Your spinal cord spans a large portion of your body, houses your central nervous system, and is crucial for your overall health and well-being. It also bears the brunt of your body mechanics and is prone to degeneration from wear-and-tear and the aging process.
At Vulcan Pain Management, our dedicated doctor, Victor Mendoza, MD, cares for people in Birmingham and Montgomery, Alabama, who have lower back pain due to issues with their spine. In this blog, he explains why good posture is so important and offers tips to help you keep your discs and spine healthy.
No one intends to have poor posture, but it can quickly develop over time with bad habits, such as a slumped sitting position at your computer, the way you carry your heavy purse or backpack, and hunching on the couch to watch television. When you slouch, it’s easy to improperly use ligaments and muscles in your back, which leads to poor posture and lower back pain. Other problems that can develop because of improper posture are:
Without good posture, you significantly increase your risk of losing your balance, making you more prone to dangerous slips and falls.
Dr. Mendoza recommends these tips to improve your spine health:
Physical fitness is an excellent way to safeguard and enhance the health of your spine. Almost any type of activity supports your back, including swimming, walking, hiking, biking, and tennis.
Routine visits with your chiropractor can help strengthen your spine and keep you in proper alignment. As they say, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” and chiropractic care helps you catch and correct irregularities before they manifest into problems.
Your body heals during the restorative sleep cycle. Give yourself the gift of high-quality sleep by investing in a mattress that provides lumbar support and keeps your spine in alignment through the night.
Choose nutritious foods to ensure your spine gets excellent nutrition. A healthy diet will also help you lose excess weight, which can strain and stress your discs, joints, muscles, and ligaments and lead to acute or chronic pain.
If you need help managing back pain, turn to our trusted team at Vulcan Pain Management for an evaluation and treatment. Dr. Mendoza first recommends the most conservative treatments to help you get relief. Depending on your condition’s severity, he may also suggest medication, steroid injections, or laser therapy. Call today to book your appointment or use the online scheduling option.
