Get Enough Restorative Sleep
Pain is a leading cause of insomniadifficulty with falling asleep and/or staying asleep. Inadequate sleep can also make your back pain worse. This vicious cycle makes it more difficult for you to get restorative sleep.
See Restorative Sleep Brings Back Pain Relief
Getting enough restorative sleep is needed for the bodys tissues to heal and recharge energy levels. If you have trouble sleeping, it is important to address pain or other factors that are causing it. Your doctor might recommend lifestyle changes, medications, or other treatments depending on what is disrupting your sleep.
Rub On Medicated Creams
Skin creams, salves, ointments, or patches may help when your back feels stiff, sore, and tense. Many of these products contain ingredients such as menthol, camphor, or lidocaine that can cool, heat, or numb the affected area.
Put on creams right where you hurt. Ask someone to apply it if you have trouble reaching the spot.
âIt’s not going to be a mainstay at providing significant relief, but it can calm things down,â Ray says.
Medical Causes For Lower Back Pain After Sleeping
This condition- lower back pain after sleeping- needs to be dealt separately. This is because when you get lower back pain after sleeping or during your sleep, there can be medical reasons as well as some other general causes for such a pain. Such a pain is sometimes called nocturnal back pain or nighttime back pain. When you go through it, your hurting wont stop even when you lie down, no matter what adjustments you make. In fact, your pain may actually get worse while you try to adjust the best position for sleeping. There are various causes for such nighttime back pain:
- Mechanical problems with the spine such as degenerative discs.
- Injuries, sprains or fractures.
- Spine conditions like scoliosis and spinal stenosis
- Kidney stones
- Certain cancers
- Arthritis
Sometimes you sleep well without any pain but when you get up, you have a back pain. What can be causing such a back pain after sleeping. These are non-medical causes.
Recommended Reading: Why Does Lower Back Hurt
Find The Best Mattress For Lower Back Pain For You
If its in the cards financially for you to buy a better mattress, follow these suggestions:
- The best mattress for lower back pain is the one that feels best for you people may debate over hard mattresses, soft mattresses, or the perfect sleep number, but the truth is that whatever feels good is the best option for you, as long as it encourages proper alignment
- Make sure the mattress you select allows the spine to rest in its natural alignment, as if you were standing straight
- Overall, most suggest a medium-firm mattress for reducing lower back pain but side sleepers tend to prefer softer mattresses and back sleepers tend to prefer firmer mattresses
- Try different types of cushioning and support, from solid foam mattresses to memory foam to those that use steel coils
Try out several mattress options out at the store and see which one you like. Consider ones that you dont think youd like. Be adventurous. And dont be shy: take your shoes off and hop on for a few minutes while relaxing in your usual sleeping position. Considering most people sleep for one-third of their lives, investing in a good, comfortable mattress is critical to not only improving quality of sleep, but also helping to reduce back pain.
How To Stretch Your Lower Back
Stretching the lower back is an important part of maintaining good posture. If you are not able to stand straight, it may be because your lower back muscles are tight and pulling on your spine.
Stretching these muscles can be done through some simple yoga poses or by using a foam roller. The first step is finding where the tightness is happening. You can do this by tucking your elbows under your knees and tucking your chin towards the chest.
Read Also: What Can I Do To Ease Lower Back Pain
The Dead Bug Exercise
This exercise is king.
The aim of this exercise is to engage your abdominal wall to keep your spine in a more neutral position.
As everyone is at different strength levels, I have included 3 variations of the Dead Bug exercise for you to try.
Thing to keep in mind:
- Keep the lower back COMPLETELY flat against the floor ALL OF THE TIME.
- It is imperative that you do not let your lower back arch and lift off the ground.
a) Leg drop
Instructions:
- Lie on your back with your knee and hip bent at 90 degrees.
- Keep both knees bent throughout the movement.
- Keeping your right knee bent towards your chest, slowly lower the left leg towards the ground.
- Only lower as far as you can whilst maintaining your lower back completely flat on the ground.
- Return back to starting position.
- Alternate legs.
b)Leg drop
Instructions:
- Lie on your back with your knee and hip bent at 90 degrees.
- Keeping your right knee bent towards your chest, slowly lower AND straighten the left leg towards the ground.
- Only lower as far as you can whilst maintaining your lower back completely flat on the ground.
- Return back to starting position.
- Alternate legs.
c)Alternate arm/leg drop
Instructions:
Losing Weight For Back Pain Relief
It’s only natural to assume that, along with controlling your risk for heart attack, diabetes, stroke and other degenerative diseases, losing weight can help you get rid of back pain.
Experts agree that losing weight successfully may result in partial or complete back pain relief. Dr. Andre Panagos, physiatrist and director of Spine and Sports Medicine in New York notes, “every single patient in my clinic who loses a significant amount of weight finds their pain to be vastly improved.”
