuts, breaks, and broken bones. Back pain does not come up in radio imaging or x-rays. Most people take ibuprofen or similar painkiller to ward off the ache. This, however, is not a very good solution to back pain. Excessive use of pain relief drugs without proper supervision of the doctor can create more issues than solve them.
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Types of back pain:
There are 2 types of back pain. They are acute back pain and chronic back pain.
Acute pain is a sudden pain that comes and goes without any long-lasting effects. It takes a few days to heal and can be caused due to the tightening of the muscles, inflamed joints, and so on.
Chronic pain is an ongoing pain that lasts upwards of 2 – 3 months. The frequency and intensity of the pain may increase over time. Nerve damage, lousy posture, excessively sedentary lifestyle, and emotional upheavals can be causes of chronic back pain.
Let us look at some reasons for back pain in the mornings.
Screen time:
Screens of any kind – TV, laptops, desktops, mobile phones, and tablets can cause severe back pain. Aches and pains start in the shoulders and neck and then travel to the head and back. It is crucial to take breaks, stretch, do neck and back exercises at the office while working, and occasionally take a walk around your workplace.
Since many professionals cannot avoid the hazard of staring at a screen for 8 – 9 hours a day, it is advisable to get up and walk or take a short 5 minutes break every hour. A brief reprieve will help ease the strain from the back and shoulders and will also assist in increasing focus and concentration. Reducing screen time will help get restful sleep at night and relieve the stress and pressure from your joints and back.
Incorrect bed or mattress:
Wrong beds and mattresses are the most common causes of chronic back pain. Sleeping posture and pain relief are essential at night. Many people tend to ignore the signs their bodies are giving them and continue sleeping on uncomfortable or lumpy mattresses. Instead of buying a new bed, the best solution is to buy a mattress topper for back pain.
Mattress toppers come in a range of price points and can be laid out on existing mattresses. Topper’s help ease the strain from the back, neck, and shoulders to bring immediate relief. Memory foam mattresses toppers and gel mattress toppers help relax the pressure points and bring about restful sleep while contouring the natural aspects of the body to get a snug and comfortable sleeping experience.
No exercise:
People who exercise regularly get better sleep at night than those who do not. Exercise helps in aligning the spine with the neck and other joints to maintain optimum fitness and balance. The motions of twisting, rotating, bending, and standing upright become extremely difficult without regular movement to the body. The back, pelvic, sides, and hip muscles work together to maintain an erect posture and support the spine. Without regular exercise, sleep is hard to come by, and the posture suffers. Due to this, the circadian or sleep cycle of the body gets disturbed and results in back pain every morning after waking up. Fitness and workouts help keep the pain at bay and enable restful sleep that aids in the recovery of the body. Training the core can take strain off the back muscles to keep you upright, try getting a home sit-up bench or rowing machine and training your abdominals.
Bad sleeping posture:
While you might have an uber expensive mattress and luxurious bed, if your position is not right while sleeping, you will be waking up with a backache every morning. Sleeping on the stomach and sides without the correct gel memory foam mattress topper or a pillow for side sleeping can be a cause for chronic pain. If you sleep on your side, slide a thin pillow between your legs to ease the strain on your back and hips. Alleviate the pressure in your joints by choosing a pillow that supports your neck and shoulders at night.
Closing Thoughts
Acute backaches do not require any medication and one can treat it with just by hot water compress or a pain relief balm along with some rest. Also taking painkillers on regular basis for backaches that are not so painful without consulting the doctor can adversely affect your health.
While chronic backaches require immediate medical attention to check for any severe back muscle sprain or bone damage. These backaches are very rigid and painful and therefore the people suffering from these backaches need proper guidance from the doctor along with heavy dosage medicines.
But taking small precautions from your side such as correcting your sleep positions, regular stretching of your body, and giving breaks for your screen time in offices and at home can save you from some severe backaches.