What is the cause of severe lower back pain may be many caregivers’ painful reality. Are you a caregiver in a professional role or caring for a family member?
It can take a toll on your own health in general and your back, in particular. And, if you’re not careful, you will end up on the opposite side of the role, needing care yourself.
So don’t be trapped into this agonizing situation, as it can be a very long road to recovery.
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Severe Lower Back Pain | Health Care Professionals
Have you noticed how you and some of your co-workers have one thing in common you wish you never had? I’m talking about severe lower back pain.
Unfortunately, it tends to take a prominent place in the lives of many health care professionals. These include nurses, nursing assistants, and home health aides.
But, maybe you’re lucky, and that’s not your story. In fact, your duties may have been less stressful. Or you were wiser and took the necessary precautions.
Despite the training we had on how to carefully lift and carry weight, accidents happen. And when they do, you usually pay a heavy price.
Take, for example, a caregiver who is caring for a patient in his or her home all by herself. At times, she requires help to transfer, turn, or pull up the patient in bed. But there’s no one else.
In that case, she may end up straining her back. She may not necessarily be ignoring proper protocol, but the task required additional help.
Why Is Back Pain so Prevalent? | My Story
Once upon a time, I had no such thing as severe or any degree of back pain. But the story doesn’t end there. In fact, here’s what happened…
Many years ago, I was assisting someone who had no experience in using a patient lift. Although this patient wasn’t mine, he was accustomed to getting out of bed.
The agency sent aides with no prior knowledge because other employees told them I would assist. That was true as I was usually willing to lend a helping hand.
I didn’t know my story would have changed that day going forward for a very, very long time.
To make a long story short, the caregiver lowered the lift towards the chair more rapidly than was safe. As a result, the patient was not fully aligned over the chair.
As soon as I realized the 200-lb man was about to slip unto the floor, I instinctively held the sling and redirected it in the correct position. This was not a good idea, but I didn’t stop to think about myself first.
So, that was how I had my first bout with back injuries, Subsequently, it has been aggravated by other incidents unrelated to my patient care duties. But within the healthcare setting!
I won’t bore you with the details of such instances. In fact, I’m still working on putting those unfortunate circumstances behind me.
The good thing is, however, I use this platform to try and help others from making similar mistakes.
Take Care of Your Back | Valuable Tips
My advice to you is to take care of your back. I’ll give you some valuable tips I’ve learned over time, and have been practicing to improve my own back health.
- Wear a back brace as a preventive and precautionary measure before doing any potentially strenuous task.
- See a chiropractor to maintain proper alignment of your spine and prevent subluxation. Also, practice good posture.
- Use heat or ice in accordance with your chiropractor’s recommendation for your specific condition.
- Do your own research to find helpful guidelines to follow.
- And find a suitable exercise regimen for optimal health, especially for your back.
- Also, bear in mind that nutrition plays an important part in overall health and vitality.
- In addition, be sure to get proper sleep to avoid mental and physical stress.
- Furthermore, it’s important to engage in a fun and relaxing activity each day by yourself or with others.
- Most importantly, take time out to put your needs first while taking care of someone else.
- Finally, know your limitations, and learn when to say no. It’s okay to go over and beyond at times, but don’t make a career out of it. Nobody cares about you more that you do!
There’s one more thing I need to mention and that is to use a back support pillow of some sort. You may find this beneficial for sleeping or while sitting.
But here’s a word of caution, please check with your doctor or healthcare advisor before trying any of these items. I have used the Gel Lumbar Support Pillow with great success.
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The Caregiver Needs Care | Wellbeing is Important
Here’s more food for thought…
This article is focused on caregivers and the main cause of lower back pain for those in that industry. However, there are many other reasons and other people who suffer as well.
For example, some factors are linked to one or more health issues such as obesity and hormone imbalance. In addition, motor vehicle or various work-related accidents are also responsible.
Severe lower back pain never seems to go away, and some people have lived with it for most of their lives. Similar to other health conditions, treatment can give significant relief.
Take precautionary measures and consistently apply methods from the tips mentioned above. In fact, these may be more useful than depending on pain killers to temporarily alleviate the discomfort.
You will begin to appreciate how important your wellbeing really is when you make that commitment to yourself.
Reclaiming Your Lumbar Health | Restoration
So, contrary to popular belief, you may be able to find some kind or relief for your back pain. Although prevention is better than cure, you won’t always be able to prevent back injuries.
Furthermore, you probably should have been more careful; however, the damage has already been done. And you have to find a way to enjoy the optimal health you deserve.
That’s where you have to make every effort to work on restoring yourself back to health. You may have all the knowledge about what to do. But what good is it if you don’t put it into practice.
Do yourself a big favor and take the matter of prevention and restoration into your own hands. Remember, no one can take care of you like you do. So, take time to care.
I hope this article, “What Is the Cause of Severe Lower Back Pain | Caregiver’s Story” resonated with you. Or maybe you know someone who is suffering and could find value here. I would love to hear from you.
If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below. I will be more than happy to assist you.
