Release Your Inner Endorphins
Endorphins are hormones made naturally in your body. What many people dont know is that endorphins may help block pain signals from registering in your brain. Endorphins also help alleviate anxiety, stress, and depression, which are all associated with chronic back pain and often make the pain worse.
When Should I See My Healthcare Provider About Lower Back Pain
Lower back pain usually gets better with rest and pain relievers. Back pain that doesnt go away may be a sign of a more serious condition.
See your provider if you have:
- Pain that doesnt get better after about a week of at-home care.
- Tingling, numbness, weakness or pain in your buttocks or legs.
- Severe pain or muscle spasms that interfere with your normal activities.
- Fever, weight loss, bowel or bladder problems or other unexplained symptoms.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Millions of people live with low back pain. Stiffness, pain and limited movement can have a major impact on quality of life. But you may be able to avoid lower back pain by maintaining a healthy weight and staying active. Talk to your provider if back pain doesnt go away or if youre unable to do the activities you enjoy. Several treatments can relieve pain, help you move better and get more out of life.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 01/18/2021.
References
Ways To Relieve Back Pain Naturally
There are a wide variety of natural remedies to soothe your back, which can help reduce the intake of medications or provide an added benefit to your existing medical treatment.
Take a look at these natural pain-relieving strategies and find out what works best for you:
Read on to learn more about effective pain-relieving strategies for chronic back pain from natural methods.
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What Research Is Being Done
The mission of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke is to seek fundamental knowledge of the brain and nervous system and to use that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disease. NINDS is a component of the National Institutes of Health , the leading supporter of biomedical research in the world.
As a primary supporter of research on pain and pain mechanisms, NINDS is a member of the NIH Pain Consortium, which was established to promote collaboration among the many NIH Institutes and Centers with research programs and activities addressing pain. On an even broader scale, NIH participates in the Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee, a federal advisory committee that coordinates research across other U.S. Department of Health and Human Services agencies as well as the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs.
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.
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Stretches And Exercises For A Pinched Nerve In The Back
Always discuss any stretches and exercises you may be considering with your doctor before you try them. You want to make sure you dont worsen your symptoms or do anything that causes more pain.
Use a yoga mat, towel, or carpet to lie on when engaging in these stretches. You should do two to three repetitions of these stretches each time, and make sure to take deep breaths while stretching.
Complementary Alternative Emerging Treatments
In some cases, doctors suggest therapies that are not considered current standard of care. They probably wont be covered by insurance, but they may be worth considering. Examples include:
. PRP treatments use a small sample of your own blood that has concentrated amounts of blood building blocks known as platelets. Your doctor then injects the PRP directly into a damaged disc. The theory is that PRP injections use your own healing system to accelerate improvement of injured tendons, ligaments, muscles, and joints.
PRP treatment has a longer track record in knee osteoarthritis, but a recent review article in the Journal of Spine Surgery suggests it may have a useful role for back pain, too. PRP needs a lot more research before it can be considered a proven technique.
In this emerging treatment, your doctor injects stem cells harvested from your hip into the intervertebral disc or discs causing your pain. Doing so may lessen pain and the degenerative effects of aging, though, like PRP, more research is needed before stem cells for lower back pain could eventually become the standard of care.
. Your doctor probably doesnt perform acupuncture , but may support you trying it as a complementary therapy. Acupuncture involves careful insertion of fine, sterile needles into specific points on your body. This may stimulate the release of your natural pain-killing chemicals.
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How To Relieve Lower Back Pain By Sleeping With A Pillow
Improper sleeping postures can take a toll on your back. Here’s how to use a pillow to relieve lower back pain.
Hedy Phillips
CNET Contributor
Hedy Phillips is a freelance lifestyle writer based in New York. While she’s not writing on topics like living on a budget and tips for city dwelling, she can usually be found at a concert or sightseeing in a new city. Over the past 10 years, her bylines have appeared in a number of publications, including POPSUGAR, Hunker, and more.
Back pain can present itself at any given time and be caused by several factors. Back pain is also one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. According to a University of Georgetown study, more than 65 million people complain to their doctors about back pain, and 8% of adults in the study report chronic back pain, or pain that lasts for weeks.
While you can see a doctor for treatment options relating to your back pain, there are some more holistic approaches you can take at home, like stretching, using a massage gun or sleeping with a pillow between your legs. For the latter, we’ll give you some tips on how this simple solution can provide some relief for back pain. That way, you’ll fall asleep in no time and stay asleep all night without experiencing any pain.
Read more:Trouble Sleeping? Try These 6 Natural Sleep Aids for Better Rest
Diagnosis Of Lower Back Pain
Your physiotherapist or GP will usually be able to diagnose lower back pain from your symptoms and by examining you. Theyll want to rule out whether theres any underlying problem that could be causing your pain.
