Did you know that every 8 out of 10 working professional may suffer from back pain due to prolonged seated working hours? So, do not be surprised if you suddenly experience some! Back and neck pain have become as frequent as common cold today!
Lower Back Pain (LBP) and Neck Pain are not only affecting adults after a certain age but are surprisingly being suffered by youth and working professionals of all ages today. A sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits of young adults are to be blamed, along with other factors such as untrained back muscles, wrong posture, and stress which causes the cramping and hardening of muscles. All of this leads to wear and tear of the neck and back muscles and associated joints.
Once we start suffering from back or neck pain, all we want to do is find quick relief. However, it is important for one to understand the causes and types of pain before we find a suitable solution.
5 common causes of back and neck pain due to our current lifestyle:
1. Our back and neck muscles are particularly strained when we work for 10-12 hours a day without paying any attention to our standing or sitting posture.
2. Inactivity and lack of exercise eventually leads to the weakening of the back muscles, simply because the back muscles are not being ‘used’.
3. A stressful mind and absence of peace can worsen your back and other joint pains.
4. Frequent use of laptops and mobile phones in odd and unnatural postures can cause acute neck pain.
5. A protruding belly with excessively accumulated fat (as a result of unhealthy eating habits), may cause lower back pain.
There are mainly 2 types of back and neck pain:
Acute pain is generally caused by accidents, sudden falls, or lifting something heavy all of a sudden. The pain might be really uncomfortable but it does not last for a long time.
Chronic pain is when the pain might not be intense but it is always there. If your back pain lasts for more than 3-4 months, then it is called chronic. It can be due to a previous accident or there can be other hidden causes for it too.
4 quick ways to get relief:
1. Improve your posture - Set up a proper workstation as you spend long hours at a desk. An ergonomic work desk allows your muscles to work more efficiently, reduces muscle strain, and prevents unnecessary back and neck pain.
2. Regular exercise, enough hydration and a nutritious diet - Our muscles and tissues have 60% water content. Therefore, it is important to stay well-hydrated. In addition, you must exercise daily for 20-30 minutes and eat a nutritious diet consisting of green leafy vegetables, proteins and carbohydrates daily.
3. Cold & heat therapy - Home remedies such as simple ice or cold pack application is the easiest way to treat a sore back or neck. Combining massage therapy with ice application is a good alternative for pain relief. Heat therapy goes a long way in providing both pain relief and healing benefits for many types of lower back pain.
4. Instant pain relief ointments and gels - Painkillers and muscle relaxants are helpful in case of acute back pain. A muscle relaxant such as Moov Advance Diclofenac Gel comes to the rescue in such cases, as it is easily available over the counter and is trusted and recommended by general physicians too.
Moov Advance Diclofenac Gel contains Diclofenac, which acts fast and provides long-lasting relief from acute pain. It has a unique non-sticky, fast absorption formula that allows the gel to work quickly and reduce the pain. Besides back pain, it gives relief from joint pain, muscle stiffness, swelling and inflammation due to musculoskeletal disorders (such as sprains, strains, tendonitis, bursitis, hand, neck, shoulder pain and sciatica). Read more about the product here.
Chronic back pain might require prolonged medications, physiotherapy, or a combination of both. If you are one with chronic pain, you may need to immediately consult with an orthopedic doctor. Get the suggested X-rays and other tests done in order to start the appropriate treatment for the pain.