One of the more common ailments among the older population is back pain. For some, it can be that they tend to injure or hurt their back more often than when they were younger. For others, it’s a constant ache or pain that is related to another health condition. Whatever it is that is causing the back pain for your elderly loved one, it’s not uncommon that it’ll cause her to miss out on activities she wants to participate in and will cause discomfort.
Once your loved one determines the cause of her back pain, the next step is to determine how to manage it and live with it while it’s occurring. If your loved one’s back pain has been reviewed by her doctor and she needs to learn how to manage it at home, here are some helpful tips for caregivers looking to support their loved ones with back pain.
Three Common Causes of Back Pain in Seniors
Any of these conditions can lead to inflammation of the spine, putting pressure on nerves and leading to pain.
- Degenerative changes affecting the disks and joints. As a person ages, they often lose moisture and resilience, making their disks less effective as shock absorbers.
- Spondylolisthesis. This condition occurs when one spinal vertebra slips forward or backward onto the vertebra below.
- Spinal stenosis. This condition refers to the canal through which the spinal cord passes. It can narrow because of disk degeneration, thickened ligaments, or arthritic facet joints (usually in the lower back).
Six Steps for Managing Back Pain at Home
There are some things your loved one can do daily that will help her find relief from overall back pain, and then there are also steps she can take on those days when the pain is at its worst to find relief.
Preventative Steps:
- Stay active. Staying active not only helps the muscles that support the back to stay strong, but it also helps keep blood and fluids flowing through the body so they can get to all the places they need to help it work better. Staying active also helps a person stay more upbeat, both of which can help reduce pain levels.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Too many pounds put extra pressure on the back and can lead to more back pain. Eating healthy, getting regular exercise, and sleeping well can all help your loved one maintain a healthy weight and reduce her back pain.
- Eat foods that lessen inflammation. Making adjustments to your loved one’s diet can help her reduce her inflammation and may lower her back pain or at least lessen it when it happens.
Action Steps During Back Pain Episodes
- Take appropriate pain reliever medication when the pain first starts to appear to get ahead of it.
- Apply both cold and heat. Cold packs are great for reducing inflammation in the back, where warm compresses can help relax tight muscles and stimulate blood flow. Have your loved one try both and see which feels better.
- Abstain from some activities. When pain is at its worst, it can be helpful to have a home care provider come by the home to help with activities that may aggravate the back. A home care provider can help carry laundry upstairs or take out the garbage. While your loved one should still be active, having a home care provider who can provide relief from overdoing it can help her recover more quickly.
If you or an aging loved one is considering Home Care in Brookfield, CT, please contact the caring staff at Elderly Caregivers LLC. today at (203) 628-7438
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