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Back pain is becoming more and more commonplace in more and more people. Lower back pain, upper back pain, neck pain—you name it. This problem occurs most often with the seniors in our lives, so here are some things you can do to help your loved ones out.

Applying Heat and Cold

Some might assume that pain relief only can be found by taking heavy medication. This is not the case! While lighter medications that you can buy without a prescription can help, there are also at-home remedies that are wonderful. One of the simplest is the alternating application of hot and cold on the painful area in question. You can use dry heat, like a hot water bottle or a heating pad, or wet heat like a hot bath to ease the pain or stiffness of a certain area. You generally can keep the heat on as long as you like, even an hour or two if necessary. Do what feels comfortable! Cold treatment, on the other hand, should not be done for more than twenty minutes because it restricts circulation. For that, you can use ice packs or ice baths to reduce swelling and numb pain.

Massage Therapy

This one you can do at home, or at a professional location for a fee. If the senior has a trusted loved one who can help them, then by all means they should lay down on a couch and give the home massage a shot. The makeshift masseuse should be sure to listen and respond to the instructions and pain level of the senior. A professional massage, although it may cost you, can work wonders for spinal discomfort. Massage therapy offers multiple other benefits as well. In addition to loosening tight muscles that could be contributing to back pain, it increases blood flow and can help with mental relaxation.

Developing Proper Posture

It’s never too late to improve your posture! With all of the television and computer screens that we consume, it’s very easy to let your posture become lazier and lazier over the years. Even the common design of the chairs that we sit in are shaped to have your hip muscles cave inwards in such a way that it makes you far more likely to develop back pain over the years. Help your seniors practice proper posture according to their doctor or chiropractor’s instructions.

It can be hard to see someone you love grow old and begin to struggle with daily life. These are things you can do to help them in a simple, straightforward way. With time, consistency, and the right chiropractor, they can and will find the pain relief they seek.

Check out this article on healthy foods that are easy for seniors to eat!