Ever wake up with a stiff or inflamed back that only seems to get better through movement or exercise? If that sounds familiar, and it’s been an ongoing problem over three or more months, you might have inflammatory back pain.

Inflammatory back pain affects 6.7% of adults—or 1 in 2 of every 1,000 people—aged 30-44. It’s a condition marked by early morning stiffness that lasts throughout the day and evening and pain that does not improve with rest. Most times, inflammatory back pain lasts longer than three months. The morning stiffness improves for most with movement and exercise, but for others, exercise creates additional discomfort.

Inflammatory back pain happens when spinal joints become inflamed. The sacroiliac joints, which connect your pelvis to your spine, are most often affected. Depending on where in your spine you’re inflamed, IBP can cause pain in your low back, buttock or thigh.

Doctors look for the following markers when diagnosing inflammatory back pain:

Pain showed up before the patient turned 35 years of age

Pain is chronic, lasting over 3 months

Stiffness and pain worsen when immobile

Pain is most intense at night and early morning

Exercise or activity eases pain symptoms

NSAIDs treat stiffness and pain in most patients

The good news is that you can eliminate inflammation by changing your nutritional habits. Start by removing processed foods and simple sugars from your diet. Replace them with complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and quality protein. Increasing your water intake also keeps your spine flexible and mobile throughout your day.

The graphic below highlights foods that cause inflammation and their healthy replacements. Download it and store it somewhere visible. You’ll also find easy-to-make whole food recipes. Change is hard, but living with inflammatory back pain is harder. Cheers to getting started on your road to a stronger, healthier back.

Source: https://backernation.com/