Easy Tips for Low Back Pain Relief

Easy Tips for Low Back Pain Relief

Getting low back pain relief when you're hurting should be top priority. Pain in and of itself is debilitating, inconvenient, excruciating, and aggravating.

Back pain is one of the major #1 causes of missed days at work, and trips to the doctor's office.

When you experience pain in the lower back, you can be down for days at a time, depending on how severe it is.

I recently jumped off some bleachers at my son's school. That was all it took to throw out my back. Although I'm in relatively good shape, it still happened. Low back pain does not discriminate. It can affect anyone at anytime.

If you want it to improve your pain, you must STOP and DROP!

That is, stop in place and drop whatever you're doing.

ICE is the first protocol! Use ice only for the first 72 hours after onset of injury. Ice 15 minutes ON, then 15 minutes OFF. Do this for at least the first few hours, then decrease how often you apply ice only.

DO NOT APPLY HEAT TO INFLAMED AREAS! Use heat in rotation with ice after the first 72 hours after onset of injury. (hot and cold contrast bath)

If you apply heat to an injury, it would be like applying heat to a burn!~ Its just WRONG. Heat will make your condition worse, IF you apply it upon onset of injury.

Heat increases blood flow and exacerbates inflammation. COLD shrinks blood vessels, therefore restricting blood flow and helps in reducing inflammation.

Many people tell me that the only way they get low back pain relief is to apply heat. This has been the subject of many questions asked to local physicians. This is what I learned.

Heat application can give you relief if that's what you've come accustomed to using for lower back pain. You have in a way, 'taught' your muscles to expect it. Heat used to be the #1 recommended treatment for back pain and that's why many people reach for heat.

The bad news is that heat can cause degeneration in the surrounding tissues and exacerbate other problems. It does not happen instantly, rather it happens progressively over time.

Tips for Low Back Pain Relief

#1) Take Breaks Often! - Take frequent breaks whenever possible! Walk around, touch your toes, or stretch your arms up towards the ceiling. Hold it to the count of 10.

A great midday stretch for low back pain relief is to stand up and align your arms with your ears and gently bend backwards. I usually get a 'pop' out of my low back when I do this, and it feels really great!

We as a society are used to grabbing a prescription drug from the doctor�s office and not trying to take any responsibility for ourselves.

The doctor will most probably give you muscle relaxers or pain meds to 'fix' the problem in most cases. We might all love muscle relaxers but they are prescribed to treat the symptom, not the cause.
#2) Use an Antidepressant! - If your back pain lasts longer than 6 months, then you are considered to have chronic lower back pain. Sometimes the best way to get over the symptoms is to treat the cause of the symptom.
Factors that trigger the symptoms may be certain exercises, lifting, bending, exposure to cold, prolonged sitting, or psychological stress.

Antidepressants have been shown to be effective for patients with chronic back pain, although there may or may not be any accompanying depression.

Treatment for chronic low back pain relief must focus on restoring function and reducing symptoms.

#3) Bed Rest is not advised! - Although your bed might feel really good to you and although bed rest may be advised initially, bed rest longer than two or three days may actually be detrimental to recovery of lower back pain.

Bed rest promotes muscle atrophy, stiffness, and depression.

Patients with back pain are advised to continue daily activities as tolerated and exercise when you can.

#3 - Massage Therapy~ Having been a massage therapist for many years, I know how great Massage Therapy works for chronic back pain.

Massage therapy can decrease muscle spasm and restore normal range of motion to the spine.

Besides back pain, massage can help relieve pain associated with Cancer, Arthritis, and Musculo-skeletal complaints. Massage is also prescribed help patients with Fibromyalgia and Myofascial pain.

#4) STRETCH! - If you are not flat on your back, then stretch as often as you can.

Stretching ELONGATES the muscles and is highly recommended. You can find non conventional and easy tips for stretching here.

#5) Use Ibuprofen - Aspirin and Ibuprofen are anti-inflammatory's. Use them. If you want low back pain relief, you must de-flame the inflammation. Many times pain is accompanied with swelling in the tissues surrounding the injury. The best way to reduce swelling is by using Ibuprofen. It really helps. Most physician's suggest using 'gel caps'. Because they are in semi liquid form (gel), they enter your body's blood stream more quickly and therefore help relieve pain faster.

Remember these easy tips for low back pain relief. They will help keep your money in your pocket by keeping you out of your doctors office and make you feel good about helping yourself!

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To go to the next Healthy Money Saving Tips page, here's the link: Prevention of Lower Back Pain

To view the previous Healthy Money Saving Tips page, here's the link: Relief for Chronic Shoulder Pain