Back stiffness and back pain are so common that we don't give them the attention they deserve. It usually resolves with just rest or, at worst, after taking painkillers. However, this condition should be taken seriously as it can be an early sign of progressive loss of water from the discs in your vertebrae, which if left untreated, can lead to disc degeneration. If you're wise enough to know that rehydrating your spinal discs can lead to years of healthy bones and strong backs, start with Step 1 below.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Improving Back and Bone Health
Step 1. Drink lots of water
Spinal discs are part of the body. If the body is dehydrated, the spinal disc will also become dehydrated. Water is essential for optimal fibrocartilage health. Dehydration makes it difficult to regain normal form and function.
Drink about 3 L of water every day. Blood circulation to your back area must be good to reach the water
Step 2. Maintain your blood alkaline level
The normal pH of our body is 7.4 which means it is slightly alkaline (pH 7 is neutral). Its alkaline nature helps deposit calcium in young bones and cartilage. If the pH of the body becomes acidic, various alkaline substances including calcium tend to neutralize the excess acid. Thus, calcium is lost from the bones and cartilage, causing the bones and cartilage to dry out.
- Coffee, cigarettes, alcohol, refined sugar, junk food, fast food, overcooked food, refined bread, meat, etc. make our body acidic. Try to avoid these products.
- Raw foods, especially vegetables, are great for maintaining the alkalinity of the blood and body tissues.
- Drinking too much milk also makes the blood pH acidic, although milk is a good source of calcium.
Step 3. Eat foods rich in calcium
Calcium is a component of bone formation. Calcium is also important for optimal cartilage health. Consuming calcium can strengthen the vertebral disc and fibrocartilage as well. This is especially important for the elderly and postmenopausal women who are more prone to calcium deficits and fractures.
- Nut-milk, nut-butter (not buttermilk), nuts, seeds, leafy greens such as broccoli, green leafy vegetables and sprouts are examples of foods rich in calcium.
- You can also take calcium supplements if you are unsure about calcium sources or if you have a calcium deficit. Take 500 mg of Tab Calcium or Tab Calcium+ Vitamin D preparations once daily until your symptoms are completely gone.
Step 4. Exercise
Regular exercise is great for bone and joint function. Any form of exercise such as aerobics, yoga or just walking, can be done. Here is how exercise can help:
- By strengthening the back muscles, the potential for weight-bearing increases.
- Increases spinal flexibility.
- By strengthening the abdominal muscles, legs, and arms, the weight is distributed evenly and this reduces pressure on the back.
- Age-related bone loss is greatly minimized, making the spine strong and able to withstand pressure.
Step 5. Lose weight
You may have noticed that overweight people are more likely to complain of back pain, shifting discs, and all kinds of other back problems. When you are in an upright position, your body weight is supported by your spine, so, naturally, in obese people, the spine must withstand stress. This causes minor injuries and degeneration. Try to keep your weight within the ideal range for your height.
Your doctor will be able to pinpoint the right weight for you and help you begin a plan to lose weight and exercise safely. Even shedding just a few pounds can make a difference
Part 2 of 3: Taking Care of Your Back
Step 1. Increase blood circulation to your back area
Good circulation is important for bringing nutrients and water to the disc, thereby keeping the disc hydrated. If you rest or just sit all day, blood circulation will slow down. The best way to do this? Activities and massage.
- Do regular activities to increase circulation. Get up regularly and take short walks if you sit for long periods of time.
- Massaging the back will also increase the blood supply to some extent. You may need someone else's help to do this. Ten minutes once or twice every day will do you a lot of good.
Step 2. Consider taking supplements
Glucosamine and chondroitin are important components of cartilage. Both are important for maintaining cartilage flexibility. You can use the following supplements to support and renew your cartilage.
- Take Glucosamine Tabs 500 mg three times a day or Glucosamine + Chondroitin Tabs one to two tablets three times a day. The dose may be reduced after 60 days or according to response.
- You can also apply glucosamine sulfate cream locally on the affected area. This will reduce inflammation and promote healing of the fibrocartilage. Apply a thin layer of this cream on the affected area and massage gently with your fingers. Use twice a day until the pain subsides.
Step 3. Consider doing some form of back therapy
When you take precautions against disc degeneration, you are also protecting your back from disc dehydration. You have several options:
- Complementary and alternative medical therapies (CAM). This therapy really works well in the early stages of disc dehydration where it can greatly reduce the progression of degeneration and can lead to regeneration as well.
- Chiropractic Care. In this type of spinal treatment, manipulation is done by hand to restore alignment of the spinal joints. The chiropractor with controlled force manipulates the joints and restores alignment, this greatly relieves stress. Only a trained chiropractor should do this.
- Massage therapy. It reduces related muscle tension and improves blood circulation to the affected joints. Various types of massage therapy such as massage therapy with alternating hot and cold, panchkarma massage therapy, etc. carried out with varying degrees of success.
- Other treatments such as ultrasonic or electrical stimulation, braces, pool therapy, posture training, flexibility and strength training, etc. also popular. All of these treatments can help in some cases and are worth trying, but should be done under the supervision of a professional.
- Spinal decompression with withdrawal: This helps by increasing the disc space, thereby facilitating the flow of water to rehydrate the damaged disc. This type of therapy is only for chronic cases; this therapy should not be used if there is acute swelling and pain in the area.