Your physiotherapist or GP will ask you lots of questions about your back pain. These may include when it started, how bad it is and if theres anything that makes it better or worse. They may press against your back to see if theres any tenderness and check for any deformities. They might ask you to move around too, to see if you have problems bending or extending your back.
Usually, further tests wont help. But if your symptoms indicate an underlying problem, your GP may recommend tests including:
They may also refer you to a specialist for further investigations.
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Try An Epsom Salt Soak
While theres conflicting evidence on Epsom salt baths, many have found that they help get rid of leg pain. Whether its the relaxing warm bath or the salts themselves, were not sure! But, there may be some reasons epsom salts seem to work. Dr. Axe explains:
High in magnesium and sulfates, they are easily absorbed through the skin to provide quick relief and reduce inflammation. Add two cups of salts to warm bathwater and soak for at least twenty minutes.
When Is Surgery Considered
Spinal surgery is usually not recommended unless you have not improved with other treatment methods such as stretching and medication, your pain is worsening, you have severe weakness in the muscles in your lower extremities or you have lost bladder or bowel control.
How soon surgery would be considered depends on the cause of your sciatica. Surgery is typically considered within a year of ongoing symptoms. Pain that is severe and unrelenting and is preventing you from standing or working and youve been admitted to a hospital would require more aggressive treatment and a shorter timeline to surgery. Loss of bladder or bowel control could require emergency surgery if determined to be cauda equine syndrome.
The goal of spinal surgery for sciatic pain is to remove the pressure on the nerves that are being pinched and to make sure the spine is stable.
Surgical options to relieve sciatica include:
Microdiscectomy: This is a minimally invasive procedure used to remove fragments of a herniated disk that are pressing on a nerve.
- Laminectomy: In this procedure, the lamina that is causing pressure on the sciatic nerve is removed.
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Consider Supplements To Relieve Osteoarthritis Pain
The most recommended supplement for improving osteoarthritis is glucosamine sulfate. On his website, Dr. Andrew Weil notes that:
Glucosamine sulfate provides the joints with the building blocks they need to help repair the natural wear on cartilage caused by everyday activities. Specifically, glucosamine sulfate provides the raw material needed by the body to manufacture a mucopolysaccharide found in cartilage. Supplemental sources are derived from shellfish. Taken in supplement form, glucosamine may help improve the maintenance of healthy cartilage with an enhanced deposition of glycosaminoglycan.
Chondroitin is another supplement commonly taken with glucosamine that can also stimulate the growth of new cartilage components. In addition to these supplements, Dr. Weil recommends eating foods that can reduce tissue damage from inflammation. These include oily fish, such as salmon, ginger, turmeric, and organically grown fruits and vegetables.
Symptoms Of An Inflamed Hip Labrum Or Hip Labral Tear
First off, the labrum is a ring of cartilage that stabilizes the hip joint. It also helps distribute pressure, allows for more shock absorption, and improves joint articulation, says Cameron Yuen, D.P.T., C.S.C.S., a senior physical therapist at Bespoke Treatments in New York City.
Like Rose mentioned, a labral tear isnt as obvious as youd think. You could have a labral tear and not even know it, Yuen says. But pain in the front of your hip, or deep in your groin, should clue you in. Its a fairly constant ache with clicking or clunking as you move your hip.
The sensation and of course, the location, is similar if youre dealing with inflammation, not a full-fledged tear. Both create similar signs and symptoms, but labral tears dont heal on their own and often have mechanical symptomssuch as that clicking or clunking, Yuen says.
So, if the pain subsides and you dont notice any strange sounds, its probably not a tear. If you want to be sure, youll need an MRA, or a magnetic resonance arthrogram, which is a type of MRI that can show blood vessels and blood.
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Heat Things Up Or Cool Them Down
Hot and cold may be opposites, but both can help keep you comfortable. Cold treatment is usually best for an injury that just happened. After about 72 hours, doctors usually suggest switching to heat. Use an ice pack that’s wrapped in a towel or try a heating pad for about 15-20 minutes at a time. Be careful not to burn your skin.
Is The Weight Of Pregnancy The Reason Why So Many Pregnant Women Get Sciatica
Its true that sciatica is common in pregnancy but increased weight is not the main reason why pregnant women get sciatica. A better explanation is that certain hormones of pregnancy cause a loosening of their ligaments. Ligaments hold the vertebrae together, protect the disks and keep the spine stable. Loosened ligaments can cause the spine to become unstable and might cause disks to slip, which leads to nerves being pinched and the development of sciatica. The babys weight and position can also add pressure to the nerve.
The good news is there are ways to ease sciatic pain during pregnancy, and the pain goes away after birth. Physical therapy and massage therapy, warm showers, heat, medications and other measures can help. If you are pregnant, be sure to follow good posture techniques during pregnancy to also ease your pain.
