Back pain relief

Back Pain Relief

Back pain is one of the most common reasons people go to the doctor or miss work, and it is a leading cause of disability worldwide. Most people have back pain at least once.

Fortunately, you can take measures to prevent or relieve most back pain episodes. If prevention fails, simple home treatment and proper body mechanics often will heal your back within a few weeks and keep it functional. Surgery is rarely needed to treat back pain.


Like the nearly 80% of Americans who will experience a back problem during their lifetime, Beverly Hayes suffers from back pain. For many, the injury is triggered by a strenuous activity, like gardening or weight lifting. Others simply bend down to pick up a pencil and their back gives out.

“It felt like a screwdriver was piercing through my bones,” the 46-year-old Chicago artist says about the pain that developed shortly after she ran a half-marathon.

“It took over my life. I couldn’t bend down or sleep — I was petrified I would never feel normal again.”


Mary Ann Wilmarth, DPT, a spokeswoman for the American Physical Therapy Association and chief of physical therapy at Harvard University, says it is critical that people address any back pain or injury right away.

 “Early intervention can help prevent a chronic problem from developing and obviate the need for medication and surgery,” she says.

Thanks to a combination of activity, core strengthening exercises, and physical therapy, Hayes says her symptoms have improved dramatically over the last year.


CONTINUE READING BELOW

1. Limit Bed Rest

Studies show that people with short-term low-back pain who rest feel more pain and have a harder time with daily tasks than those who stay active.

“Patients should avoid more than three days of bed rest,” says Mike Flippin, MD, an orthopaedic surgeon who specializes in back and spine care at San Diego Medical Center. “I encourage my patients to get moving as quickly as possible.”

2. Keep Exercising

Activity is often the best medicine for back pain. “Simple exercises like walking can be very helpful,” Wilmarth says. “It gets people out of a sitting posture and puts the body in a neutral, upright position.”

But remember to move in moderation, Flippin says. “Stay away from strenuous activities like gardening and avoid whatever motion caused the pain in the first place.”

3. Maintain Good Posture

The pain may have started after a long workout at the gym, but the strain that caused it has probably been building for years. Wilmarth says most people have poor posture when going about their daily activities, putting unnecessary strain on their backs.

“Little things add up,” she says. “You can increase the pressure on your back by 50% simply by leaning over the sink incorrectly to brush your teeth. Keeping the right amount of curvature in the back takes pressure off the nerves and will reduce back pain.”

CONTINUE READING BELOW

4. See a Specialist

Developing an individualized exercise plan is essential to managing chronic back pain, says D. Scott Davis, PT, MS, EdD, OCS, an orthopaedic physical therapist and associate professor at West Virginia University.

“There is no magic aspirin that addresses lower back pain in everyone,” Davis says. “Some patients need more core strengthening while others benefit mainly from stretching and improving flexibility. Find a physical therapist, exercise physiologist, or chiropractor who specializes in back care. They will match you with the right exercise plan.”

5. Strengthen Your Core

Most people with chronic back pain would benefit from stronger abdominal muscles.

“The torso is a combination of many muscle groups working together,” Frank B. Wyatt, EdD, professor of exercise physiology at Missouri Western State University, tells WebMD in an email. “If the abdominals are weak, other areas must pick up the slack. When we strengthen the abdominals, it often reduces the strain on the lower back.”

6. Improve Flexibility

Too much tension and tightness can cause back pain. "Our goal in increasing flexibility is to put an equal load throughout the body from the feet all the way up to the head,” Davis says. “One good exercise is to sit on the edge of the bed with one leg extended and the other one on the floor.

7. Apply Ice and Heat

Heating pads and cold packs can comfort tender trunks. Most doctors recommend using ice for the first 48 hours after an injury -- particularly if there is swelling — and then switching to heat.

But "it is difficult to say if ice or heat is more beneficial,” Flippin says. “I recommend that patients use whichever they find comforting as long as their skin is protected.”

 8. Sleep the Right Way

The amount of rest you get is important, and so is the position you get it in. “Sleeping in a bad position or on a mattress without support can cause back pain,” Wilmarth says.

