Back pain is a real pain in the … back!

Back pain is second only to the common cold as the most prevalent ailment in the modern world. So if you’re suffering back pain, at least you can take some comfort that you’re not alone (yeah I know, it’s not much comfort!). Most people, at some point in their lives, will suffer back pain, and for many it will be a chronic condition, in some cases lasting for decades.

In my case, it’s the result of an accident half a lifetime ago. Not strictly true, I have to admit – it was an accident, yes, but it was mostly my own fault. I was training at the gym and I got carried away, almost drunk, you might say, on the feel-good hormones produced in the body when you’re training. It made me feel so good, so ridiculously good, I felt superhumanly strong, like I could almost literally lift the entire gym. I know, it’s completely crazy, but that’s the only way to describe it really. The inevitable result was I lifted too heavy and collapsed under the weight.

Years later, I still suffer pain, and the sad fact is I probably always will. Damage was done to my spine and that can’t really change very much. I do what I can to keep my back strong, and to stay strong and fit generally, but a back injury never really leaves you, not totally.

Look on the bright side!

I suppose the upside of this (if there could even be one) is that my training had made me very strong.
First, it didn’t help that my injury had been misdiagnosed; I was told (and this, by the way, was after an x-ray!) that I’d just strained my back, which I knew was just completely wrong, because I’d ‘seen’ what had happened inside my back as it was happening, like a sort of slow motion, internal, mental x-ray video (which sounds really weird, and was!) – even though it all happened in a second or so.

The last doctor I saw, when I told him I had to get back to work because I was going stir-crazy sitting round the house, almost couldn’t believe I wanted to get back to work, or that I’d be able to. He told me I should have been in traction for at least a month (but of course that never happened because of the misdiagnosis). He could hardly believe I’d managed without traction, and he told me it was only the fact that my back was so powerfully muscled that had saved me from much more serious injury (the muscles were supporting my spine as strongly as traction would have done, I suppose).

Your situation is probably quite different. You’re probably more sensible than to ever believe (even for a moment) that you could actually lift weights that, if you misjudged things, could literally kill you. It takes a very high level of confidence (misguided and, sadly, unfounded) to make that kind of mistake! But, I don’t know, you might have been in a different kind of accident. Or you might have been involved in some kind of work that meant you were spending long periods in awkward positions, creating unnatural stresses on your back. There could be all kinds of other reasons too, but whatever the cause, maybe you’re stuck with persistent back pain, same as I am.

So, what’s the best way to deal with back pain?

What’s the answer to back pain? That’s the big question! If someone could come up with the cure for back pain, half the world would be queueing up to thank him and shake his hand. But there are ways to deal with it, and I’m going to list a few you might find useful. I know you’ll be very familiar with some of them, but there might be one or two that are new to you.

STRETCHING

One of the simplest and quickest things you can do to ease your back pain is to stretch. It’s important not to stretch quickly or carelessly though, unless you want to create more problems for yourself. Diving into a short session of stretching thoughtlessly can actually result in another back injury, and that’s exactly what you don’t want.

Stretch gently and slowly. Bend forward and let your bodyweight slowly pull you towards the ground, easing yourself into a stretched position. And when you get there, hold the position for a while, maybe 10-20 seconds. By the way, don’t keep your legs stiff while you’re doing this; bend your knees a little, otherwise you could be placing more stress on your back. And put your hands on your bent knees, if that feels good.

As you do this stretch, allow your head to hang down under its own weight – by which I mean don’t keep your neck muscles stiff and contracted, just let them relax and give in to gravity.

When you straighten up, take a good, long, deep breath and then lean back gently. Put your hands on your lower back, in the kidney area, and support yourself. Again, keep your knees slightly bent. This stretching, forward, then back, repeated a few times, can do a lot to ease back pain.

Do a few side stretches too, if it feels good. Just be careful to keep your body in the same vertical plane, meaning don’t carelessly sway towards a point slightly in front of you, just stretch directly to the side. You can reach to the front/side of course, but stay fully aware of your movements and make sure your muscles are properly engaged in the action, not allowing you to sink into a position, unprotected.

HANGING

No, don’t get carried away, I’m not suggesting suicide is the only option – back pain can be excruciating, agreed, but I wouldn’t say it’s worth killing yourself over!

What I am suggesting is to make use of a pull-up bar, or anything that can double as a pull-up bar. Take a good grip on the bar, feet on the ground, and slowly take all your weight on your arms. If that’s really not possible, or if it’s awkward for you, keep your feet touching the floor, but take gradually more weight on your arms and less on your feet.

Hold the position … and relax. Try to just let yourself hang by your arms. Don’t feel like you’re making a big effort to do this, just let yourself hang off the bar. Of course, you’ll be gripping the bar, so you’re not totally relaxed, I realise that, but in effect you will be just hanging there, as relaxed as possible. And if you can hold that position for 30 seconds or a minute it can really take a lot of strain off your back.

Hanging in this position ‘pulls’ your vertebrae apart gently, acting against the tension that’s been building up and squashing them together for quite a while. It can feel really good, and it can be effective in very quickly easing back pain.

