Back pain is one of the most common ailments suffered around the globe. However, it is also one of the least understood. It is no wonder then that that US has dedicated September to being Pain Awareness Month. You may enjoy some of the resources on that site.

Of course, back pain is a widespread issue all over the world. So we want to take a closer look at how you can get rid of back pain naturally. Here is a list of 10 things you should stop doing and one thing you can start doing in order to find drug-free relief from back pain.  

#1 Don’t Hunch Your Shoulders 

Proper posture is essential when it comes to avoiding back pain. When you hunch your shoulders, you add extra stress to your spine from the neck down to your tailbone. Poor posture can lead to issues with the discs, pinched nerves, or spinal degeneration.

#2 Don’t Skip Your Daily Workout

You need to get some exercise every day to keep the soft tissue that supports your spine in good shape. It can be challenging to want to exercise when you are already in pain, but even starting with gentle stretches on a daily basis is something. Try working your way up to exercises that strengthen your core, since those will help your back the most. 

#3 Don’t Expect a Miracle 

Recovering from chronic back pain takes time. You have to be realistic with your approach. If you expect the pain to be gone tomorrow, you are going to be disappointed in any remedy that you try.

#4 Don’t Lift Heavy Objects 

If you have to lift, be sure to bend at your knees and not your waist. Hold the object close to your body to reduce the strain on your back. If you can get someone to help you lift heavy items, that would be even better. 

#5 Don’t Hurt Yourself with Repetitive Movements  

Whether you are bending at the waist to grab something off the floor or craning your neck to look at a smartphone in your lap, repetitive movements that put the spine in a stressed position can lead to increased back pain. 

#6 Don’t Count on Getting a Diagnosis 

Yes, back pain is just a symptom. However, most people who experience chronic back pain never find out the underlying causes. So don’t rely on a diagnosis to help you find relief. 

#7 Don’t Scare Yourself Online 

Sometimes we can get into the bad habit of researching our symptoms, and we end up reading horror stories about what could be wrong. For example, yes, back pain could be related to a tumor. However, this is a relatively rare diagnosis. The pain is far more likely to be related to trauma or poor posture.

#8 Don’t Confuse Passive Care for a Long-Term Solution

Pills, heat, ice, sound therapy, electric therapy – there are all sorts of things that people do to find pain relief. We’re not going to discuss how good or bad any form of treatment may be. The idea is to remember that passive treatments just go after the symptom, not the cause. Your pain may feel better for a little while, but until you find a way to correct the underlying issue, you can’t expect long-term relief. 

#9 Don’t Smoke

Everyone knows that smoking is bad for you. What you may not realize is that it can have a terrible effect on your spine health. There are studies that point toward smoking as increasing your risk of chronic back pain. Smoking slows down healing and blood flow in the body, so it makes sense.

#10 Don’t Expect the Pain to Go Away on Its Own 

If your back pain goes away in a week or two, then you probably just strained a muscle. If your pain lasts longer than that, there is likely a structural issue that will not go away on its own. We would like to recommend a natural way to try and find out the true source of your back pain and potentially get natural relief. 

Do Try Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care for Back Pain 

When the top two bones in the neck are out of alignment, it can have far-reaching effects on the body. This is because these bones, located at the base of the skull, balance the head. Therefore, changes take place throughout the spine to compensate for even the slimmest of misalignments. 

First, one shoulder may rest higher than the other. Next one of the hips drops down to compensate. Finally, the legs may end up being slightly different lengths. Before you know it, there are problems all throughout the back simply because an upper cervical misalignment was not cared for properly. 

As a result, it makes sense to see an upper cervical chiropractor any time you are experiencing a spinal problem, even if there is no pain in the neck. The pain occurs where the most significant shifts take place, and that is often in the lower back. 

To learn more, schedule a consultation with an upper cervical chiropractor in your area. Practitioners all over the world are helping relieve back pain by means of precise and gentle adjustments of the top two bones in the neck. Use the search feature on this site to get your journey started.

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