{"id":7212,"date":"2019-07-05T09:59:32","date_gmt":"2019-07-05T09:59:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/?p=7212"},"modified":"2021-06-12T16:29:07","modified_gmt":"2021-06-12T16:29:07","slug":"14-simple-ways-to-alleviate-upper-back-pain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/14-simple-ways-to-alleviate-upper-back-pain\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Simple Ways to Alleviate Upper Back Pain"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Back pain is one of the most common complaints that people seek medical advice. The vast majority of people will experience some type of back pain at some point in their lives and whilst most of these cases will clear up by themselves, anyone who has suffered from back pain will confirm that it is one of the most energy-sapping and utterly debilitating pains that a person can endure. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pain can come on in any part of the back with the upper back being just one of the areas that can typically be affected. Given the fact that back pain can be so painful, anyone suffering would be best advised to look for relief quickly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are 8 simple ways to help relieve upper back pain. Sometimes a flare-up of upper back pain will go away fairly quickly, whereas sometimes it may linger for much longer. Either way, any kind of relief is a good relief.
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1.     Exercise<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It might seem like the last thing on earth that you\u2019d want to do, however, exercising whilst you have upper back pain<\/a> could be the secret to bringing about a quick resolution. The more still you keep your body, the less active the muscles are allowed to be. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whilst in some instances this can help, in many more, it can be a hindrance as muscles need to move to work properly. Allowing them to stiffen up through inactivity can worsen the problem and bring about even more pain. The exercise that a person can partake in very much depends on the level of the pain and the restrictions that the pain causes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Generally, it is a good idea to take part in low impact and noncontact forms of exercise such as swimming or using a cross-trainer. As the pain reduces, the exercise can be increased in terms of frequency and impact, right up until normal activity is resumed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2.     Something cold and something hot<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The treatment <\/a>of back problems with hot or cold remedies is nothing new. Often though, the instruction to use either hot or cold applications to treat back pain can be contradictory, with one person saying you should use cold and another person saying you should use hot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The problem is that you end up wondering which person to listen to and which piece of information is correct. The simple answer to this question is that both are correct and that a combination of hot and cold applications could prove pivotal in treating upper back pain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cold is usually applied in the form of ice packs, placed over the affected area, whilst heat is usually applied via the use of a heat pack or a heat belt. Both applications are useful in reducing swelling and aiding movement, especially when they are administered alternatingly and frequently. Both options work well in isolation, but even better together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3.     Sit up straight<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You were probably reminded about sitting up straight all the way through your childhood and well into your teens. The truth is that everyone needs to maintain good posture at all times to help ward off the threat of all different kinds of back pain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sitting can be an especially big challenge for back pain sufferers when it comes to achieving a correct posture<\/a>, as in many cases sitting up straight can feel like the thing that is causing the pain. The short term awkwardness and discomfort of correcting sitting posture is worth it for the long term impact that this could have on reducing upper back pain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Humans weren’t really designed with sitting in mind and so in many respects, we have to make the best of a bad job, by maintaining an upright posture most of the time in an attempt to stop our backs from irregular bending or twisting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4.     Eat healthily<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Who knew that eating healthily could help to prevent and alleviate back pain? Well, a lot of people actually and now you do too. There are so many different types of foods that have the potential to cause inflammation <\/a>within the body. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amongst the worst offenders in terms of the inflammatory stakes are red meat and alcohol. When we consume these food and drink items, the inflammatory markers in our blood go through the roof, meaning that muscle pulls, spasms and twinges are amplified in terms of how they are felt by the nervous system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a world where our food is full of additives and artificial ingredients, choosing a plant-based and specifically, anti-inflammatory diet can make a real difference to people living with upper back pain. The best way to see if the diet is what is causing your back pain is to vary the things that you miss out and to try that omission for up to two months to give it a fair test.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5.     Stretch<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You might think that you can\u2019t stretch to save your life, or you might be able to touch your toes with ease, back pain can affect anyone at any time. If you\u2019re able to stretch out though, you put yourself in a good position to be able to address episodes of back pain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It can sometimes seem like the last thing you want to do when your back is killing, but no one is saying you need to be able to master the splits here, just that a little stretching <\/a>can go a long way, so give it a try. Start by lying on your back and lifting your heels along the floor towards your butt. Then arch up at the waist to create a bridge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This bridging stretch can encourage the natural lengthening of the spine and even help to restore the natural curvature of a healthy spine. Stretching is an essential part of any health and fitness regime and this is also true when it comes to addressing upper back pain.
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6.     Reduce Stress<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Believe it or not, stress <\/a>can cause upper back pain to be worsened and to be felt even more by the sufferer. Stress causes our muscles to tighten and our heart rate to increase, and these things, in turn, can lead to increased upper back pain and even back spasms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Avoiding stress can be a hard thing to do and it has almost become an accepted part of life. Be that as it may, the stress caused by things like work, traveling and even raising children can all contribute to making a mountain out of a molehill in terms of back pain. Being kind to yourself mentally as well as physically is so important when it comes to reducing stress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Allowing for times of relaxation is essential if the hustle and bustle of the twenty-first century and all the stress that causes is ever likely to be remedied. Don’t stress!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7.     Take Anti-Inflammatory Medication<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Back pain can be so bad that sometimes people are unable to see the wood for the trees. There\u2019s a common misconception that over the counter pain medications and anti-inflammatory tablets are only intended to treat things like headaches<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is simply untrue, and many over the counter remedies such as ibuprofen can be really beneficial when it comes to treating upper back pain. Most people tend to retreat to the bed when a particularly bad spell of back pain sets in, but they might not have to if they prepared themselves a little more by taking medicine ahead of a pain they can feel coming on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anti-inflammatory medicines are great for back pain, though any pain that lasts longer than a few days and that is not eased by things like ibuprofen probably requires the advice of a doctor or a physiotherapist. It isn\u2019t admitting defeat to pop a pill, it\u2019s taking action!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8.     Do yoga<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You don’t have to completely change your lifestyle and your circle of friends to become a yoga <\/a>aficionado, you don’t even need a gym membership or to search for classes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In order to enjoy the pain-relieving benefits of yoga, a person simply has to log on to their computer and tap in some keywords to do with yoga and back pain. It couldn’t be any easier. Within seconds you’ll find a wealth of resources online to help you address the underlying causes of the back pain with some step by step guides on how to do yoga. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might want to seek out classes and gyms for the social side of things, but often, the privacy of someone’s own home is what appeals to them about doing yoga to address their back pain. At the end of the day, different things work for different people and so a range of methods to treat upper back pain is always advisable.
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