How To Relieve Lower Back Pain — The Ultimate Guide
Back pain is the second most common cause of missing work, only after the common cold, and contributes to about 93 million lost workdays and $5 billion in health care costs every year. An astounding eight out of ten people will have back pain at some point in their lives, and one in four Americans currently experiences back pain. Back pain that lasts more than three months is considered chronic, a type of pain which neuroscientists say impairs more than your physical body.
Chronic pain actually alters brain function, impairing attention, short-term memory, judgement, and social skills. Additionally, Harvard Medical Center reports that chronic pain contributes to mood disorders, including depression and anxiety, sleeping difficulties and coping skills, which can damage relationships with friends, family, and significant others.