Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

Back pain is a condition that can weaken the body and change life completely. It affects your ability to move, sleep, and even think. There are many causes of back pain, but keep in mind that pain doesn't always correlate with severity. In other words, some minor problems (such as irritated nerves) can sometimes cause severe short-term pain, while some life-threatening phenomena (such as tumors). form mild pain. There are some common home remedies you should take, as well as watch for the signs and symptoms that you need to see your doctor.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Handling Severe Back Pain Yourself

1. 

   Wait and watch. The spine is a complex set of joints, nerves, muscles, blood vessels, and connective tissue. Many structures can cause pain if you move your back incorrectly or injure yourself. Severe back pain usually comes quickly and sometimes goes away (without treatment) because the body is able to heal itself effectively. Therefore, you should patiently wait a few hours if you have severe back pain, avoid strenuous activities and maintain a positive attitude.
   • Signs and symptoms that suggest you should seek medical help include: muscle weakness and / or loss of feeling in your arms or legs, loss of bladder or bowel control, high fever, sudden weight loss.
   • Full bed rest is not an effective remedy for many types of back pain as some movements (even a leisurely short walk) are needed to stimulate blood circulation and heal. . If the pain is severe, wait two to three days before continuing with your normal activities.
   • If the exercise-induced pain is probably overtraining or the wrong way. You should then consult your personal trainer.
   • If you think your job is causing your back pain, talk to your supervisor about switching jobs or improving the workplace, such as swapping chairs with back support or cushion underfoot. .

2. 

   
   
   Apply cold ice to your back. Ice is an effective treatment for acute skeletal muscle damage (usually occurring within 24-48 hours), including back pain. Ice therapy should be used only on the most painful part of your back to reduce inflammation and numb the pain. Ice should be applied for 10-15 minutes every hour, then reduce the frequency until the pain and swelling subsides.
   • Squeezing the ice pack against your back with an elastic bandage or elastic support can also help control inflammation.
   • Always wrap ice or cold gel in a thin towel to avoid frostbite.
   • If you don't have ice or gel pads, you can use a bag of frozen vegetables in your refrigerator.
   • Ice is not usually suitable for chronic back pain, instead use moist heat to treat the pain.

3. 

   
   
   Take a hot bath. Soaking your back in an Epsom salt bath can significantly reduce pain and swelling, especially if the pain is caused by muscle spasms or strains. The magnesium in the salt helps muscles relax. However, a hot tub bath or applying heat directly to your back is not an effective solution if you have severe inflammation due to damage to the joints, ligaments and nerves of your back.
   • Do not make the water too hot (to avoid burns) and do not soak in the water for more than 30 minutes as the salt water drains the body and dehydrates you.
   • Alternatively, you can use moist heat to treat back pain. Microwave-heated herbal bags also work well and are often soaked in an aromatic agent (such as lavender) for a relaxing effect.

4. 

   
   
   Consider using over-the-counter drugs from pharmacies. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, naproxen, or aspirin can provide temporary relief from severe back pain or inflammation. Keep in mind that these medications may affect the stomach, kidneys, and liver. So you should not use continuously for more than 2 weeks.
   • Alternatively, you can take an available pain reliever such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or a muscle tension reliever (such as cyclobenzaprine) for back pain, but not with NSAIDs.
   • Pain reliever creams and gels can be applied directly to the aching part of the back, especially if the pain is related to muscles. Capsaicin and menthol are natural ingredients in some creams that distract the brain from focusing on pain by causing skin tingling.

5. 