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Easy Stretches To Release Lower Back And Hip Pain
If you are suffering from lower back or hip pain, you are not alone. More than 26 million Americans, between the ages of 20 and 64, experience back pain and, very often, lower back and hip pain are related.
In our current age of technology, many of us find ourselves sitting in front of the computer for most of the day. All of this sitting can cause tightness in the hamstrings, shoulders, and hip flexors, as well as a weakening of the core .
Our deepest hip flexor, the Psoas, is directly connected to our lumbar spine. So if our hip flexors get tight, they will begin to tug uncomfortably at the lower spine, thus causing stiffness and achiness in the lower back and uncomfortable hip pain.
Suffering from a sore neck, back and shoulders? Get our mobility guide to ease pain and soreness.
Fortunately, regularly stretching can help reverse some of this tightness. Here are 9 easy stretches that can be done just about anywhere to relieve lower back and hip pain.
Describing Your Leg Pain
Pain symptoms, no matter what body part they affect, can vary significantly. The pain may be dull, sharp, constant, or intermittent. But the type of leg pain you feel may help determine the source of your discomfort.
Your back may be the source of your leg pain if your symptoms include:
- Pain that radiates down your leg
- Muscle weakness in your leg
- Tingling, numbness, or burning sensation down your leg
- Pain symptoms that only affect one leg
- Electric shock sensation that travels down your leg
- Difficulty walking
You may not experience all of these symptoms. But if any of these symptoms match the type of leg pain youre experiencing, then it may be time to see us at Texas Spine Consultants for an evaluation of your spine and back, instead of seeking treatment for your legs.
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Lower Back And Leg Pain: Causes And Treatments
Reviewed by Dr. Nileshkumar Patel, M.D., M.B.A.
Though often caused by muscle strain and normal wear and tear of the body, back pain may also be a symptom of more serious conditions. In some cases, back pain can extend to other areas of the body, specifically to your legs. When this happens, its important to identify the root cause and find a treatment that fits your pain.
Prone Lying Prone Props And Press Ups
In the case of sudden onset of acute low back pain, you should try the emergency back pain exercises first. Lie on your stomach for a few minutes, then prop onto your elbows for a minute or two. Monitor your symptoms for centralization.
After a few minutes in the propped up position, try a few press ups. Try to keep your hips and back relaxed as you use your arms to press your upper body up. Try to press up as far as possible to restore the normal forward curve in your low back. Say to yourself, “Further, further, further” as you press up. Move your spine through the full, pain-free, range of motion. Perform 10 repetitions and monitor your symptoms.
If your pain does not fully centralize with the press up exercise, you may need to move on to the next exercise: the press ups with your hips off center.
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About Lower Back Pain
Lower back pain is pain in the area of your back from the bottom of your ribs to the top of your legs. It can come from any of the many structures that make up your back. These include bones, joints, muscles, ligaments, nerves and tendons.
Your spine supports your back. Its made up of 24 separate bones called vertebrae stacked on top of one another. The lower section of your spine is called the lumbar spine. Below the vertebrae, at the bottom of your spine, are bones called your sacrum and coccyx. You may hear lower back pain referred to as lumbosacral pain.
Discs of cartilage sit between each vertebra, acting as shock absorbers and allowing your spine to bend. Some lower back pain originates from these discs. Your spinal cord threads through the vertebrae, carrying nerve signals between your brain and the rest of your body. If nerves at the base of your spine become compressed or inflamed, it can cause sciatica. Sciatica is a type of pain that starts in your back or buttocks and spreads down your leg.
Its usually difficult for doctors to say exactly whats causing back pain. This is because there are so many different parts to your back and tissues that surround it. Even tests such as X-rays and magnetic resonance imaging scans arent helpful for most people.
Root Causes Of Lower Right Back Pain
Bad posture, slouching while walking, and bending your head too much are all of the mechanical troubles that gradually cause back pain in the body.
This can only be relieved by certain stretches and correct postures. Wear and tear of the spinal cord can eventually end up damaging the lower back. Injuries on the right side, especially with soft tissue, can lead to immense back pain. When the muscles or ligaments on the back are excessively stretched, it causes muscle and ligament pain respectively.
Certain injuries on the bone and tissues cause pain on the lower right back side. Kidney problems often cause pain in the lower back. Since the location of the kidney corresponds with the lower right side, it is a painful experience as the stones pass through the urinary tract.Spinal stenosis happens when the space between the spinal cords is narrowed.
When this occurs in the body, the lower back aches on one or both sides. Arthritis and Appendix also have similar results. Moreover, weakened body muscles may also affect back pain. This is due to the weak muscles procrastinating without exercising or moving around much.
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