Chronic back pain benefits enormously from exercise

Backache is often referred to as 'chronic back pain'. What does chronic mean? Chronic pain is pain that lasts for a long time without much change in the condition. This is opposed to acute pain, which usually occurs suddenly and runs a relatively short course. Chronic pain is, in other words, persistent pain; it is not necessarily more serious or more painful than acute pain, but it is just relentless.

Many elderly people suffer from chronic spinal pain caused by diseases or conditions that come with the ageing process, including a lifetime of bad posture. Chronic pain may affect the lower, upper or middle spine, and is usually, although not always, described as numb, dull, throbbing, uncomfortable and general, rather than sharp, stabbing and localized.

Chronic pain benefits enormously from exercise, massage and physical therapy. Rather than being cured outright, chronic pain often needs to be managed. Simply learning how to walk, stand, bend, sit and handle heavy objects can make a big difference to the lives of sufferers of chronic pain.

Most people never learn good posture or good spinal health. Today, more and more people spend more and more time in front of a computer, but they don't know how to sit correctly - legs never crossed, feet firmly on the ground, back and neck straight.

For chronic pain, simple remedies like massage and hot water bottles can help to ease the pain. Many doctors may recommend mild pain killers but chronic pain treatment is an ongoing process and it is preferable to learn to manage the condition in as natural a way as possible.

This is true of any form of pain management and sometimes requires a change in lifestyle and a change in attitude to one's health. The best approach is threefold:

Step 1: Ease the pain. Because chronic pain is so persistent, it's treatment needs to be persistent too, including a regular exercise, massage or therapy to gradually build muscle strength in order to support a flexible and supple spine.

Step 2: Adopt good spinal health. This includes learning about good posture and making sure your have the correct mattress. If you sit at a desk all day, make sure you have a good chair. Your company is obliged to provide you with one.

Step 3: Try to rid yourself of stress. Stress is a major contributor to almost every physical manifestation of ill health.

Also read our article about Back Pain Management