   Use a foam roller. Rolling over a hard sponge is a great way to massage your spine and relieve mild or moderate pain, especially in the middle back (chest). Foam rollers are commonly used in physiotherapy, yoga, and fitness exercises.
   • Buy a foam roller at the sports store or major stores. They are affordable and quite durable.
   • Place the roller on the floor, perpendicular to the body contact. Lie on your back with the rollers fixed under your shoulders and begin rolling back and fore. Repeat as many times as needed, although the muscles will get a little tired the first time you use the foam roller.
6. Use tennis ball. Lie on your back and place the ball between your shoulder blades. Rotate around until you touch the sore spot. Hold the position for at least 30 seconds, or until you feel the pain go away. Continue with other pain points.
   • Repeat this movement daily until the pain improves. This can be used preventively as these pain points, commonly known as muscle buttons, tend to reappear due to incorrect posture or heavy abuse.
7. Do back exercises. While back pain can hinder you from moving or exercising, stretching or strengthening can be effective in reducing back pain. Before exercising, you should consult with your doctor or physiotherapist to advise some exercises that are suitable for your body condition.
   • Exercises like squatting, push ups, or simple gentle stretches can also help relieve back pain. You can learn more by reading the following two articles: Treating Lower Back Pain and Treating Upper Back Pain.

8. 

   Consider changing your resting space. Cushions that are too soft or pillows that are too hard can cause back pain. You should avoid sleeping on your stomach, as this can cause the head and neck to turn upside down, making the back more painful, as well as compressing and irritating the lower back joint. The sleeping position for people with back pain is lying on your side (like the classic fetal position) or lying on your back with your feet up to reduce the pressure on the lower back joint.
   • While a water-pump mattress may help some people feel comfortable, many feel that solid orthopedic mattresses are more effective.
   • Spring mattresses typically last 8 to 10 years with regular use, depending on your weight and your partner's weight.
9. Lift objects in correct posture. Severe back pain is often caused by the wrong posture of lifting things. When you need to lift something, do not choose something that is too heavy when carrying it alone (and ask for help if the item is large). Keep the object close to your body, rotating the whole body instead of twisting or pulling on the hips.
   • There is some debate now around how heavy it is to lift, but if you want to lift things without putting pressure on your back, you should squat, bend your hips and knees but keep your back straight, and lift up from this pose. This helps you to lift objects with your feet, not your back.
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Part 2 of 3: Finding Alternative Treatment

1. 

   Make an appointment with your chiropractor or osteopath. A chiropractor or osteopath is a spinal specialist who focuses on reinforcing the normal movement and function of the small spinal joint that connects the vertebra, called the bevel joint. Manual pulling of the joint, called a correction, can be used to relieve or position the beveled slightly out of position, causing inflammation and throbbing pain, especially with movement.
   • Although a single spinal adjustment therapy session can sometimes completely cure back pain, in some cases it should be done 3-5 sessions to get positive results. Health insurance usually does not cover the cost of orthopedic care.
   • Chiropractors and osteopaths also use a variety of therapies for muscle tension that may be appropriate for your back pain.
   • Spine stretching or stretching using an inversion table also helps with back pain. Some chiropractors often have an inversion table in the clinic that allows you to turn up and down in a controlled and easy way, utilizing gravity to relieve pressure on your spine. You can purchase a reverse table for use at home.

2. 

   Use a professional massage method. Tensile muscles occur when individual muscle fibers are pulled tugged causing pain, inflammation and a degree of protection (muscle spasms to prevent damage from occurring). Massage presses deep inside tissues relaxes mild or moderate tension because it works to reduce muscle spasm, treat inflammation and stimulate relaxation. Start with a 30-minute massage session, focusing on your entire spine and hip. You can let the physiotherapist press as deep as you can tolerate without causing pain.
   • Always drink plenty of fluids right after a massage to flush the inflammatory byproducts and lactic acid from your body. Otherwise you may experience headache or mild nausea.

3. 

