Let me guess, you suffer with chronic back pain? You’ve also heard that if you could reduce inflammation, you may have less back pain.
Is that right?
Great!
That means you’ve probably heard the reports of the dangers of inflammation. That left unchecked it can lead to rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease and more.
You also probably know that inflammation can cause that throbbing pain in your lower back.
Which means, it makes sense that reducing chronic inflammation would be a good thing and help reduce your back pain.
And you’d like to do it without drugs.
After all, you probably know that frequent use of over the counter pain meds can cause all manner of other problems including gastrointestinal bleeding. And prescription pain killers, well, the problems with those are all over the news.
So, what are you to do?
How can you reduce inflammation and have less back pain? And manage it without popping pills?
Glad you asked.
As an experienced back doctor aka a chiropractor, I have some ideas for you. Some involve diet and lifestyle changes while others include wellness treatments like massage therapy and chiropractic care.
Sure, it may be a little harder than popping a pill but in the long run it’s healthier. Besides, don’t you want to be as healthy as possible?
5 Ways to Reduce Inflammation
As you probably know, everything you do affects something else. If you eat a steady diet of junk food and your exercise consists of walking from your driveway to your door, then you’re likely to gain weight. No surprise there.
But what you might not know is how closely linked healthy habits are to reduced inflammation. Here are five lifestyle choices proven to reduce inflammation.
1- Eat Healthy – You didn’t think I would recommend a diet of fried food and high carbs did you? Sorry. Those can make inflammation worse, cause you to put on weight and generally head towards disease. Instead; think fruits and veggies, lean chicken, and wild caught salmon. These are the types of foods that will help you feel your best.
2- Exercise – Walking, yoga, or crossfit will all benefit you. Some research says as little as 20 minutes a day of exercise can reduce your inflammation. (Source) As you know, exercise also reduces stress and weight gain both of which are excellent benefits.
In too much pain to exercise? If you’re near Doylestown, Pa., come in for a consultation so we can see what’s really going on and get you to feeling better.
3– Chiropractic Treatments – Why does chiropractic care reduce inflammation? Because studies show regular adjustments can reduce your bodies’ production of a certain type of protein called cytokines. These proteins can cause inflammation so by reducing them, viola, your pain can be reduced. Some say chiropractic care can be as effective as NSAIDS.
Caveat: Everyone’s body and back pain is different so therefore your treatment plan is personalized based on your medical history.
4- Massage Therapy – Loosening tense muscles and ligaments not only feels soothing but it can also reduce inflammation and pain in your body. It’s also good to combine massage therapy with chiropractic adjustments because when your body is less tense, you’re usually more receptive to chiropractic adjustments and they can “last” longer.
As you can see, there are multiple ways to reduce inflammation. And reducing inflammation can help your body relax and relaxation will help reduce back pain.
5- Acupuncture – This ancient medical practice involves using small needles placed in strategic places on your body. If you’ve never experienced it, it can sound a little odd but some patients have had tremendous success with it for everything from back pain to cold relief.
As you can see, each of these contribute towards your goal of living a healthy lifestyle. You don’t have to be extreme to reap the benefits either. Eating healthy food and light exercise will go along way towards keeping you healthy.
Are you ready to try natural pain relief?