It’s no secret that drinking enough water and avoiding dehydration is important to maintain good overall health. However, not many people know that it is also an important factor for good spinal disc health. That’s not to say drinking more water will fix your back issues all on its own, but it can help to relieve a variety of different issues.
Dehydration and Back Pain
When you consider that water is vital to just about all forms of life on earth, it’s easy to see how consuming enough could help your spinal function. When you are dehydrated, the gelatinous material inside your discs (called the nucleus pulposus) will lose water and may not be able to hold your weight without collapsing. When this happens, pressure is placed on the nerves in your spine, which, in turn, causes pain.
Spinal rehydration typically occurs at night, replacing old fluids with new ones as your body rests. This plumps up the discs and creates the cushioning qualities they need to make pain-free movements. If you don’t consume enough water, this process won’t take place as effectively. While your spinal health is crucial to good overall health, your internal organs will get hydrated before the spine.
Signs of Dehydrated Discs
Some of the signs that your discs may be dehydrated include:
- Pain in the lower back
- Numbness or tingling in your legs
- Pain that shoots down your legs
- Leg weakness
- Bulges in your spine
Tips for Staying Hydrated Throughout the Day
Naturally, staying properly hydrated during the day is the most effective way to avoid any pain and discomfort associated with not enough water. There are quite a few different thoughts and philosophies when it comes to how much water to drink each day. Some recommend drinking half your body weight in ounces on a daily basis, while others stick to the 6-8 glasses of water each day protocol.
Whichever schedule you follow, remember that consistency is the key to staying hydrated over the long-term. To help you stay consistent, consider getting a water filter for your faucet or a water cooler, and get into the routine of drinking water at certain times of the day to stay on track. Also, keep in mind that coffee, tea, soft drinks, and similar drinks are not what your body needs to stay hydrated.
Treatments for Back Pain and Spine Conditions
Increasing your water intake may help reduce your back pain, but for natural pain relief of more serious issues like herniated discs or degenerative disc disease, prp therapy
and chiropractic care produce good results.
What these natural treatments have in common is that they target the root cause of your pain and don’t just mask the symptoms. Our treatments are designed to repair and rejuvenate damaged cells and tissue to improve your mobility and alleviate pain. If you’ve had trouble with your back, and want a natural solution, get in touch with us today to set up a consultation.
