Aren’t we all familiar with that really irritating and uncomfortable pain in our backs that can even give us sleepless nights? It has been recorded that an estimated 80% of people will experience back pain at some point in their lives. According to the American Chiropractic Association, back pain is the single biggest contributor to temporary or permanent disability on some level worldwide.

The graph below shows the estimated number of patients in Scotland consulting a GP or practice nurse at least once in the financial year 2012/13 per 1,000 patients registered by gender and age group for back pain

(Source: http://www.isdscotland.org)

Luckily, you don’t have to suffer with it if you know how you can seek effective relief from it. Acupressure is perhaps one of the most well-received treatment methods in the world that has been gaining a lot of attention because of its ability to alleviate the ever stubborn back pain. So here’s a look at various ways in which you can stay free of back pain.

What are the reasons for back pain?

• According to the Harvard Special Health Report, people are at a higher risk of experiencing back pain as they enter middle age. It occurs in men just as much as it does in women most of the time but there are noted increases in the numbers of women who are now experiencing back pain.

• With time the structures in your back, especially the lower back like discs and bones begin to change in shape and this can cause pain. It can also lead to herniated discs during which a patient would feel a rather crippling amount of pain.

• However, things like overuse, bad posture and unaccustomed activity can also cause back pain and this is most often the case. You should in such cases wait for about three to four days and if the pain does not go away, it would be a great idea to seek professional treatment.

What remedies can you use for back pain?

If you are wondering about how to cure back pain fast at home you’re in luck. There are several tried and tested methods that always seem to do the trick.

• Try hot and cold compresses.

If you think that you may have sustained a back injury, it is advised to use a cold compress or ice pack immediately rather than a hot one. This will help to get you instant back pain relief from the numbing effect and it will reduce swelling too. After around 48 hours of the onset of injury, it is advised that you apply hot compresses or even place a hot water bottle on the affected area. The heat now will help to soothe the muscles and increase the blood flow to the area, accelerating the healing process. But keep in mind that this is only useful for 01 weeks after the onset of your back pain.

• Limit getting bed rest

Back in the day bed rest was something that was highly recommended for back pain. With new findings, however, this has been disproved. Doctors around the world now suggest that you keep moving so that your muscles don’t get all stiffened up. Bed rest is handy if you have severe low back pain that does not allow you to sit or stand but even then try to get bed rest for just a few hours at a time only. If you want to know how you can get bed rest and what you shouldn’t do, this article from Harvard will be really useful to you.

• Exercise is your friend

Physical activity will help you build strong and flexible muscles that are not as much at risk of injury. It will also improve mobility, prevent complications in the future and heal backaches. However, you should always get recommendations from your GP or doctor before you try out anything new.

• Acupressure and complementary therapies

Acupressure is at the forefront of methods that help to alleviate back pain effectively. Acupuncture has also been used as an effective method for this purpose. The difference between the two is that in acupressure your acupoints will be manipulated and in acupuncture needles will be inserted into acupoints. Spinal manipulation where chiropractors apply pressure directly on your back is also useful as is therapeutic massages that help release tension and increase blood circulation.

• Movement therapies like Yoga or Chi can also help to strengthen and stretch out your back muscles for better support

So essentially you can do your own acupressure right?

Well, not really.

It is one thing to watch a simple video and try something straightforward out. But you should not try to apply complicated acupressure procedures on yourself or anybody else if you do not have the right knowledge on how you should be doing it.

But we can help you there!

Study 365 is a highly recognised online education provider in the UK that offers a range of accredited acupressure courses that will not just give you the theoretical and practical skills you need, but will also give you a recognised qualification that you can use to boost your career if you choose to do so!

You should definitely consider getting acupressure massage training if you want to think about administering effective remedies to anybody.

Select from our acupressure courses in the UK and start learning today to prevent back pain tomorrow.

Certificate in Acupressure – Pain Relief Essentials

Certificate in Acupressure for Pain Management

Certificate in Advanced Acupressure Shortcuts

Did you think our blog was helpful? Let us know. You can drop us an email at support@study365.