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Low Back Pain: What You Can Do

Always listen to your body. Low back pain symptoms aren't the same for everyone. Depending on the cause, your pain may be dull or sharp. It may be chronic or intermittent. Perhaps your pain gets worse with standing, sitting, bending, or walking. Pain can even extend into your buttock or down your leg. Shooting pain accompanied with feelings of numbness, tingling, or weakness down your leg can indicate sciatica, a common result of a herniated disk in the lower back, where the disk bulges out toward the spinal canal.

So, if a certain movement or exercise causes pain, STOP - and pay attention. Discuss with your doctor or other health care professional what movements are safe for you to do. And never forget these tips on what you can do to protect your back:

Rest, but not indefinitely. Recent research suggests that staying in bed for more than a day or two after an acute injury may NOT be the best way to recuperate. Prolonged bed rest may cause your muscles to lose strength and their ability to support your back correctly. Instead, remain active “within limits” and continue to listen to your body's signals.

Don’t forget to sit and stand safely. Think about the positions you are in for most of day? Are you doing everything you can to protect your low back with good posture? You've heard it before, but it bears repeating: Good posture is critical! So, sit or stand with your back aligned; and quickly correct yourself if you discover you're slouching.

When I work on clients with lower back pain, I often alleviate the pain by relaxing muscles and getting them to release their tension thereby alleviating the pressure placed on sensitive nerves and joints. Pain makes us “curl up” and tense up. This causes misalignment to our skeletal and muscular structure. The use of massage helps to restore structural balance, and reduces pain with regular use.

Never-the-less, learn to listen to your body’s subtle signals and you will not only look and feel better, but you can save yourself a world of hurt in the process.

As always – enjoy your life.

John Aaron Villarreal

Bio: I am a Houston based, male massage therapist and wellness coach specializing in pain management and health programs for individuals over the age of forty. I laugh - a lot. I'm quirky but sincere. And, while I'm not a counselor, I do listen and I do care: Except for the times that I don't. That’s a joke - Did I mention that I like to laugh? Anyway, visit my website, call or email me and let's get together to talk about you, and the many ways to live life better!

The Legal Stuff: I write to inform, inspire and encourage my readers to enjoy all that life has to offer.
The content and information on this site is not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease.
Please consult your physician prior to starting any exercise, diet or wellness program.

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