WALKING

It’s a very simple exercise, walking, and that’s why it’s so underrated, but it’s actually a great thing to do for your health. It’s good it you can walk briskly, but if back pain means you can only walk slowly, then do that. The important thing is to get your body moving and to encourage a healthy blood flow.

It’s also a great reminder to focus on your posture, to breathe deeply and evenly, and to relax. Walking can be almost meditational, even if you’re just doing it to relax and take a breather. Either focus on something you want your mind to work on, or decide that you’re going to just mentally relax, in which case you can let go almost completely, just making sure you’re aware of your surroundings and you take common sense safety precautions, such as keeping an eye on traffic, for example.

EXERCISE

If you’re able to exercise, this can strengthen your back. I say ‘if’, because if your back pain is severe if can be really disabling. Severe back pain can make exercise uncomfortable at best, maybe impossible. But if you can do some exercise (preferably regular exercise), your back will benefit from it.

Pull-ups are great for your back, in all their variations. You can do them with a close grip, palms facing towards you, or a wider grip, palms facing forward. You can vary the width of the grip, even so your hands are touching in the middle of the bar. Do the exercise fairly slowly, making the muscles work hard – there’s really not much to be gained for rushing something like this.

If you get in the hang position, you can do knee raises, and you can even do them to the sides, alternately raising your knees and trying to angle them towards first one shoulder, then the opposite one. This really works the back muscles, but it’s quite safe as long as you don’t jerk or do anything suddenly. Do the movements in a controlled way, focusing on using your muscles properly and staying keenly aware of any pain you might feel. STOP the moment an exercise like this causes you any back pain, and take the hint; it’s your body telling you it’s being put in a precarious position.

Lie flat on the floor (on a training mat, or a carpet). Put your hands on the floor more or less underneath your shoulders and raise your head and chest from the floor (assuming you can manage it). Keep your body mostly on the floor, just bring your head and chest up as high as you’re comfortably able. You might feel your back getting really tense, but it’s just about to relax, don’t worry. Don’t hold your breath, just keep breathing gently, and don’t strain your neck by trying to look directly upwards. Hold the position for at least a few seconds, then gently down. Put your arms back at your sides and relax. Really let go, and let gravity take over.

Another variation is to do the same, but this time try to raise your feet off the floor at the same time, so you’re supported just by your mid section. If you can, you can reach forward with your hands, so you’re assuming a position a bit like Superman flying (sometimes they call this exercise supermans).

This really makes your back muscles work, and the more they work, the better they’ll appreciate a good relax. Hold the position for a few seconds, or as long as is comfortable for you, then ease down and relax. A few reps like this can sometimes take away most of your back pain, at least for a while.

A very simple exercise is the plank. Just lie face down, then push yourself up, taking your weight on your hands, or your elbows, if you prefer. Keep your arms straight, so you’re supported on your hands and your toes. Keep your neck straight and relaxed, not looking forward or upward. Now just hold that position, keeping your back ramrod stiff. Hold it for maybe 30 seconds, then relax. A few reps of the plank can give your back some much needed exercise, but in a very gentle way.

Of course, as your back gets stronger you might be able to hold the position for a minute, maybe even two minutes or more. But don’t feel that you have to strain yourself. You’re trying to ease your back pain, not make it worse. Just be aware so you don’t overdo it.

There are lots of other exercises that can help ease back pain, but these few should keep you going for a while.

SWIMMING

If you’re able to get to a pool, swimming can really help. The buoyancy of the water can ease your back considerably, because it’s effectively making you lighter. Just spending 15-30 minutes in a pool, swimming or just relaxing, can be a great way to relax your back.

POSTURE

Sitting and standing with a bad posture is a practice virtually designed to cause you back pain. If you’ve already got it, and you’d rather not have it, then do what you can to improve your posture. Sit with your back straight, and don’t slouch. You might find it much more comfortable to sit in a hard backed chair rather than on a soft couch or armchair. If you do go for the soft option (literally), then do without extra cushions – they’re not necessary and they just tend to make you slouch even more. Just sit up straight on the couch, with your backside as far back as possible.

Also, try to keep your back straight while standing. Don’t allow your shoulders to fall forward. Pull your belly in (the feeling should be that you’re trying to get your belly button as close as possible to your spine). Incidentally, don’t overdo the straight back bit – I don’t mean that you should try to stand stiffly upright , or as though you’re standing to attention, or literally trying to straighten your spine – it’s meant to be curved! Just that you should pull your shoulders back, tuck your chin in a little, and imagine that there’s a thread attached to the top of your skull and it’s pulling you up straight.

BREATHING

We tend to take very little notice of our breathing, just letting it happen all by itself. I mean, it’s great that it happens automatically :), y’know, saves us a hell of a lot of trouble … but that doesn’t mean we should just forget about it completely.

