While some of this advice may seem counter intuitive to healing, it’s important to heed the warnings below for someone who has experienced an acute – or severe – injury.
Dr. Mary Watkins of Watkins Total Healthcare in Gainesville, Georgia shares the importance of avoiding certain activities after experiencing sudden back pain with four quick tips below:
1. Avoid stretching
If someone is in extreme pain, I wouldn’t recommend stretching because we don’t understand the cause of the condition. If they have a ruptured disc or pinched nerve – even a lot of inflammation – stretching could cause further damage.
2. Ditch the heating pad, embrace ice
A lot of people want to go to heat first. The problem is that often when there is pain, there is some type of inflammation – or swelling – around the condition. Heat may make the condition worse. My biggest tip is to start with ice.
3. Get evaluated
See a chiropractor to evaluate the cause of the pain and to make a recommendation of care needed to get relief. In some cases, patients may begin with chiropractic treatment which could include therapy such as ice and electrical muscle stimulation to decrease muscle spasms that are occurring. Sometimes the chiropractor will refer the patient to another provider as needed.
4. Don’t delay caring for yourself
With an acute injury, it’s also important to note that the longer you wait to get treatment, the condition can deteriorate, making it more difficult to heal down the road.
