How to Relieve Back and Neck Pain With a Healthy Spine

Do you suffer from aching back pain, nagging neck pain or even headaches? Having a healthy spine can prevent these types of problems. Your spine is a complicated structure of vertebrae, discs, joints,ligaments, tendons, muscles and nerves. Every second of every dayyour spine is moving in a delicate balance, even while you breathe!Take care of it and it will take care of you.

Here are useful tips on how to have a healthy spine:

Eat Right
Nutrition is critical to having a healthy body.The same goes for your spine. Protein
rebuilds spinal muscle tissue, ligamentsand tendons. Healthy fruits and vegetables
contain the vitamins and antioxidants tomake the spine function. They rebuild bone,
muscle and connective tissues that areconstantly being used throughout the day.

Rest
Throughout the day your spine iscompressed with standing, sitting andbending. You can actually lose about ½an inch over the course of a day. Adequaterest in a good position while sleeping helpsyou maintain a healthy spine. It is ideal tostart off lying in bed for the first 10 minuteson your side with your knees curled up. Thisallows the discs in your spine to rehydrate. Then continue sleeping on your side witha pillow between your legs or roll onto your back with a pillow underyour knees. Avoid sleeping on your stomach.

Stop Smoking
Many studies show that nicotine incigarettes directly accelerates thebreakdown of the discs in the spine anddestroys connective tissues that keep thejoints moving properly. In addition, nicotineincreases the inflammatory response in thebody, disrupting the body’s natural abilityto repair itself.

Improve Your Flexibility and Strength
One of the best ways to avoid back pain or neck pain is to improve your spinal flexibility and strength. Your spine and body are designed to move.Keep your spine flexible by stretching for10 minutes every day. It is best to get upand move around when possible at work.Stretch your spine out by reaching overheadand leaning over to one side, then the other.Also, work on gently twisting at the waistand don’t forget to stretch your hamstringmuscles frequently. Spend 3-4 days a week working on your corestrength with abdominal muscle exercises, squats and other exercisesto keep your spine and core muscles strong. This supports yourspine and allows you to move without stressing the discs or nervesin your back.

Improve Your Posture and Balance
Make sure that you sit properly with astraight-backed chair and your feet flat on
the floor. Avoid sitting on very soft couchesfor prolonged periods as this keeps your
spine in a flexed position. Make sure thatyou keep your spine straight when lifting,
using your legs and avoiding twisting. Keepyour balance tip-top to activate the small muscles of the spine anduse your nervous system. Enhance your balance by standing on oneleg at a time for 10 seconds 3-4 times a week.

Have a Spine Check-up
Have a physical therapist spine specialistcheck your spine alignment and function
every 6 months to ensure your backis moving how it should. Our physical therapists are the medical experts inhelping your back operate as it should and relieving back pain or neck pain quickly.

Ifyou are suffering with backaches and pains,come in for a check-up sooner rather thanlater. Long term aches and pains can mean permanent damage isbeing done to your spine. Catching back pain or neck pain early leads to a healthyspine for life!