The reason for this, Panagos explains, is that if you are heavier than your ideal weight, your muscles will need to work harder in order to help you accomplish everyday tasks. Plus, the extra load that is put on the spine can take vertebrae out of alignment, which may lead to joint strainanother potential cause of pain.
“When you lose weight, you are effectively reducing strain on your spinal column and back muscles,” Panagos adds.
Also Check: How To Cure A Pulled Lower Back Muscle
What Are The Treatments For Lower Back Pain
Lower back pain usually gets better with rest, ice and over-the-counter pain relievers. After a few days of rest, you can start to get back to your normal activities. Staying active increases blood flow to the area and helps you heal.
Other treatments for lower back pain depend on the cause. They include:
- Medications: Your provider may recommend nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or prescription drugs to relieve pain. Other medications relax muscles and prevent back spasms.
- Physical therapy : PT can strengthen muscles so they can support your spine. PT also improves flexibility and helps you avoid another injury.
- Hands-on manipulation: Several hands-on treatments can relax tight muscles, reduce pain and improve posture and alignment. Depending on the cause of pain, you may need osteopathic manipulation or chiropractic adjustments. Massage therapy can also help with back pain relief and restore function.
- Injections: Your provider uses a needle to inject medication into the area thats causing pain. Steroid injections relieve pain and reduce inflammation.
- Surgery: Some injuries and conditions need surgical repair. There are several types of surgery for low back pain, including many minimally invasive techniques.
What Are The Warning Signs Of A Serious Problem
Very rarely back pain or pain that travels down the leg is a sign of a serious problem.
If you have any of the following symptoms, you should seek urgent medical attention:
- difficulty controlling or passing urine
- loss of control of your bowels
- numbness around your back passage or your genitals
- serious weakness in your legs so you find standing really difficult
- severe and ongoing back pain that gets worse over several weeks.
The above symptoms could potentially be linked to a rare but serious condition that needs urgent medical attention.
You may be sent for tests if:
- youve had an injury to your back, for example a bad fall
- your doctor suspects that there may be an underlying cause for your pain
- the pain has lasted for an unusually long time.
In this case a magnetic resonance imaging scan or computerised tomography scan may be needed.
X-rays are much less commonly used because back pain is often caused by problems with soft tissues, such as ligaments and muscles, which cant be seen on x-rays.
Changes to the spine as a result of spondylosis can show up on x-rays. These common changes that happen to us all can appear on x-rays without people having any pain or problems. Because of this, x-rays arent particularly helpful.
Remember that sometimes even after a thorough investigation it might not be possible to say for certain what is causing back pain.
You May Like: How To Relieve My Back Pain
Exercises For Low Back Muscle Pain
Exercises for low back muscle pain include strengthening your core, working on upper body strength to improve posture, taking care of your spine by stretching out the back, learning to lift properly, and not lifting weight that is too heavy.
For example, you can strengthen your core by doing plank exercises or yoga poses. You can also work on posture by practicing good habits like sitting up straight and standing tall. Stretching out the muscles in your lower back can help relieve pain.
Where Can I Get More Information
For more information on neurological disorders or research programs funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, contact the Institute’s Brain Resources and Information Network at:
Office of Communications and Public LiaisonNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and StrokeNational Institutes of HealthBethesda, MD 20892
NINDS health-related material is provided for information purposes only and does not necessarily represent endorsement by or an official position of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke or any other Federal agency. Advice on the treatment or care of an individual patient should be obtained through consultation with a physician who has examined that patient or is familiar with that patient’s medical history.
All NINDS-prepared information is in the public domain and may be freely copied. Credit to the NINDS or the NIH is appreciated.
Read Also: How To Fix Back Of Knee Pain
Types Of Lower Back Pain
There are two main types of lower back pain that are:
Mechanical or Axial Pain is the most common pain that patients feel in their lower back area. Mechanical pain is generally radiated from the lower back to buttocks and the upper legs. It is generally caused by prolonged sitting, walking etc.
Radicular Pain is a type of lower back pain caused because of the damage to the spinal nerve root, which can cause inflammation in the nerves. The patient feels sharp sensations of pain and burning type sensation as well in the lower back. The pain is generally felt on one side of the body.
How To Relieve Lower Back Pain With Stretches And Exercises
Activity is often the best way to get rid of back pain. Even as simple an exercise as walking helps you get up from sitting position and puts your body in a more neutral position- in an upright position. However, when you get flare-ups and episodes of acute pain, avoid exercising without the advice of your doctor or physical therapist. When your pain subsides, start doing the lower back exercises to prevent such future flare ups.
Also Check: How To Cure Lower Back Pain Fast At Home
Ques : How Do You Tell If Lower Back Pain Is Muscle Or Disc
Ans: The basic difference to locate whether your lower back pain is related to muscle or disc is that if it hurts both while bending forward and returning to the upright position, then it is disc pain.
Whereas, if it hurts more while returning to the upright position as compared to forward bending, then its muscle pain.
Other symptoms of disc pain are:
- Increased back pain with prolonged sitting and frequent bending.
- Increased back pain because of coughing, sneezing, and even laughing.
- Numbness or pin-needles like pain radiating into the affected area.
Exercise For Lower Back Pain For Seniors
Are you a senior who has been experiencing back pain? Exercise can be a great relief for pain and stiffness because it improves circulation and flexibility.
Here are some ideas for exercises to try: Walking, swimming, cycling, rowing, and yoga. Even if you havent exercised in a long time, these exercises can be modified to suit your abilities. Walking is a great way to start.
Start with a slow pace and increase the speed as your flexibility improves. If you are new to a particular exercise, start with low intensity and slowly increase intensity. If you are having difficulty with any of the exercises, consider the following tips:
- Start with low-intensity exercise.
- If you have pain in your back, stop exercising and see your doctor.
You May Like: How To Workout With Lower Back Pain
Overlooked Remedies For Lower Back Pain Relief
When lower back pain persists and continues to interfere with your quality of life, multiple treatment options may be needed for adequate relief. Below are some back pain treatments that are commonly overlooked or underused. Try one or more of these remedies to see which one, or combination, works best for you.
A Rotational Stretch Of The Lower Back While Seated
- Sit in a chair with no arms or a stool. Your right leg should be crossed over your left leg. Twist and extend to the side while bracing your left elbow against the outside of your right knee.
- Hold for a total of 10 seconds. Rep the process on the other side.
- Twice a day, do this stretch 3 to 5 times on each side.
Also Check: How To Make Back Muscle Pain Go Away
What Causes A Compressed Nerve
A few common causes for lumbar pinched nerves are:
1. Repetitive motion
2. Holding the body in one position for long periods .
Read: Can a Bulging Disc Heal on Its Own?
4. Arthritis of the spine.
But when we look at these causes through the holistic approach, we see that all of these causes have the same root cause: muscle Imbalances.
The important thing to understand is that a pinched nerve, or Sciatica, is not a condition or a disease.
Its just a symptom of something else.
Much like coughing is a symptom of pneumonia. If you want to stop the coughing, the smart way to go is to cure pneumonia, not just swallow coughing syrup.
Well get to that later, and see how to reverse it easily and at home.
Best Superfoods & Herbs For Back Inflammation
1. Turmeric
The #1 food for lower back inflammation pain is by far Turmeric. It can actually replace your NSAIDs all together and is fully backed by thousands of studies.
You can take Turmeric in standardized capsules or you can easily add it to your meals.
If you want it to be fully potent, add just a little black pepper and healthy fat to make it most bioavailable.
If you dont like the taste of Turmeric, you can add it to your green smoothie .
If you add a banana in there, or a few dates, you wont feel the taste at all.
Always use organic Turmeric to avoid nasty chemicals.
2. Ginger
Not only is ginger a culinary marvel, but its health benefits are also stunning.
Ginger has some extremely potent anti-inflammation compounds, called gingerols.
There are many studies proving how effective ginger can be in the fight against inflammation when consumed regularly.
Studies have found that Ginger has the ability to inhibit nitrous oxide and is helpful for all general inflammatory processes.
The best way to use Ginger would be adding it fresh to your meals or your green smoothies . You can find fresh organic ginger root powder here.
3. Fish Oil
Fish oil can effectively ease inflammation and pain caused by many chronic conditions. The dose used in most convincing research is 2 to 4 grams of DHA + EPA daily.
Make sure to get fish oil from organic-raised fish, without additives and clean from heavy metals and toxins, like this one.
2. Bromelain
3. Papain
6. Rutin
Read Also: Does Your Lower Back Hurt When You Have A Uti
Back Stretch While Sitting
- Sit on a stool or a bench or chair without arms.
- Keep your right leg crossed over your left leg.
- Take your left hand towards the right leg and bracing your left elbow against the outside of your right knee, twist and stretch to the side.
- Hold for 8-10 seconds.
- Repeat with the left leg crossed over right leg.
- Repeat 5 times with each leg.
Will Bed Rest Help Back Pain
Doctors often recommend continuing your usual activities of daily living as soon as possible. Studies suggest that strict bedrest can often prolong or worsen low back pain. Bed rest can also lead to secondary complications such as depression, decreased muscle tone, and blood clots in the legs. You should try and keep moving while avoiding activities that noticeably aggravate or worsen back pain. By staying active, those who suffer from low back pain can gain greater flexibility and quicker recovery.
Don’t Miss: Should I See A Chiropractor Or Doctor For Back Pain
How To Avoid Gas Pain In Back
Everyone has a different sensitivity to fiber. You may have the ability to eat large amounts of fiber on a daily basis and not feel any results from it while someone else might eat vegetables and establish gas instantly. You can prevent the quantity of gas you develop by removing particular foods from your diet. The National Digestive Disease Information Clearinghouse recommends removing dairy items, entire grains foods, apples, pears, peaches, broccoli, onions, garlic and cabbage. Mainly drink water and remove all carbonated drinks.
