Cold winter weather can cause back pain to worsen because it causes muscles to tighten. This puts tension on sensitive nerves in your back, causing pain symptoms.
We share five ways to cure back pain in winter without relying on over-the-counter medications.
Have you been suffering from back pain problems, finding it is getting worse as the winter sets in?
Is a combination of colder weather and overwhelming pain mean you’re missing out on your daily exercises?
As the colder months arrive, we know it becomes more difficult to keep up your exercise routine, and aches and pains feel like they worsen.
That’s because they do!
Lower back pain is a very common problem for people in their 40s, 50s, and 60s, and we understand how painful simple tasks like bending over to tie your shoes can be.
We hear from many patients visiting us after seeing their primary care physician. They get similar advice about surgery, injections, resting, or even suggesting it is a part of getting older.
If you don’t want to take medication every day, you don’t want to miss out on life, and you want to enjoy your favorite activities without throbbing back pain, that’s where we can help you.
In this blog article, we will explain:
- Why your back pain gets worse in the winter
- The most common causes of back pain
- Simple medicine-free solutions to ease and cure your back pain
- How physical therapy can eliminate your back pain for good
The Most Common Causes Of Lower Back Pain
For most people, back pain will come and go. However, many people don’t realize that the underlying problem of poor joint movement, core weakness, and poor muscle coordination will set them up for a future back injury, which can be significantly worse.
Pulled Muscles
Pulled muscles often happen due to strain or force, such as lifting heavy shopping bags. In this instance, you will have overstretched the muscles in your back. When this injury occurs, you will most likely feel stabbing pain followed by tenderness around the injured area.
Why Your Back Pain Gets Worse In Winter
You might notice your back pain becomes worse in the winter.
Because of the drop in temperature around this time of year, our bodies have to work a little harder to stay warm.
When exposed to the cold, our muscles naturally tense and become tighter, which can cause aches and pains to amplify.
Natural Drug-Free Way to Cure Back Pain
Maintain Good Posture
A fantastic way to prevent back pain is to keep correcting your posture throughout the day.
Aligning your neck, shoulders and hips can really take pressure off your lower back when sitting and standing.
Heat And Cold Therapy
If a pulled muscle causes your back pain, you can use heat and cold therapies to soothe and eliminate your pain.
Apply an ice pack to the painful area for 15-20 minutes. This will create a numbing effect. Wait for a while until the swelling goes down, then replace the ice pack with a heat pack.
The alteration of these therapies helps improve muscle movement and blood flow.
Building Therapies Into Your Routine
We know you may struggle to stick with your routine as the weather worsens.
However, building these therapies into your daily routine to help you manage your back pain.
A great start is to make sure you have supplies near you all the time.
For example, carry small heat patches with you in a pocket or handbag, and leave some by your bedside in case you wake up first thing in the morning with a stiff back.
Always try to make some time to do some physical activity during your day. Go for a short walk, do some gentle stretches when you wake up, and before you go to sleep. Try indoor exercises, such as yin yoga, as the weather worsens.
How Physical Therapy Can Help Your Back Pain
If your back pain has been worsening and you want to cure it rather than trying to manage it, physical therapy could be the solution you’ve been looking for.
Our team has worked with thousands of patients suffering from back pain just like you, and we can get you pain-free and moving normally again.
During your treatment, our friendly physical therapists can significantly improve your mobility and the function of your joints and help you cure your back pain without medications, injections, or surgery.
Read below a Google review from one of our patients, Karen.
“Last year, I developed severe lower back and sciatic pain. Most days, it was difficult to even get out of bed without crying. I was frustrated and discouraged; no matter what I tried on my end, it didn’t help. My doctor referred me to PT, and I was definitely skeptical that it would help. My first visit with Todd was amazing and turned me into a believer. He has a great personality, makes you feel comfortable, and takes the time to explain everything in depth to you (even though I was late to my appointment) and what the plan for therapy will be.”
CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL REVIEW AND LOOK THROUGH OTHERS.
We also offer a free back pain consultation where you can speak to a member of our clinical team, ask any questions that you have, and find out the best treatment options for you.
Arrange your free back pain consultation with our simple web form, or if you prefer to talk over the phone, you can call us at 508-223-2300
Other Free Resources To Help Your Back Pain
Click Here To Read: Manual Therapy, A Hands-On Approach To Managing Your Pain
Click Here To Download: Your Free Back Pain Guide
Check out Ted’s review video on our YouTube channel
Ted was having a difficult time with his back pain. It was flaring up over time, and he was having difficulty getting up in the morning. His pain was radiating down to the knee, and he felt some weakness in his legs. Now impacting walking on unlevel surfaces. Does this sound like what you are experiencing? Listen to Ted tell you his success story. You, too, can feel great like Ted!