   Use acupuncture. This method involves inserting a thin needle into a specific energy point on the skin / muscle in an effort to reduce pain and inflammation. Acupuncture for back pain can be helpful, especially if pain symptoms first appear. Based on the principles of traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture works to release substances including endorpin and serotonin to help relieve pain effectively.
   • There is currently a combined scientific evidence that acupuncture is effective in reducing back pain, but some anecdotal evidence suggests that many people find it quite effective.
   • Acupuncture points that help relieve back pain are not always located near the place where you feel the pain. Some spots may be in remote areas of the body.
   • Acupuncture is used by health professionals such as physicians, chiropractors, naturopaths, physiotherapists, and massage therapists. Whoever you choose will need to be recognized by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.
   • "Dry needles" are another form of therapy that uses acupuncture needles but is not practiced in traditional Chinese medicine. This therapy can provide effective pain relief.

4. 

   Consider relaxation or "mental-physical" therapy. Stress-relieving activities such as meditation, tai chi, and breathing exercises are believed to improve musculoskeletal pain and prevent damage in many people. Yoga is also a great relaxation method that includes specific poses or patterns and helpful breathing exercises.
   • Yoga poses can stretch and strengthen muscles and improve posture, although you need to adjust your posture if it aggravates the pain.
   • Use mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness meditation is a form of pain management that can be done anywhere, anytime. One study found that three 20-minute meditation sessions over three days not only alleviate pain, but also have a lasting effect after the 20-minute meditation session ends.
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Part 3 of 3: Applying Medical Treatment

1. 

   See your family doctor. If continuous home care and alternative therapies are not effective in dealing with back pain, then you should see your family doctor for potentially serious problems with your spine such as Disc herniation, nerve compression, infection (osteomyelitis), osteoporosis, compression fractures, rheumatoid arthritis, or cancer.
   • Scans, bone scans, MRIs, CT scans, and nerve conduction studies are all of the methods your doctor uses to diagnose your back pain.
   • Your doctor may also perform a blood test to rule out rheumatoid arthritis or spondylitis such as meningitis.
   • Your doctor may refer you to medical professionals such as an orthopedist, neurologist or rheumatologist to accurately determine your back pain.

2. 

   Seek physical therapy. If back pain is recurring (chronic) and caused by weak spinal muscles, poor posture, or degenerative conditions like chronic osteoarthritis, then you need to consider some form of recovery. A physiotherapist will provide specific and appropriate stretches as well as back strengthening exercises. Physical therapy usually requires 2-3 times per week for 4-8 weeks to positively impact chronic back pain.
   • If necessary, a physiotherapist can treat the aching back muscles with electrotherapy such as therapeutic ultrasound or transdermal electrical nerve stimulation (TENS).
   • Good back strengthening exercises include swimming, rowing and back stretching, but you should make sure that pain is under control first.

3. 

   Apply drug injection. The injection of steroid medicine near or inside the joints of the spine, muscle, tendons or ligaments can quickly reduce inflammation and pain, and facilitate normal back movement. Corticosteroids are a hormone with strong anti-inflammatory effects. The most commonly used preparations include prednisolone, dexamethasone, and triamcinolone.
   • Potential complications of corticosteroid injections include infection, bleeding, tendon weakness, local muscle atrophy, and nerve irritation / damage.
   • If corticosteroid injections are ineffective in treating back pain, then surgery may be the last resort.
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Advice

• To get a good posture while standing, stand so that all of your body weight is evenly distributed over your feet and avoid locking the knee joint. Squeeze your belly and glutes to keep your back straight. Wear support shoes if you are standing for a long time; Reduce muscle fatigue by resting one leg on a small pedestal regularly.
• If you sit all day and believe this is causing your back pain, then change into a new chair.
• Quit smoking because it affects blood flow, leading to the lack of oxygen and nutrients in the spinal muscles and other tissues.
• Exercise regularly because back pain often occurs in people who do little physical exercise.
• To maintain correct sitting posture, choose a sturdy chair with armrest. Keep your lower back straight and your shoulders relaxed. You can place small pillows behind the lower back to maintain the natural curve of the lumbar spine. Feet flat on the floor, and use a footrest if necessary.

Warning

• See your doctor right away if you have the following signs or symptoms: growing back pain, loss of bladder or bowel control, weakness of arms and legs, high fever, sudden unexplained weight loss .