I am not a doctor so take this advice with some caution. However if you, like me, suffer from lower back pain then read on and help yourself eliminate the pain.
I had my first back pain attack at 22 years of age. I bent over to work on the fan belt on my 66 Corvair, and my back locked up in a total spasm. I couldn't walk, stand or sit. I had to lie in the back seat of the car while someone drove me home. Yikes!
I visited a chiropractor, the first one of years of visits and lots of money trying to fix the problem. The fact was it never really was fixed. Though I remained active, exercising and doing all the outdoors activities I enjoy, the back was always a problem.
Sitting or standing for long periods of time caused cramping, pain, and stiffness.As I aged it only got worse. Then came the sciatica. What the heck was this? Sharp pain radiating down the leg, and rendering me unable to move. I one especially nasty attck of sciatica it took me a half hour to move from the bedroom to the bathroom, while in terrible pain the whole time.
I saw an Orthopedist who did X Rays, an MRI, and more. He advised that nothing would fix the problem, and surgery could possibly make it worse. I had been suffering from degenerative discs in my lower spine, and they would get worse in the future.
Years later the discs are pretty much degenerated to the point of non-existence. I have to wonder where they went, but seriously; the new spaces inbetween the vertebrae have left me an inch or more shorter then I was.
Luckily I discovered a small and inexpensive book called Treat Your Own Back, by Robin A. McKenzie. This book has a simple to understand explaination of why your back hurts and what to do about it.
It is important to note that if you do nothing it only gets worse. Lying down on the bed or couch will not help either. Rest will only help for a short while if at all.
This book will give you a plan of action to take that will truly help in most cases.
If you only do one stretch from this book, you may surprise yourself at how much better you feel.
That simple stretch is a common arch up off the floor, slowly raising your head and suspending your lower belly while breating deeply. There are times when I can't get up off the floor more thn an inch or two on the first stretch. I persist and after three or more of these moves the spine begins to loosen up. Amazingly I can then stand comfortably, walk and go about my day.
During the day there are other stretches and techniques prescribed , all very easy to do.
If your back pain is severe, there are moves and methods of reducing the pain and moving toward elminating it, at least most of the time.
I still lift weights, and do lots of things that would have hurt my back and laid me up in the past. Thanks to this little book I am mostly pain free. I do a five minute strecthing routine daily in the mornign when the back is pain free, and longer when it hurts. During the day I stand and do a few of the streteches when I can. Being in a job that requires me to sit for long periods of thime, the stretches are invaluable.
Help yourself and feel better with bit of advice from this great reference.
Find the book online, at Treat Your Own Back look for the used editions that start at just 1 cent.
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