9. Some pointers:

Back sleepers should put pillows under their knees.
Side sleepers should place pillows between their knees to keep their spine in a neutral position.
Stomach sleeping causes the neck and head to twist and can put undue stress on the back.

10. Quit Smoking

Lighting up doesn’t just damage your lungs; it can also hurt your back.

A study recently published in the American Journal of Medicine found that current and former smokers are more likely to have back pain when compared with people who have never smoked.

“Nicotine causes the small blood vessels to constrict and decreases the delivery of blood  to the soft tissue,” Flippin says. “I tell all my patients that quitting smoking could help alleviate their back pain.

 11. Try Talk Therapy

Back pain is often seen with issues such as depression and anxiety, says Alex Moroz, MD, associate professor of rehabilitation medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center.

“Your emotional state colors the perception of pain,” Moroz says. “Therapy can be a helpful part of rehabilitation.”

 12. Use Relaxation Techniques

Research shows that practices such as meditation, deep breathing, tai chi, and yoga, which help put the mind at rest, can do wonders for the back.

“If you can induce a relaxation response, it will help reduce the perceived pain level,"

13. Hand Therapy

Does massage really ease back pain once you leave the table? 

A recent study found that one weekly massage over a 10 week period improved pain and functioning for people with chronic back pain. Benefits lasted about six months but dwindled after a year. Another hands-on approach is spinal manipulation. Performed by a licensed specialist, this treatment can help relieve structural problems of the spine and restore lost mobility.
Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of back pain can include.

Muscle ache
Shooting or stabbing pain
Pain that radiates down your leg
Pain that worsens with bending, lifting, standing or walking
Pain that improves with reclining
When to see a doctor

Most back pain gradually improves with home treatment and self-care, usually within a few weeks. If yours doesn't improve in that time, see your doctor.

In rare cases, back pain can signal a serious medical problem. Seek immediate care if your back pain:

Causes new bowel or bladder problems
Is accompanied by fever
Follows a fall, blow to your back or other injury
Contact a doctor if your back pain:

Is severe and doesn't improve with rest
Spreads down one or both legs, especially if the pain extends below the knee
Causes weakness, numbness or tingling in one or both legs
Is accompanied by unexplained weight loss
Also, see your doctor if you start having back pain for the first time after age 50, or if you have a history of cancer, osteoporosis, steroid use, or excessive drug or alcohol use.

Low back pain caused by spinal degeneration and injury.


Back pain that comes on suddenly and lasts no more than six weeks (acute) can be caused by a fall or heavy lifting. Back pain that lasts more than three months (chronic) is less common than acute pain.

Back pain often develops without a cause that your doctor can identify with a test or an imaging study. Conditions commonly linked to back pain include:

Muscle or ligament strain. Repeated heavy lifting or a sudden awkward movement can strain back muscles and spinal ligaments. If you're in poor physical condition, constant strain on your back can cause painful muscle spasms.

Bulging or ruptured disks. 

Disks act as cushions between the bones (vertebrae) in your spine. The soft material inside a disk can bulge or rupture and press on a nerve. However, you can have a bulging or ruptured disk without back pain. Disk disease is often found incidentally when you have spine X-rays for some other reason.

ArthritiS

 Osteoarthritis can affect the lower back. In some cases, arthritis in the spine can lead to a narrowing of the space around the spinal cord, a condition called spinal stenosis.

Skeletal irregularities

 A condition in which your spine curves to the side (scoliosis) also can lead to back pain, but generally not until middle age.

Osteoporosis

 Your spine's vertebrae can develop compression fractures if your bones become porous and brittle.
More Information

Tarlov cysts
 A cause of low back pain?

Infographic

 Back Pain
Risk factors
Anyone can develop back pain, even children and teens. These factors might put you at greater risk of developing back pain:

Age

Back pain is more common as you get older, starting around age 30 or 40.
Lack of exercise. Weak, unused muscles in your back and abdomen might lead to back pain.

Excess weight

Excess body weight puts extra stress on your back.

Diseases

Some types of arthritis and cancer can contribute to back pain.

Improper lifting

Using your back instead of your legs can lead to back pain.

Psychological conditions

 People prone to depression and anxiety appear to have a greater risk of back pain.
******************************