If you’re an adult who finds yourself simply, well, existing, chances are you’ve encountered some back pain. Aging, exercise, an acute injury and working from home during the coronavirus pandemic can take a toll on your muscles, nerves and spine. Sometimes even just bending over can trigger a debilitating episode that leaves you bed-ridden. (Just me on that one? Shout out to the EMS workers and ER nurses who got me back on my feet recently.)
It’s important to see a physician if your back discomfort has lasted a long time or if it’s near a 10 on your personal pain scale. (This is especially true if it’s associated with other issues like a fever, leg weakness or numbness or losing sensation in your groin area, in which case you might want to consider seeking emergency care.) An expert like an orthopedic doctor can check to see if something more serious is going on. They can also offer you tailored advice to help treat the issue.
“There are many ways to relieve back pain, including but not limited to maintaining good posture, engaging in physical therapy, strengthening the core, applying ice and heat and staying active,” Gbolahan Okubadejo, a spinal and orthopedic surgeon based in the New York City area, told me. “Massages, nerve stimulation, talk therapy, back pain relief products and spine surgery procedures can also reduce back pain and keep the spine aligned.”
The pain-relieving products are particularly useful to keep in your arsenal once you’ve seen a doctor. Enter this guide. Below are a few items experts suggest trying when you’re struggling with back pain.
HuffPost may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Prices and availability subject to change.
Five more alternate jurors were selected Friday following questioning from prosecution and defense lawyers, rounding out the 12 jurors and six alternates needed for the case against Trump to proceed.
Former New York Yankees left-hander Fritz Peterson died at the age of 82. He is probably best known exchanging wives with teammate Mike Kekich in the 1970s.
Fantasy baseball analyst Andy Behrens offers up a series of pickups to assist every manager, starting with a duo of Rockies ahead of a Colorado homestand.
Jake Mintz & Jordan Shusterman give their early season assessment of all thirty MLB teams at the three week mark, as well as discuss the long-awaited debut of Texas Rangers pitcher Jack Leiter.