Back pain is a very common ailment. So it's no surprise that, as chiropractors, we're often asked, "What can I do to relieve my lower back pain?"

Luckily, there are some helpful exercises that can help counteract the problems and behaviors that lead to lower back pain.

Here are the top five lower back pain exercises we recommend. If you experience pain while doing any of them, stop immediately and seek medical advice.

1. Back extensions

If you've ever done yoga, you might know this one as "cobra pose." Back extensions stretch the spine and can help relieve back pain.

Just lie on your stomach and prop yourself up on your elbows. Try to keep your neck long and shoulders back — this will help lengthen your spine.

Push down on the floor with your hands to push your back up as far as feels comfortable. You'll also feel a stretch in the stomach muscles. Hold the position for five to 10 seconds while breathing normally. Repeat the exercise 10 times.

2. Abdominal contractions

Lie on your back and bend your knees. Keep your feet hip-width apart. Try to relax your body, especially the neck and shoulders.

When you exhale, draw the muscles of your pelvis and lower abdominals upward. Hold this gentle contraction, but continue to breathe from your abdomen. After five to 10 breaths, relax your muscles. Repeat five times.

You can also try some mild partial crunches for a more intense workout. Just avoid overdoing it with something like sit-ups, so you don't aggravate your existing back pain.

3. Bridge pose

Bridge pose can do a great job of relieving lower back pain.

Lie on your back with knees bent, your feet hip-width apart. Inhale, and as you exhale, lift your hips off the floor. Try to get your shoulders and knees in a straight line. To avoid overarching, tighten your abdominal muscles during the pose. Lower to the ground as you breathe.

As you build strength and flexibility, you can increase your repetitions. The Mayo Clinic recommends doing this exercise five times a day.

4. Lower back rotation

This rotation will stretch out your spine and help relieve lower back pain.

Lie down on your back and keep your knees bent. Relax your upper body. Roll your knees to one side, then your pelvis. Try to keep both shoulder blades on the floor. Turn your gaze over the opposite shoulder.

After 10 seconds, return to the starting position. Repeat on the other side. Do the stretch two or three times on each side.

5. Exercise ball

If you're ready to increase the intensity of your lower back exercises, use an exercise (or swiss) ball.

The AAOS recommends using an exercise ball for lumbar stabilization exercises.

Lie down on your back with your knees bent. Rest your calves on the ball. There are a few exercises you can do in this position:

• Slowly lift one arm over your head, then lower it. Lift the other arm, and switch back and forth.

• Slowly straighten one knee vertically. Relax, and switch sides. Alternate left and right.

• Do the two previous exercises together by straightening one knee and raising the opposite arm overhead together. Alternate sides.

• Slowly (walk) the ball forward and then backward with your legs.

Keep moving

According to NINDS, fitness level can have an impact on how much people suffer from lower back pain.

So while these five exercises are a great place to start in combating the problem, strengthening the back muscles overall may be the key to long-term relief.

Practice these exercises for your spinal needs, but also consider creating a routine of exercises to combat back pain before it starts, such as swimming, stretching and yoga.

The post The 5 best exercises for lower back pain appeared first on FamilyToday.

If you're experiencing such pain, the first step to getting back to normal is to choose a chiropractor. A good place to start is by asking those you trust — friends, family members or another medical professional, such as your family physician — for recommendations. Once you have done that, ask your new chiropractor the following questions to ensure he or she is the best choice for you:

Can chiropractic techniques be used to treat conditions not related to the spine?

You don't want a chiropractor who claims they can treat everything from the common cold to cancer with chiropractic medicine. There's not much suggesting that chiropractic techniques are a viable treatment for any condition unrelated to the spine.

As the New England Journal of Medicine puts it:

"That spinal manipulation is somewhat effective symptomatic therapy for some patients with acute low back pain is, I believe, no longer in dispute, but there appears to be little evidence to support the value of spinal manipulation for non-musculoskeletal conditions."

Do you prefer certain techniques over others?

Some chiropractors prefer a gentle technique that gradually eases the pain away - others prefer a forceful technique that may be more uncomfortable, but is believed to produce more immediate relief.

If you've gone through chiropractic treatment before and know you prefer one technique over the other, a chiropractor should respect your decision, even if they don't completely agree. The chiropractor may be the expert in this situation, but it's still yourspine.

How long do you estimate treatment will take?

If you're in pain, you naturally want it to end as soon as possible.

It takes one to four weeks for a chiropractic treatment to reduce the majority of a client's pain. But the amount of time it will take for you varies, of course, depending on your specific condition - that's why it's important to ask.

What are the side effects?

Common side effects following a chiropractic treatment include dizziness, headaches, fatigue and short-term discomfort in the area that was worked on.

But again, there may be more you need to know, depending on your particular condition.

What can I do to supplement treatment?

In addition to the treatment itself, the chiropractor will likely recommend that you adjust your lifestyle to help treat your neck or back pain.

Typically, a healthy diet and regular exercise can help (as long as the exercise isn't too strenuous), and other methods, such as heating pads and electrical stimulation, may help as well.

Once you have the answers to these questions, you're prepared to make an informed decision on whom is the best chiropractor for you, and will be one step closer to recovery.

The post How to choose a chiropractor appeared first on FamilyToday.