BACK PAIN MYTHS

STRAIGHTENING OUT 5 BACK PAIN MYTHS
 
 
Sometimes, you get the right information from the right sources. Other times, what you think you know can hurt you. This is true of treating and preventing lower back pain. Here, we separate the myths from the facts.
 
 
1)    Myth: A Firm Mattress Is Better
We’ve seen TV characters insist that sleeping on a board or on the floor is better for the back. In reality, your personal sleep habits and back injury determine which type of mattress is best suited to you. It is, however, known that a soft mattress can conform to the body and provide too-little support.

 
SLEEP TIP:
If you’re a side sleeper, placing a pillow between your knees helps keep the spine aligned and can provide a more comfortable rest.
 
 
2)    If There’s Pain, There’s Injury
Not necessarily. As we’ve touched on in other blogs, back pain can also be due to infection, disk degeneration, osteoporosis, congenital conditions such as spondylolisthesis, or other causes.

 
3)    Back Pain Is Forever
Due to the pain and its debilitating nature, lower back pain is a popular topic. However, it is rarely disabling. With proper treatment and advice, only a small number of people develop long-term, disabling problems.

 
4)    Bed Rest Is The Best Cure
While bed rest can be helpful for an acute back strain or injury, prolonged bed rest can actually aggravate back pain. A 2001 study out of Vrije University Medical Centre in Amsterdam found that staying active — based on your physician’s instructions — actually speeds recovery and reduces chronic disability.

 
5) Don’t Lift Heavy Objects
As long as you’re within reason, it’s not what you lift. It’s how you lift it. You’ve probably heard you should bend at the knees and not at the waist when lifting something heavy. At least that part is true! Bend with your knees, keep your back straight and keep your head up to help avoid injury.
 
 
 
Dr. Sukdeb Datta of Datta Endoscopic is a highly regarded and widely published specialist. Dr. Datta’s clinical interests have been wide ranging and focused on finding innovative solutions to complex clinical problems associated with chronic pain and spine issues. He believes in constantly evolving and intellectually advancing the field by incorporating the best clinical research and practice using the appropriate evidence-based approach and at the same time incorporating the best in translational pain research.
 

This blog should not take the place of in-person medical treatment. Consult Datta Endoscopic or your physician for a personalized medical diagnosis and treatment plan.