Do Aging and Back Pain Have To Go Together?
Back pain is one of the most common health conditions experienced by nearly 80% of all adults at some point in their lifetimes. There are many sources of back pain from carrying a little extra weight to sport injuries, but one that seems to be universally considered as inevitable is age.
Why does age related back pain seem so correlated? Do aging and back pain have to go together? We’re taking a look at why these two are so commonly intertwined as well as ways to avoid it by maintaining a healthy spine.
Why Is Age Related Back Pain So Common?
Simply put, the reason age related back pain is so common is the normal wear and tear we put on our bodies over time. If you don’t take care of and support your spinal health as you age, chances are the discs may lose their moisture, you may experience spinal stenosis, or have more instances of herniated discs as they slip out of place.
It doesn’t have to be this way, however. Aging and back pain aren’t unavoidable bedfellows.
Common Symptoms of Aging and Back Pain
As back pain and aging are so often lumped together, it helps to learn a few of the common causes of back pain that may be age related. Knowing what’s contributing to age related back pain can help you learn how to treat it or avoid it.
A few common sources tying together aging and back pain include:
- Spinal disc issues
- Arthritis and other age related illnesses
- Spinal stenosis related back pain
Lower Back Disc Pain
One of the most common causes of age related back pain is dehydrated discs. As you get older, discs tend to dry out more and become less pliable. These more rigid discs are unable to absorb shock as you walk or run as well as hydrated discs can. When your spinal discs are rigid and dehydrated, they also have a higher risk of slipping out of place, causing a herniated disc. Herniated discs can be major sources of pain but are highly treatable.
Age Related Back Pain From Arthritis
Arthritis is a very common age related disease that can become a source of neck and back pain. Osteoarthritis, a sort of “wear and tear” form of arthritis, is why many people associate aging and back pain as inevitable companions. The joints that connect the vertebrae of your spine are lined with cartilage. When you age, that flexible cartilage wears away. At the same time that you’re losing cartilage, your spinal discs are also losing water and becoming more narrow, adding pressure to your joints. This pressure causes inflammation and can lead to back pain.
Spinal Stenosis Back Pain
Speaking of the narrowing of your spine, this condition is called spinal stenosis. A common symptom of aging and back pain affecting you together, spinal stenosis adds pressure to your spinal column and can result in pain, cramping, or numbness.
How to Prevent Aging and Back Pain From Going Together
Just because you’re getting older doesn’t mean you have to resign yourself to being in pain! Finding methods for how to treat spinal stenosis, alleviate arthritis pain, and rehydrate the spine may help you avoid the combination of aging and back pain.
A few things you can do to prevent aging and back pain from going together are:
- Staying active
- Applying cold compresses and heat therapy
- Doing spinal decompression treatments
- Using a zero gravity chair for back pain and healing
Staying Active to Combat Aging and Back Pain
An object in motion tends to stay in motion, right? When it comes to fighting aging and back pain, staying active can help your muscles stay loose and flexible while you increase mobility and flexibility.
Low impact exercises like yoga and tai chi are perfect options that may help alleviate back pain, improve blood circulation, and even elevate your mood. You can also find other exercises to integrate into your daily fitness routine aimed at strengthening your core muscles. Strong core muscles help support your spine more easily, reducing the risk of a herniated disc or other back injury.
Cold Compresses and Heat Therapy for Back Pain and Aging
Another popular method for how to combat aging and back pain is the application of cold therapy and heat therapy. These neck and back pain relief treatment methods could have a profound benefit for aches and pains.
Cold therapy, also known as cryotherapy, may help reduce pain as it reduces nerve sensation in the affected area. It may also help calm down painful muscle spasms and reduce inflammation. When applying ice against your body, never apply it directly to your skin. Wrap your ice pack in a thin towel first to avoid accidentally damaging the skin tissue.
Heat therapy should follow up cold compresses after a few days to maximize their combined benefit against aging and back pain. There are lots of options for how to apply heat therapy. You could use a heating pad for smaller pain points, take a warm bath for what’s known as “moist heat therapy,” or make use of recovery tools like zero gravity chairs if your model has heat therapy features.
Applying heat to your back can help stimulate blood flow while relaxing the muscles there. The increased blood circulation allows tissue to heal more quickly and may help alleviate age related back pain.
Spinal Decompression Treatments for Age Related Back Pain
We can’t mention the wear and tear that contributes to the association of aging and back pain without discussing how spinal decompression at home could help avoid it. Every day our spines compress as a result of our movements and even from the effects of gravity itself. It’s no wonder that, as we age and our spinal discs are less able to withstand this compression, we may experience back pain symptoms.
These treatments at home can help undo these effects of spinal cord compression and alleviate excess pressure on our spine. This allows our spinal discs to realign and rehydrate, helping them heal more rapidly and alleviating pain.
Using Zero Gravity Chairs for Back Pain and Aging
While nothing can stop the hands of time, using zero gravity chairs may help avoid age related back pain effectively. The benefits of zero gravity chairs for back pain stem from the zero gravity position itself.
In zero gravity position, the legs are elevated above the heart level and weight is distributed along the body. This greatly reduces the center of pressure on the lower back (a major difference when debating between a zero gravity chair or recliner) and increases blood circulation. Better blood flow delivers oxygen and nutrients to muscles and tissue, rehydrates discs, and enhances how the body heals itself.
In addition to being useful for improving blood circulation, zero gravity chairs may also reduce stress, deepen relaxation, and even contribute to better sleep quality. All of these health benefits of zero gravity chairs could help combat the combination of aging and back pain.
The bonus features of zero gravity luxury recliners may also prevent age related back pain. Features such as heat therapy and massage pair perfectly with the zero gravity position to elevate your experience. You’ll find that zero gravity chairs are also potentially effective tools for spinal decompression, letting you combine multiple methods for dissociating aging and back pain at once!
We hope this guide has shown you that aging and back pain don’t have to go together. Instead of resigning yourself to pain as you age, actively taking care of your spine can help you prevent or alleviate back pain. Whether you’re exercising regularly, using cold or heat therapy treatments, or choosing a zero gravity chair to combine all your efforts into one, maintaining a healthy spine will let you live life to the fullest!
To learn more about the health benefits of zero gravity chairs and how they may help boost your mental and physical well being, check out these guides:
