Easing Lower Back Pain in Six Easy Steps

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 70%-80% of today's population suffer from chronic pain, particularly lower back pain. While lower back pain can be a result of the aging process which lessens the elasticity and flexibility of bones and muscles, it can also have a variety of causes. Some of the most common causes of lower back pain include excess weight, musculoskeletal disorders, accidents, and poor posture. However, lower back pain is a curable condition that must be treated immediately to avoid disruption in lifestyle, work, and daily activities.

If you experience bouts of lower back pain, there is no reason to suffer. Below are some steps you can follow to ease lower back in pain in six steps:




Consult your doctor first.


This is necessary to determine whether the lower back pain you experience is just that or a manifestation of something more serious like a bone or muscle disorder. If it is found out to be a non-serious case of lower back pain, you can ask your doctor for tips and advice on managing it.



Use heating pads to relax your back muscles and spine.


Applying moist heat therapy for 20 minutes to half an hour on your lower back can soothe the pain caused by fatigue, muscle spasms, and cramping. Applying heating pads or warm moistened washcloths to the painful area with a gentle massage can provide pain relief quickly. Soaking in a hot bath can also do wonders for low back pain. The warm heat penetrates the muscles and sets the blood flowing which relieves the cramping and eases the tightness in the muscles.



Take prescription and non-prescription painkillers.


Over-the-counter painkillers can reduce joint pain and swelling. Some of the most popular painkillers for lower back pain include naproxen, ibuprofen, aspirin, and ketaprofen. However, even if these painkillers are available without prescription, it is advisable to consult a doctor about over-the-counter drugs you can take. Your doctor can also give you an Rx for prescription painkillers like Tramadol and Soma for more severe cases of lower back pain.



Observe appropriate posture for specific activites.


Strains on your lower back can cause injuries over time. Muscles are strained when they are distended due to overstretching and improper posture. To relieve lower back pain and prevent recurrence, it is important to observe proper posture. Keeping your hips, shoulder, and ears in a straight line while pulling your stomach in during standing can ease the pressure on your lower back by preventing slouching. This position ensures that your weight is evenly distributed to avoid burdening your back muscles. When you have to sit for long hours, using a chair with good back support is essential in maintaining proper posture.



Rest to soothe back pain.


Rest is important to relieve lower back pain. The best way to do this is to lie on the floor with pillows under your knees to ease the weight and pressure off your back. Resting this way for a couple of days is usually enough to help you recuperate from a hurt or strained back.



Stretch back muscles regularly.


Muscle elasticty and bone flexibility are greatly reduced as you age and suffer from injuries. Even minor activities are enough to trigger low back pain. As such, it is also important to take regular stretching breaks during everyday activities to ease the stress from your back. Walking to the coffee maker or climbing a flight of stairs can boost your resistance against lower back pain.

Ways To Ease Lower Back Pain

It can happen to anyone at anytime. You will be sitting at your desk working away when suddenly; you feel a dull ache spreading across in your lower back. What do you do? More often than not, you will probably keep working and try to ignore it. Or if it gets worse, you may get up for a quick stretch and a quick walk around ? hoping that will do the trick.
It is highly likely that in our lifetime, we will all experience some degree of lower back pain. About 70 per cent of adults have back pain at some stage of their lives. Unfortunately there is no magic pill to cure lower back pain but exercising for a strong healthy back can be a preventative measure, which makes it a must for all adults.

What causes the pain?

Because there are so many factors and things which can be the culprit of lower back pain, it is not always easy to diagnose the cause. Most cases however, tend to be triggered by a combination of overuse, muscle strain and injury to ligaments, discs and muscle tissue.
Sitting for prolonged periods of time as is common in our modern day lives can cause lower back pain, too. When you sit at your desk, for example, your pelvis rotates backwards which flattens your normally curved lumbar sine and increases the load through your vertebrae. And as you hunch forward towards the computer screen, the muscles deep in your back shrink, your abdominal muscles shorten and your outer back muscles overstretch, weaken and become vulnerable to injury.
Small wonder many experts believe that spending long stretches of time sitting at a desk or any type of chair for that matter can have a big impact on the spine's normal structure and the development of lower back pain. Sitting for hours each day is a recipe for a troublesome lower back unless you take action and get it strong.

How to get pain relief?

When you have a stiff and aching back, bed rest may seem to be the most attractive option, but research has shown this isn't the case. In fact, staying immobile may lead to a longer period of rehabilitation, a higher intensity of pain and a stronger likelihood of disability.
The best way to relieve back pain is the opposite of bed rest: proper exercise!
But a healthy lower back requires more than just strong back muscles ? you need strong muscles in your torso and pelvis as well. When you have good core strength, muscles in your pelvis, lower back, hips and abdomen work together in harmony, helping to protect and stabilize the spine.
If you have back pain see a fitness professional who can work with you to strengthen your whole body so your back is strong and resilient and can handle a seated work situation. Sitting in a chair for long period does nothing to keep your back strong so you need to perform your strength training program 2-3 times each week for a pain free back.

Home Remedies To Get Rid Of Back Pain

Many people suffer from various forms of aches and pains with back pain being amongst the fore- runners in common aches. The causes of back pain can vary from work related stress and fatigue to improper posture. There are other numerous causes for back ache but most common is injury due to bad posture as well as improper use of the back in day to day or once in a while tasks. Pregnancy may also cause discomfort in the back due to the additional weight and strain placed on the body. The best way of dealing with back pain is firstly to prevent it. Preventing back complications can be done simply through proper posture, correct usage of the back in tasks as well as regular exercise.

To relieve back aches you can use ice to reduce the inflammation. Within the first 34 hours ice is effective in reducing inflammation as well as relieving some pain. To use this remedy place ice cubes in a polythene bag and wrap a towel around the bag. Placing the ice on the affected are for thirty minutes at a time can go a long way in relieving pain.

Heat can be used to relieve pain after it has been 24 hours since the onset of the pain. Heat works by relaxing the muscles as well as improving circulation to the back. There are a number of home items you may use as a heat pack if you do not have one. A hot water bottle may be used or even cooked rice placed in a bag and heated in a microwave. Heat as a remedy may be used while in a hot bath, using Epsom salts may also aid in reducing the pain as they reduce swelling.

Another home remedy for back pain is massaging with eucalyptus oil. The healing properties of eucalyptus are well documented and it is no surprise that this oil will relieve back aches as it is absorbed into the skin. A twenty to thirty minute massage may be all the difference e between constant throbbing pain and relief.
These are only a few home remedies that you may try to relieve back pain it is important however to seek professional advice if the pain is persistent, as a result of a blow or fall or accompanied by other aches or numbness.