6 June 2018
 Categories: Health & Medical , Blog

Whether you've always had back pain, or you recently experienced some sort of trauma, back pain is known for making you feel completely miserable. If your back pain is starting to affect your work, there are several ways you can get relief, without having to take medication. These three tips can help decrease back pain flareups and are easy to do right in your office.

Start Walking

If your back pain is flaring up, generally the last thing you want to do is to start moving. But, you need to get on your feet. A single walking session can reduce your back pain by up to 50%. You don't need to go for long strolls around the neighborhood either. All you need is 10 minutes of walking to start getting relief from back pain. You can easily get in a short walk by walking over to your co-workers' offices, rather than sending out emails. 

Sit and Stretch

While there are plenty of great exercises that can help stretch and strengthen your back to decrease pain, you usually need to be on the floor to do them. Rolling around on your office floor is probably not on the top of your to-do list. Instead, start performing back pain relief exercises directly from your office chair. One of the best yoga moves for back pain is the cat-cow stretch, which requires you to be on all fours arching your back upwards and downwards.

As an office-friendly alternative, plant your feet flat on the floor and sit at a 90-degree angle. Point your fingers towards each other and keep your hands firmly on top of your knees. When you inhale, roll your shoulders forward and pull your abdomen in toward your spine. Your chin should drop to your chest during this inhale. As you exhale, press your hands into your knees and arch your back. By the end of your exhale, you should be looking up towards the sky. Making this modification to the cat-cow stretch is something you can easily do right at your work desk, several times a day. 

Learn Breathing Techniques

When your back pain is starting to take over, sit quietly for a few minutes, and focus on your breathing. The simple 4-7-8 method is a natural back pain relief treatment. All you have to do is place the tip of your tongue behind your upper teeth. Exhale completely making a slight "whoosh" sound. Inhale through your nose for a count of four—hold it for a count of seven. For your exhale through your mouth, make it last for a count of eight, while making that gentle "whoosh" sound. Complete the cycle four times to get some relief from your back pain flareup.