Step 4. Avoid bad posture
We need to adopt different postures for daily activities because posture has important effects on our spinal disc and disc dehydration. Some postures tend to shift the disc and put pressure on the disc. Your every movement and activity should be arranged so that the disc remains relaxed.
- Keep your torso as straight as possible. Place a pillow under your knees when lying on your back and between your legs to support your lower back when you lie on your side.
- Sit up straight keeping your entire back in contact with the back of the chair. Keep your buttocks as back as possible when sitting in a chair.
- While standing, keep your back straight and contract your abdominal muscles the entire time.
- If you need to lift an object off the floor, squat down first, then lift the object with your hands. Lift one knee and keep the object on that knee. Stand up keeping your back straight.
- Don't sit or stand for too long.
Step 5. Rest when you need to
This is mandatory in all cases as it is very effective in reducing back pain. In a standing position, the spine supports the weight but when you rest, the weight is lifted off the spine and back muscles; it relieves pressure and makes you comfortable.
Complete bed rest should not continue for more than 2 to 3 days as it will weaken the back muscles, which is completely undesirable. So gradually resume your activities once your back pain subsides
Step 6. Consider starting medication
Anti-pain and anti-inflammatory medications can often help patients resume normal activities. Medications also help you exercise regularly, reduce pain, and stretch your back so that your discs are properly lubricated.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the first line of treatment for back pain associated with disc degeneration. Examples of these drugs include ibuprofen, ketoprofen, aspirin, indomethasone, diclofenac, etc.
- Narcotics such as morphine, codeine, pentazocine, etc. sometimes given if there is excessive pain that is not managed by NSAIDs. Take this type of medication for a short period of time, because the side effects can cause other problems. The most common side effects include nausea, vomiting, constipation, dizziness, and above all, the drug is associated with potential addiction.
- Muscle relaxants, commonly prescribed drugs such as chlorozoxane, are associated with drowsiness, a tendency to depression, and fatigue so they should not be taken for more than 2 to 3 days. This drug is reported to help treat muscle spasms.
- When there is excessive pain and all other treatments have failed, doctors sometimes recommend injecting cortisone and a local anesthetic into the space around the spinal cord -- this is known as an epidural block. Prior to administration of an epidural, the cause of the pain is determined by a CT scan or MRI of the back and an initial examination is recommended.
Step 7. Consider surgical correction
Your surgical choice of surgery depends on the cause of the disc wound. For example:
- Laminectomy and dynamic disc stabilization can improve disc rehydration in cases of lumbar spinal stenosis.
- Spinal fusion is the treatment of choice for all refractory cases of degenerative spondylosis.
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Disc regeneration using mesenchymal stem cells is definitely a future treatment for all disc degenerative diseases, but for now, this method is still in the experimental stage.
Surgical correction may not be successful in all cases and is associated with certain risks, so it should be attempted only when all other conservative methods have failed
Part 3 of 3: Training Your Back
Step 1. Perform a knee pull
This helps relieve pain from nerve compression (lumbago or sciatica). However, before doing any exercise, it is better to consult a doctor or physiotherapist. This is because some sports can actually exacerbate disc damage, rather than benefit the disc. The goal of exercise is to strengthen the back muscles to support the spine, and reposition the discs into their normal position. After knowing all that, here is how to do the knee pull exercise:
- Lie flat on your back and grasp one knee with intertwined fingers.
- Pull your knees to your chest while keeping your back straight. Hold for 20 seconds.
- Do the same for the other knee. Repeat this about 20 times in one session. Do 2 sessions daily.
Step 2. Perform a hip lift
This will, quite obviously, lift your pelvis forward.
- Lie flat on your back with both knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Press the floor with your lower back and buttocks by relaxing your back muscles and tightening your stomach and buttock muscles.
- Keep pressing for 20 seconds. Do the same number of repetitions as the forehead-to-knee stretch.
Step 3. Perform abdominal bends
This is to train the abdominal muscles and sides of the body.
- Lie flat on your back with both legs bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Place your hands behind your head with intertwined fingers.
- Slowly and gradually, lift your head and shoulders while keeping your back on the floor. You will feel the tension in your abdominal muscles.
- Hold your head for 5 seconds, then slowly lower it back down.
- For starters, repeat this 5 times in one session. Gradually increase the number to about 20 times.
Step 4. Do reverse sit ups
As you learn to maintain balance, gradually increase the degree of recline to a nearly lying position and return to an upright position again. Here's how:
- Sit on the floor with your back straight and knees bent.
- Stabilize yourself by extending your arms in front of you.
- Now lean back slowly and keep your abs tight.
- Try to avoid falling backwards by using your abs and sides. Hold this position for 20 seconds.
- Repeat this 20 times per session. 2-3 sessions per day is enough for the beginning.
Step 5. Do the back stretch
This exercise helps push the spinal disc forward and releases compression on the nerve roots.
- Lie on your stomach comfortably.
- Lift your head and shoulders and support yourself by placing your palms on the floor.
- Hold for 10 seconds and return to normal position.
- Relax for 20 seconds and repeat. At first, do it 5 times, and increase it twice for each upgrade.
Tips
- In degenerative disc disease, never start any exercise plan without consulting a good spine physiotherapist first.
- Correct posture, proper exercise, and good nutrition are key elements for rehydrating discs.
- Your family history can make you susceptible to degenerative disc disease.
- If you have back problems, consult a spine specialist first.
