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Low Back Pain
There's no clear evidence that you can prevent low back pain.1 Nearly everyone experiences it at some time. But there are some things you can do to help prevent low back pain. And they can prepare you for faster recovery if you do have low back pain. Some of them also have added health benefits. Here are some things you can do:

• Exercise to keep your back healthy and strong. Exercise programs that include aerobic conditioning and strengthening exercises can help reduce the recurrence of low back pain. Learn how to lift objects safely to protect your back.
• Protect your back while sitting. Standing posture is also important; when you stand, your ears, shoulders, hips, and knees should be in line with one another.
• Try different sleeping positions that protect your back. If you sleep on your side, try putting a pillow between your knees. If you sleep on your back, use a pillow under your knees. You can also try rolling up a small towel and using it to support your lower back.
• Wear low-heeled shoes.
• Maintain a healthy weight to avoid excess strain on your lower back. n If you're a smoker, quit. Smoking increases your risk of bone loss (osteoporosis) and increases your sensitivity to pain. Smoking also interferes with blood circulation by tightening the arteries, which makes it harder for blood to flow, and by decreasing the amount of oxygen the red blood cells can carry. Spinal discs do not have their own blood supply, but receive nutrition in part from the blood supply to the vertebral bones above and below them. Decreased circulation may increase the speed of degeneration and/or slow the healing of the discs.
• Eat a nutritious diet. Getting plenty of calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D may help prevent osteoporosis, which can lead to compression fractures and low back pain.
• Manage the stress in your life, both at home and at work.

If you think your activities at work are causing back problems, information is available from your human resources department or the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) within the U.S. Department of Labor. Many businesses require or recommend the use of back belts at work, although there is no evidence that they reduce back injury.(2, 3)

Bronchitis
You can help prevent acute bronchitis by:

• Avoiding cigarette smoke. If you smoke, stop. People who smoke or are around others who smoke have more frequent bouts of acute bronchitis. Smoke (including secondhand smoke) reduces the body's ability to remove bacteria and viruses that can cause infections in the lungs.
• Wearing a face mask while working around irritants, such as dust. Specially designed masks are available to filter out dangerous chemicals or dust.
• Avoiding contact with those who have an upper respiratory tract infection, such as a cold, especially if you have an impaired immune system or another medical condition. Wash your hands often during the cold and flu season. If you catch a cold or influenza (flu), you are at an even higher risk for developing bronchitis.
• Discussing with your health professional whether you should get a vaccine for the flu.

If you have had acute bronchitis in the past, you can help avoid getting it again by:

• Avoiding air pollution and other irritants in the air. Stay indoors with the doors and windows closed if air pollution is at a high level.
• Avoiding the use of wood-burning stoves in the winter, if possible.
• Avoiding situations that may trigger an allergic reaction if you have an allergy.

If you have an upper respiratory tract infection, it never hurts to:

• Get plenty of rest.
• Drink enough liquids to avoid getting dehydrated.
• Most cases of acute bronchitis go away in 2 to 3 weeks. Contact your health professional if your acute bronchitis gets worse, because this may indicate pneumonia.

Signs of worsening acute bronchitis include:

• A persistent cough and increasing amounts of mucus being coughed up from the lungs (especially if the mucus is becoming thicker and has more color).
• Shortness of breath.
• Pain in the chest wall.
• Ongoing fever or fever that gets worse.

References:

1. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (2005). Primary care interventions to prevent low back pain in adults: Recommendation statement. American Family Physician, 71(12): 2337–2338.
2. Wassell JT, et al. (2000). A prospective study of back belts for prevention of back pain and injury. JAMA, 284(21): 2727–2732.
3. Deyo RA, Weinstein JN (2001). Low back pain. New England Journal of Medicine, 344(5): 363–370.