Dehydration And Back Pain in Chicago IL
Can back pain in Chicago be a symptom of lack of drinking water?
Why is drinking water very important?
Water is one of the most important ingredients that every living being needs. As for human beings, water makes up 60-65% of our bodies and affects every organ and cell within the body. This might sound confusing but water plays a very important role in maintaining the health of your back and spine. Let us tell you how! Between the two vertebrae of a human being, there is a disc which functions as a shock absorber for all the stress and load that we put on our back throughout the day. This disc has further two parts, an outer, flexible but a very tough ring (filled with gelatinous substance, called the nucleus pulposis) and the inner substance which is primarily water.
During the day, gravity works on our upright spine, water gradually squeezes out of the discs. Then when youl lay down at night, these discs gradually rehydrate. Because of this daily dehydration and nightly rehydration of the discs, we are roughly ¼ to ½ inch shorter when we go to bed. However, when you wake up in the morning, you are back to your normal height. Movement during the day is also crucial to keep these discs hydrated. Also, as you move your spine forward and backwards, these discs absorb the water gradually.
These discs rehydrate significantly themselves during the night and also during the day whenever you take rest. It is important that your body should have adequate water levels. If there is not enough water, it will not fully hydrate the gelatinous center and the entire disc becomes compromised. When the disc is fully hydrated, it is so designed that its outer ring bears 25% of the weight load, whereas the inner nucleus pulposis supports 75%. When the inner portion is dehydrated, it will not support its share of load.
This means, more of your weight is borne by the outer ring and it is not designed for that purpose. As a result of this, you will suffer from pain, swelling and in the worst-case scenario, rupture and herniations of the outer shell. In simple words, one of the best and most effective ways to reduce back pain is to increase your daily intake of clean, healthy water and also to flex your back and neck back and forth multiple times during the day. You should also incorporate light exercise but in case you are trying to avoid back spasms, always consume water before, during and after you start your physical activity session. Never wait until you are too thirsty as your body would already be dehydrated.
How Much Water Should You Drink?
We are often told to drink 8 cups of water a day. This may not be true as drinking levels usually depend on each individual. For instance, athletes will need to drink more water as compared to a non-athletic person. This is because athletes lose more water while exercising and they need to replenish them. Moreover, heavier individuals will also need more water to stay hydrated. In simpler words, drink one cup of water for every 20 pounds of body weight.
For example, a 150- pound person who doesn’t exercise or works in hot climates will need 7.4 cups. This has to be pure drinking water. Tea, coffee and drinking soda do no count in this even though they have water in it. Most of these drinks are filled with artificial sweeteners and colors along with caffeine which quickly dehydrate you. You should limit the number of beverages that you drink other than water. Those should be treated as desserts and not water that you drink regularly.
Here are some simple tips to follow:
- In case you are someone who works in hot climates, you will require to drink extra amounts of water than your usual intake
- Try to drink twice as much as it takes a while to quench your thirst
- One cup for every 20 pounds of body weight
- Try drinking frequently throughout the day to prevent any dehydration
If you go to the gym regularly, a strenuous workout can also dehydrate the fluids in your body. You should drink enough water to rehydrate else, you will suffer from chronic dehydration. Water also reduce body temperature which helps individuals who work in hot climates. Water help to quickly replenish fluids in your body that were lost and helps to cool it down. If you drink more water, it will protect you against developing back pain and also helps to reduce existing back pain. Furthermore, by stretching your spine forward and backward periodically throughout the day will also help to rehydrate discs. But it depends a lot on how many times you provide your body with water to work with. So, don’t be a pain in the back and drink enough water right now.
If you are looking to improve your overall health through the different benefits of regular chiropractic care, the top rated chiropractors in Chicago can help you. Book your session today by calling us or simply tap on the schedule your appointment button and get it done online.
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