Since the great majority of people will experience back pain at one point or another, many view it as something inevitable that cannot be avoided. However, by taking some preventative actions, it may be possible to reduce back pain or at least stop it from becoming chronic. If you agree with the famous saying that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, then this article is for you.

5 Natural Ways to Reduce the Risk of Back Pain

Here are a few things you can do to reduce the risk of having back pain become chronic.

1. Quit Smoking – You can add this to your list of reasons if you are trying to quit. Smoking can affect the discs and lead to an early onset of spinal arthritis.
2. Exercise Regularly – Being sedentary can affect the bones and surrounding soft tissue resulting in pain throughout the spine as well as the joints. Regular exercise can strengthen the body and reduce the risk of pain.
3. Weight Loss – Staying at a healthy weight reduces the amount of stress on the bones and soft tissue of the body.
4. Treating Mental Health Disorders – Mental health problems, such as depression, create a cycle of back pain. Depression can increase pain levels, and increased pain can add to one’s depression.
5. Upper Cervical Chiropractic – Keeping the atlas (C1) in place is vital to spinal health.

How Atlas Alignment Relates to Back Pain

When the atlas is misaligned, the rest of the spine including the surrounding soft tissue must compensate to keep the head as straight as possible. Thus, one shoulder may become higher than the other, one hip may drop shortening one leg, and pain may occur at multiple places throughout the back where the greatest compensations take place.

Correcting the atlas misalignment can help the body to heal naturally. Upper cervical chiropractic involves an extremely gentle, low force correction. There is no popping or cracking as in general chiropractic. To learn more, seek out a consultation with an upper cervical chiropractor near you. You may find that keeping your atlas in proper alignment means you can be in the minority and be free from back pain.

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