Dr Rakesh Nair, consultant of knee replacement at Zen Multispeciality Hospital, discussed how his patients between the years of 45-78 who are predominantly female have started complaining about neck and backache
knee workout
Covid-19 has brought a lot of changes in everyone's life. Some people have started taking more care of themselves. In contrast, some people have started spending more quality time with their family, while a majority of people have started noticing health issues arising from the new lifestyle of 'work from home' and online classes.
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Initially, everyone was elated to be able to work from home and enjoy living their life simultaneously. As much as we hate to say it but attending meetings straight out of your bed isn't fun anymore, and it's high time that we step back and focus on being healthy despite the circumstances this "new normal" has presented in front of us.
How Work From Home Has Caused An Increase In Back Pain
As the hours spent sitting in one position and one place increased, the number of people suffering from back pain also increased. These long hours and the stress from juggling life often leads to tightness in muscles, increased body ache or body soreness, shallow breathing, higher cortisol levels, and decreased blood circulation in the lower body. Believe us when we say that these health ailments, poor posture, and backaches if not taken seriously will turn into a recipe for disaster.
Doctors have stated that the work from home policy has led to an increase in back pain by 60% in women. In an interview, Dr Rakesh Nair, consultant of knee replacement at Zen Multispeciality Hospital, discussed how his patients between the years of 45-78 who are predominantly female have started complaining about neck and backache. Since sitting hours have increased, people who have been cured of their knee pain are suffering from it once again. And there have also been reports of aggravated anxiety issues.
Even Dr Kothari from Interventional Spine and Pain Management Specialist at Apollo Spectra Hospital discussed how he has seen a surge in female patients visiting him for various musculoskeletal issues, including back pain. There have been many alarms raised by specialists and doctors regarding the work from the home policy but keeping in mind the current scenarios of a pandemic the solution can only be met by self-care, exercise, healthy posture, and habits.
Why Is The Spine Important?
To understand this, you've to first learn about the importance of your spine in keeping you much more than just healthy and attentive. First and foremost, the spine is the most important part of your body. Without your spine, you can't even maintain balance or stand upright with your upper body. It even helps you maintain your body flexibility and helps you move freely. Despite being one of the most crucial parts of your skeletal structure, your spine plays a major role in conducting nerve impulses as well.
The brain and spinal cord make up your body's central nervous system. Here spinal cord is a fragile tubelike structure that runs from the base of your brain to the bottom of your spine. This spinal cord connects the brain to the nerves throughout your body. Your brain acts as the command centre, and the spine acts as the messenger between your brain and the rest of your body.
We may have said that your spine is fragile, but it somehow helps you do a lot of things despite running, laughing, reacting to stimuli, sitting up straight, etc. And since your spine works so much for you, it's only humane of you to reward it back with proper care. Your spinal health determines your performance in multiple areas of your life. From personal life to career, there's nothing that stays out of its touch.
How To Manage Back Pain At Home
After discussing the importance of your spine and spinal health, we are posed with the question of how can we take care of our spine and manage backache at home? The answer is very simple, and doctors have shared some valuable tips to help you lead a healthy life.
Your backache can be treated conservatively at home without any troubles, and most of it is possible with the help of simple methods you can incorporate into your daily routine. Use postural modification to minimize the chances of unwanted strain on your back and cut down on smoking or drinking.
Regular exercise should be done to prevent putting on extra weight. Yoga and deep breathing exercises help maintain the agility of the body while helping you with muscle aches or soreness.
You should also keep a check on the quality of your mattress. A worn-out mattress might very well be the underlying cause for persistent back pain and muscle tightness. If that turns out to be a contributing factor in your case, experts recommend upgrading to an orthopaedic memory foam mattress. These mattresses are thoughtfully put together with a layered construction that builds up to an optimal combination of softness and fitness. These offer firm support and comfort and ensure natural alignment of the spine to eliminate chances of any discomfort while you're asleep.
Despite following the above tips to help you prevent back pain, there is always a chance that you might feel a sudden pain in your back. You can deal with this pain by reducing your daily activity for two to three days; you should also use ice packs on areas that are affected. It is advised to use a warm sponge on the affected area or take a warm shower to relieve the spasm in your back muscles. Normally we would recommend you to get a firm massage to relieve the tension in your back, but it would be better for you to get expert advice before doing so as there have been cases where massaging the back has increased the severity of the back pain.
Get Expert Advice
It's always advised to go to the doctor in case of prolonged backache or muscle pain. A lot of people suffering from back pain have either minimal or medium muscle pain that can be treated with proper care and lifestyle changes, but a handful of them require surgical assistance. So, if you have persistent back pain for days that has not been relieved from any of the above tips, we highly suggest going to the doctor and seeking proper treatment in that case.
If your doctor recommends a change in mattress, you could check out https://novemberculture.com/home/bedroom/best-mattress/ where you will find orthopaedic mattresses that are comfortable, yet firm enough to support your back when you sleep.
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