Five Tips to Avoid Some of the Most Common Back Injuries

Back pain can cripple you. Accidents happen and some are unavoidable, but awareness may reduce your risk of back injury.

Tips to avoid some of the most common back injuries

1. Most back injuries are caused by automobile accidents. Drive carefully, and drive for other drivers ear your seat belt.

too. Everyone makes mistakes. Don’t let your quality of life be compromised by another bad driver or an honest mistake. Most accidents can be prevented if you watch out and yield, even when you have the right of way. And w

2. Falls cause 25% of back injuries. Take classes or do exercises that improve balance and core strength. If you are in good physical condition, your ability to catch yourself may prevent a disaster.

3. Be careful who you hang out with. If you are abused, or know someone who is, the chance of that behavior and continuing increases with time. “About 15 percent of spinal cord injuries result from violent encounters, often involving gunshot and knife wounds, according to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center.” (Mayo Clinic)

4. High impact sports and diving injuries are another major cause of back injury. Of course lifting heavy objects causes minor to severe back pain.

5. Alcohol is involved in 25% of back injuries. Avoid alcohol while participating in sports or physical activities.

If you have tight back muscles a microwave heating pad will help relax the muscles. It will not cure

or fix major injuries. Frozen, it will help reduce swelling and pain. Maine Warmers back heating pads can be frozen and used as ice packs. The whole corn filling does not get as cold as ice so it feels more comfortable on the skin.

Dealing with Chronic Back Pain

Pain makes us appreciate life more when we are pain-free. Any pain is the "worst pain" whether it is a toothache, a headache, a hang-nail, or something else. Pain can be our best friend, when it stops us from taking action that causes more damage. As our worst enemy, it becomes an anchor, dragging along with us everywhere, and keeping us from the things we like to do most.

Because Maine Warmers' microwave heating pad are used as a home remedy for pain, I often receive phone calls from people who experience chronic pain. When I met Andrea Bowen, the creator of an audio CD, The Art of Living with Chronic Pain, I never dreamed I would soon have a personal need for her materials. After a back spasm that left me with terrible back pain, I listened to her CD. It helped me confront and deal with a nagging pain, that like a cranky child, had hold of my leg and would not let go.

Traditional Microwave Back Warmer

Andrea's CD on living with pain does not offer a cure, but provides awareness and help in dealing with chronic pain. I was lucky that back surgery has given me the freedom of living normally again with a few minor adjustments in lifestyle. 

I am also pleased to say that my trusty Maine Warmer microwave heating pad for the back brought soothing comfort during the journey to recovery. After surgery, I kept it in the freezer for gentle cold therapy to help reduce swelling. It was soft and gentle -- not harsh like ice cubes -- and made icing more pleasurable than not.

If you know of someone who is living with pain, or is recovering from back surgery, the gift a fun extra large Whale Back Warmer may be just the thing to bring relief and a smile.

Extra Large Microwave Heating Pad for the Back

How to Prevent Back Pain and Relax Back Muscle Spasms

The most common type of pain in the US is back pain according to MedlinePlus,  Causes are often due to muscle spasms and degenerative disks. When we consider the aging process and our routine activities of lifting, twisting, and bending, it is reasonable to predict that most people will suffer some kind of back pain in their lifetimes.

The vertebrae are supported by back muscles and are separated by soft disks which cushion the bones of the spinal column. The spinal cord is protected by the vertebrae and nerves run away from the spinal cord to various parts of the body.

Spasms can cause muscles to lock up and inflict severe pain. Disk degeneration is when the soft disc

Microwave Back Warmer relaxes stiff back muscles.

between the vertebrae dry up and harden, becoming less soft and cushioning. Sciatica is when disc bulges and presses on a nerve causing severe pain or weakness, or numbness which goes down into the legs.

Stretching, watching our posture as we stand sit and lift, and exercise to build strong muscles that help support the back two to three times a week may help prevent back pain.

A Maine Warmers microwave heating pad will help relax sore stiff back muscles Their Back Warmers are Cozy Sheep make the perfect gift for a friend with back pain.

Cozy Black Sheep Microwave Heating Back Pad

safe and easy to use and help relieve muscle spasms and cramps. A

Tips for Preventing Back Pain

Back pain interrupts life and takes the joy right out of living, turning a person into a pain in the neck. Pain can make us grouchy and can also disrupt our routine. Taking time off from work because of back pain isn’t the way most folks want to spend a day off.

Here are a few tips to help keep you ship-shape.

• Exercises help strengthen torso muscles which support the back. 
• Building stronger bodies with good nutrition is essential to health. 
• Practice good posture. 
• When sitting at a computer to keep feet flat on floor, knees lower than hips, computer screen at eye level, and stretch every half hour.
• Being aware of sleeping position, stretching, and taking care when lifting and bending - using the knees – not the back – are important to maintaining a pain free back.

Health A to Z deals with many aspects of back pain, including symptoms, ways to deal with it, and general information to help you through a painful time. The Mayo Clinic also has good information about dealing with back pain and muscle spasms.

Minor back pain involving muscles can often be remedied with rest along with cold therapy during the first 48 hours. Icing may help reduce swelling and thus pain. Moist heat therapy will help relax tight muscles, help circulation and flexibility. The Mayo Clinic has information on cold and heat therapies.

Maine Warmers sells moist heat packs that can be microwaved and used in any room in the house. No Back Warmers, Neck Warmers, in basic shapes and in animal shapes that make lovely get-well gifts.
wires, messy hot water bottles, or worry of falling asleep as with electric heating pads. Best of all – Maine Warmers' products can be frozen and used for gentle cold therapy. They go from the freezer to the microwave to the freezer again! Maine Warmers offers