Relieving Back Pain With A Breathing Technique

It is recommended to perform this technique twice a day. If you do this right before bed, you will feel more relaxed and you will be able to find a deeper sleep.

Is it possible to relieve back pain with a breathing technique?

If you are one of those people who suffer from such a common ailment, read on!

It is therefore common for back pain to be relieved by taking an analgesic or anti-inflammatory medication.

However, massages performed by a specialist in herbal medicine can also be very effective. But, can a breathing technique have the same effects?

All specialists agree that yoga is very therapeutic for people with back pain.

Exercising our body by practicing certain stretches and coordinating our breathing greatly relieves pain and gives us greater mobility.

In this article, we’re not going to tell you exactly about yoga, but about a technique developed by Andrew Weill. It is the director of the department of medicine at the University of Arizona in the United States who found a way to relieve this common ailment.

It costs nothing to practice this technique, because  it is simple, economical and non-invasive.

How about accompanying us in this little breathing exercise?

Can Breathing Really Relieve Back Pain?

Before unveiling Dr. Weill’s breathing technique in depth, we would first like to explain how it works, taking into account the opinions of various experts:

• The Avanfi Institute of Traumatology and Physiotherapy in Madrid, Spain, tells us that the human body has a muscle called the transverse abdomen.
  Its role is to guarantee a certain stability in the area between the back, stomach and pelvis.
• It acts like a kind of belt, which surrounds us from the navel to the spine.
• This muscle aims to provide us with stability in our posture, while protecting our back.
• It oppresses the viscera contained in our belly. Every time we breathe, it performs a movement of “fixing” our back and everything inside.
  It is a structure that comes into play during the breathing process, when the air is exhaled.

Breathing can help us

• If you can breathe slowly, you will be exerting a movement that will test the resistance of the transverse muscle in your belly. In this way, you will relieve your entire back.
• The secret is knowing how to breathe out, that is to say expel the air from your body, so that the muscle that interests us can move.
  We have to expel all the air from our lungs, as much as possible, until we feel a feeling of tightness.
• Contraction of this muscle is very effective in protecting the lumbar area.

The 4-7-8 technique to relieve back pain

The preliminary aspects to be taken into account

• This exercise will have an increasing effect as you practice it.
  On the first day it will relax you, on the second day you will feel rested and lighter, while on the third day you will experience marked relief from your back pain.
• You should also practice it every day. It won’t take you more than 5 minutes.
• Never do this more than twice a day. It is therefore recommended to do a second exercise just before going to bed.
  In this way, you will feel more relaxed and you will be able to find a deeper sleep.

How to perform the 4-7-8 technique?

• Put on comfortable clothes that don’t oppress you.
• Sit in a place that has a firm base and allows your back to rest.
• Close your mouth, and breathe in through your nose, very deeply, for 4 seconds.
• Then, hold your breath for 7 seconds.
• In the next step, you should exhale the air from your lungs for 8 seconds.
  You have probably already understood that this is the most important part of the exercise, since it is at this point that you will be exercising the muscle crossing the abdomen, the one that will help you relieve your pain. back pain.
• Repeat this exercise 4 times in a row, and do two sessions per day.

Other tips, relaxation techniques and exercises

• Meditation will allow you to control stress and anxiety.
• Yoga and tai chi are particularly suitable for relieving back pain.
• Swimming is also great exercise.
• Walk for half an hour a day to relax.
• Never maintain a posture for several hours.
• Don’t arch your back when you need to pick something up from the ground. Instead, bend your knees.
• Your bed mattress should be neither too hard nor too soft.
  It must therefore adapt perfectly to your movements. In addition, your cushions should be low.
• Never sleep on your back, as this will force you to tilt your head to breathe. You will then have more pain in your neck and back. The best posture is the fetal position.
• Never carry too much weight in your bags. The best is never to exceed the kilo.
• Don’t be overweight.
• Also avoid self-medication. It is very common that, as soon as we have back pain, we consume pain relievers or anti-inflammatory drugs. But, these drugs can have damaging side effects.
• In the event of any doubt, consult a professional so that he can tell you the origin of your problems.
  Follow his advice and remember to always maintain good posture, whether you are at work or reading this article on your laptop or smartphone!
  How are you sitting right now?

Take care of your back and put these simple breathing tips into practice!