Try to make it a habit to do a bit of deep breathing on a regular basis, even if it’s only for a minute or two. A simple way to do this is to install a mental trigger. For example, you could tell yourself that every time it’s on the hour, you’ll do some deep breathing. Then, whenever you look at your watch (or, these days your phone, more likely!), and it’s round about on the hour, take a few long, deep breaths. Whenever a television programme ends, it’s often on the hour … there’s that trigger again, take a few deep, slow breaths. Every time you see the TV news come on, whether it’s lunchtime news, tea time news, midnight news or whatever, there’s that mental trigger again … take a few deep breaths.

Doing some deep breathing will almost always coax you to check your posture at the same time, so that’s two for the price of one!

DRINK

No, calm down, alcohol isn’t the answer either! But water is! Drinking plenty of water (like breathing) isn’t something we pay much attention to, in fact we hardly think about it. But the fact is we do need plenty of water, and probably more than we generally allow ourselves.

Get in the habit of carrying around a small bottle of water. Regular sips is all you need. And you can get a refill almost anywhere! If you start doing this, you could seriously increase your daily water intake with only the barest effort, and your general health will be improved along with it.

Your back pain might well subside, to some extent, if you drink more water, because your body really needs it, and that includes your intervertebral discs. If you’re dehydrated to any extent they can become stiffer and provide less of a cushioning effect.

Incidentally, if you want to know if you’re dehydrated (which is very common, by the way), then take a look at your urine. If it’s yellowish, you really should be drinking more water – it should be colourless! I know, this can seem confusing … when you pee, you’re flushing out impurities, etc, right? So you might think that if the urine is darker then that’s fine, there’s the impurities, what’s the problem?? Well, the body is getting rid of the impurities, that’s true, but there should be enough water along with them to make it a very dilute solution. So ideally, the urine should be colourless, and if it’s not, start drinking more water (and by the way, if you’re severely dehydrated, your urine will be much darker – a clear warning, if you still needed one (well, a murky one actually), that you need to take on water, and plenty of it).

MASSAGE

If you can get someone (maybe a partner) to give you a gentle back massage, that can be a very relaxing and beneficial way to spend 5-10 minutes. Just make sure they understand you don’t want any heavy-handed treatment! An untrained person can easily get carried away, and with the best intentions, can aggravate a back condition.

SEE A SPECIALIST

Osteopathy and chiropractic are two options you might want to consider. They’re similar, but not the same thing. Either one of them could be the answer you’re looking for. Be prepared, on your first visit, to answer a lot of questions. A genuine practitioner of either of these specialities will want to take a full medical history before he gets physical with you. He (or she) will need to know the entire background of your problem, and as much as possible about your general health.

ACUPUNCTURE

I had acupuncture treatment for an Achilles tendon problem some time ago and it was surprisingly effective. I mean, I was open to acupuncture being effective, but I didn’t really expect it to work quite so well. Each treatment lasted, I guess, about twenty minutes. The first one eased the problem by probably 10%. I went back for ongoing sessions of treatment over the next few weeks, and each one lessened the pain. By the third or fourth it was about 85% healed. Over the next few days it disappeared completely.

So I can recommend acupuncture, going by my experience. I didn’t have it for back pain, but I don’t doubt it would probably be effective. I was also glad to see that the treatment was available on the NHS. Years ago, there would have been no way to get the benefit of acupuncture except by private medicine.

LIE DOWN AND RELAX!

Obvious, I know! But sometimes the obvious slips our notice. Taking even a very brief lie down can really ease back pain. For me, it has to be lying on my side; lying on my back, particularly if my back’s giving me trouble, can be too painful. I lie on my side and pull my knees up a little. I find that eases my back pain pretty quickly, usually. If you prefer to lie on your back, and if you’re able to, put a pillow under your knees; that can ease the back pain you can get from lying flat on your back.

And I use just one small pillow, a memory foam pillow. It keeps my head and neck in a comfortable position. If you haven’t tried them, I can recommend them.

Oh, and before I forget, if your back pain gets really uncomfortable, a heat pad or a hot water bottle strapped to your back can provide almost instant relief!

Your pain, your choice!

These are just some of the things you can do to ease your back pain. Looking back, there are quite a few of them actually, probably more than I had in mind when I started this page, and it’s worth trying out some of the ones that might be new to you. Certain exercises, for example, might not have been an obvious choice, but once you try them you might find they ease the pain quite a bit. Same goes for posture; if you’ve never really thought about how it affects your back, it might well be worth focusing on it in the future. Once you start regularly correcting your posture it doesn’t take long for it to become habitual.

You can take pain killers as well, of course, but personally I try to avoid them unless the pain becomes almost unbearable. They’re the last resort, but when they’re needed it’s good to know they’re available 🙂

Take care!

Try to be aware of your back and take care to use it carefully. If you’re doing any lifting (furniture, appliances, that kind of thing), make sure you use simple common sense back safety principles, such as bending your knees and keeping your back straight.

If you’re able to, you should probably take up some form of regular exercise, if you’re not already doing some. And take care of your general health, which includes such things as getting adequate sleep, drinking plenty of water, and using correct posture.

If you pay attention to these points you should be able to avoid back injuries,
and you should be able to ease your back pain, at least to some extent,
if you’re already suffering with it.