Back pain may be relieved with a variety of techniques.
For most common occurrences of back pain, a regiment of rest, hot and cold compresses, exercise and therapy, as well as various pain medications can be used to reduce the pain and provide a level of comfort.
Rest will be necessary for your back to heal when suffering from acute back pain. However, you should try to maintain as much activity as is comfortable. Getting up and moving around can help ease stiffness and relieve pain.
Hot and cold compresses, used separately or by alternating, can have great benefit in reducing back pain. Heat is used to relax the muscles. It works by dilating the blood vessels, which improves the flow of oxygen to the affected area and reduces pain and muscle spasms. It is important to take care when applying heat to the lower back region. Constant heat for prolonged periods can have a negative effect on the organs in your abdominal region. Do not sleep with a heating pad on your back. Instead, apply heat for no more than 20 to 30 minutes. Cold packs are used to reduce inflammation, such as that from arthritis or injury.
This works by decreasing the size of blood vessels and the flow of blood to the area. Like heat packs, it is important to avoid prolonged application of cold packs.
A simple solution for a cold pack is to take a bag of ice or frozen peas and wrap it in a towel.
Various stretching exercises can be used to reduce back pain by reducing back stiffness and possibly relieving compression on the spine. As well, suitable exercises will strengthen the muscles of the abdomen, buttocks, back and legs, which will provide better support to your back and help relieve pain. Your doctor or physical therapist can show you a set of exercises suitable for your condition. Massage therapy is used by many to relieve back pain. Massage tries to stimulate blood flow to the affected area, and to relax the muscles of the lower back.
Registered massage therapists can be found on-line or in your phone book.
Nonprescription medicines can be used to reduce pain.
They include analgesic medications like aspirin and acetaminophen (Tylenol), which are meant for general pain relief. Topical analgesics include such as Zostrix, Icy Hot and Ben Gay can be effective in some cases where a pill-based medicine is not. Other medicines, such as NSAIDs, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, are used to reduce swelling. These include such nonprescription medications as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), ketoprofen (Actron, Orudis) and naproxen sodium (Aleve). Prescription medications are available if these medications do not prove effective.
You should call your family doctor if your pain remains after a couple of weeks, or if you feel any of these other symptoms: