CONNECTIONSS MAGAZINE JUNE 2017 (1)

My Connections Magazine June 2017
Lower back pain killer
--Stretch your hamstrings twice daily
One often overlooked contributor to lower back pain is tight hamstrings. If your hamstring
muscles—located in the back of your thighs—are too tight hamstrings your lower back
and sacroiliac joints will be stressed, leading to more pain. Hamstring stretching should be
done carefully and at least twice per day.
There are many gentle stretching exercises that should not hurt.
--Engage your brain
Pain specialists have long understood that pain is not absolute; it is more complicated than
just a sensation. The way your brain interprets and processes pain signals plays an
important role in how you perceive your pain.
The good news is that you can develop skills for your brain to reduce or ignore the pain
signals. Developing expertise in these skills can go a long way to help you have some
degree of influence over your pain.
Bonus Tip: Find activities that make you happy
Ongoing pain can wreak havoc on your life, affecting your cherished relationships, finances,
and your ability to get stuff done at work and at home. It can also interrupt your sleep and
affect your mood. Because many other problems commonly occur along with chronic lower
back pain, anything you can do for yourself that is a natural anti-depressant will help.
Some people find that even doing just 3 things that make them feel good each day, such as
enjoying a comforting cup of tea or coffee, calling an old friend, walking the dog, or receiving
a longish 30-second hug from a loved one can make pain more tolerable.
Even if you are in severe pain and are undergoing extensive medical treatments, we
encourage you to still try to remember the simple things you can do for yourself to help heal
and get stronger and healthier over time.
13