Most back pain / injuries are not due to serious injury or disease, rather a result of poor body mechanics and posture. These injuries can be treated and you shouldn’t panic. Controlling anxiety and fear of re-injury or causing further damage is very important in regaining normal function and healing.
The basis for these psychological reactions to back pain lies in the nervous system, which responds to pain by instructing the muscles near the affected part to protect against further injury. Only appropriate functional re-training can overcome this neurological barrier to normal function and therefore should be encouraged.
Active Rest
When you are experiencing back pain, your first instinct may be to crawl back into bed, but actually research has confirmed that staying active is usually best to keep your back healthy. Bed Rest has been shown to be ineffective for back pain and can actually delay recovery. So the sooner you get going, the better.
Don’t Ignore the pain
On the flip side, for most people, they recognise that while back pain is a setback, it will be a temporary one. However, refusing to acknowledge that you have to slow down, could result in your back pain becoming chronic and/or more severe. So take your pain as a sign that you need to change your speed and intensity for a bit. It doesn’t mean you can’t be active, but you may need to adjust your activities a bit.
Accept the Pain
Accepting the pain may be the best way to mentally cope. Accept it, realise things need to change, make a plan, start making daily consistent effort. Pain is only temporary, it won’t last for every, use it to make you a better, healthier version of yourself.
Do Not Focus On The Pain
Do not dwell on your Pain or ill health and you’ll minimise the effects it has on your lifestyle. Think positive and remember you will improve with time. Distract yourself by reading, listening to music, keeping active. The more you focus on the pain the more you’ll experience pain.
“You become what you think about most.. But you also attract what you think about most.”
― Rhonda Byrne, The Secret
Get Back to work
Getting back to work quickly keeps you involved with others, gets you in a regular routine, keeps you active and helps you focus on something other than your back pain. If you can’t manage full days at work at first, talk to your employer about easing back into your job. This could involve working part of the days at first, or it could mean that for a time you avoid doing those parts of your job that will make your back feel worse, like heavy lifting. If your work involves lots of sitting, make sure you get up and stretch regularly and follow the advice further up the list.
Positive Mental Attitude
Keep a positive attitude and expect positive results. Look for signs of improvement and take encouragement from them. Your attitude and belief has in incredibly strong influence on your body and is a key factor in healing.
“Whether you think you can or think you can’t, either way you are right.”
― Henry Ford
If you are struggling with back pain or joint pain, our Liverpool Chiropractor can help you with fast, effective pain relief. Please contact us to make an appointment.
