Spinal compression is a condition that many people suffer from without noticing. A lot of sufferers chalk their discomfort up to aging; however, spinal compression is a standalone condition that can be reversed by adopting a structured regime. Below are three of the best ways to reverse discomfort brought on by spinal compression:
Stretching
The quickest way to relieve the symptoms of spinal compression is to simply decompress your spine through stretching. If the muscles in your back are tight, stretching will help to release this tightness and allow your spine to elongate. This will lift the pressure on the vertebrae, allowing the discs to expand and relieving any pressure on your nerves.
Following a DIY stretching routine can greatly reduce the discomfort of spinal compression; however, it's vitally important that you both carry out the correct stretches and carry out the stretches correctly! Carrying out the wrong stretches can actually worsen the condition, so be sure to remember the following when planning your routine:
Spinal compression can occur from muscular imbalances between your chest and back muscles. If your chest muscles are tight, try following a routine that focuses on freeing up movement in your pectoral muscles, as this will provide more balance to your posture.
Be careful not to carry out any stretches that place direct pressure on your vertebrae. While yoga stretches such as the plow pose are great for increasing general flexibility, they can cause your spinal compression symptoms to flare up.
Keep your stretches simple. Simple routines are much easier to maintain, so focus on incorporating a few straightforward stretches into your daily routine. To start with, consider using stretches such as "touch the sky" (stretching vertically upwards), "touch your toes" (while standing), and the "cat stretch" to get into a routine.
Inversion Therapy
One of the best ways to reverse spinal compression and get your back feeling great again is to follow a course of inversion therapy. As the name suggests, this involves physically inverting so your body is upside down. This allows gravity to gently pull your vertebrae apart, widening the space in between and allowing more fluid to flow into the disc.
Don't worry, this isn't as scary as it might seem! Inversion therapy is perfectly safe, and while it may seem strange at first, you will grow to love the experience as you feel the benefits of regular inversion. The main benefit is of course spinal decompression; however, there are also a few other benefits that will increase your quality of life:
Increases the blood flow throughout your entire body
Prevents headaches and migraines
Elongates the muscles, allowing you to increase flexibility without rigorous stretching
Increases your sense of wellbeing by deeply relaxing the muscle and joints
The safest way to invert is to use your chiropractor's inversion table. Your practitioner will be able to show you how to operate the table and will gradually increase your range of inversion from very gradual declines to full 180 degree inversion.
Chiropractic Treatment
When it comes to treating spinal compression, there is no practitioner with more knowledge and experience than the chiropractor. Spinal compression occurs due to a shortening of the discs in the spine. This shortening is due to spinal misalignments that cause the vertebrae to push together, squeezing out the fluid within the disc.
As such, having a properly aligned spine will prevent spinal compression from occurring at all. Of course, this is difficult to achieve on a day-to-day basis without professional help. Therefore, undergoing a period of chiropractic treatment followed by maintenance adjustments will ensure your spine stays aligned over the long-term.
Some people have a misconception that chiropractic treatment involves forcing your body out of its normal range of motion; however, this couldn't be further from the truth. Chiropractors will use gentle, manual adjustments to pop your vertebrae back into their natural position. The treatment is quick, safe and highly effective, particularly for preventing further compression and relieving you of any built-up pressure you may be experiencing. Therefore, if your back muscles are feeling a bit tight, give your local chiropractor a call and see what benefit a course of therapy can do for your spine.
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