How To Heal Lower Back Pain Fast: At
Lower back pain is among the leading causes of pain in the US, with research showing that at least 25% of US adults reported experiencing lower back pain over three months¹. While the condition is more common among adults, children and adolescents can also develop lower back pain.
Some of the common causes of back pain include muscle strain, accidents, and arthritis, to name a few. Other factors that can increase the risk of developing lower back pain include fitness level, age, gender, weight gain, genetics, and job-related factors.
If you are experiencing back pain, there are several effective home remedies that you can try to manage the pain. These include getting enough sleep, doing enough exercise, using heat and cold therapy, applying pain-relief cream, managing stress levels, avoiding being in the same position for too long, and mindful meditation.
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Maintaining A Healthy Weight Can Help Reduce Back Pain
If youre at a healthy weight, your muscles dont have to work as hard to support you against gravity. The muscles wont fatigue as quickly, and that would be helpful with pain, says Stephens. Theres also less pressure on your back and other joints, he adds.
A meta-analysis of 33 studies published in the American Journal of Epidemiology examined the association between overweight and obesity and low back pain, and found that both conditions increased the risk for low back pain.
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Know Your Otc Medications
Nonprescription pain relievers can help with muscle aches and stiffness. The two main types of over-the-counter options are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and acetaminophen. NSAIDs include aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen.
True to their name, NSAIDs help lower inflammation that can lead to swelling and tenderness. But acetaminophen does not relieve inflammation. You can reach for either type of pain reliever for occasional back pain. NSAIDs may work a bit better, Hemani says, if you have arthritis of the spine or other inflammatory conditions.
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The 7 Best Natural Cures For Inflammation In The Lower Back
2019/09/15
No matter the cause of your lower back pain the pain you experience is caused by one thing:
Inflammation.
How to know whats causing your inflammation in the lower back? How to eliminate the pain without depending on pain killers for life?
In this detailed guide, youll find all the answers: the common causes, the ultimate natural cures and how to avoid low back inflammation from coming back ever again.
First, lets start with lower back inflammation symptoms, and how they differ from mechanical lumbar pain:
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Best Home Remedies For Back Pain
Our fast-paced and busy life sometimes surprises us in the form of health issues! Many times, we take our health for granted and land up with some health issues.
Backache is a common health problem experienced by the middle-aged or elderly population. Improper diet, lack of physical activity, muscle tension, poor posture, arthritis, and vertebral disc problem can trigger this health problem. Backache can be so severe that it can restrict your day to day activities also.
Severe back pain needs immediate attention from your doctor. But, you can treat nagging pain and discomfort on your own. There are wide varieties of home remedies to treat back pain.
If you are interested in using a home remedy for back pain relief, you might consider one of the following popular options.
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Achieve A Healthy Weight
More than 70 percent of people in the U.S. are overweight and nearly 40 percent are considered obese. Carrying extra weight can significantly strain your back muscles and spine.
Losing weight can be difficult however, doing so can help control your back pain, prevent the condition from getting worse, and even potentially eliminate the need for pain medication or surgery. If you need help losing weight, request an appointment.
“There are many alternative treatments for back pain, many of which are easy to do at home and affordable, with no doctors prescription necessary.”
Carlos Bagley, M.D.
Naturally Relieving Lower Back Pain
People tend to believe that theres medication available for nearly every ailment. While there are muscle relaxants and pain-relieving medications for back pain, physicians are often wary of prescribing medication to their patients.
Why? Muscle relaxants can be highly addictive. Back pain is a condition that is caused by the natural aging process, posture, and unconsumed activity. The likelihood of the pain recurring is fairly high.
Popping a pill each time your back hurts leads to a dependency on muscle relaxants or pain medication. Natural remedies are therefore often sought out to limit the pain.
Natural remedies encompass a range of therapeutic treatments that do not involve drugs as their mainstay. The word natural has often been used in conjunction with the kitchen or the garden but it actually involves any form of treatment that doesnt involve medication.
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When To See A Doctor
People can often treat back pain with home remedies and some patience. However, a person should speak to a doctor about chronic or severe back pain.
A doctor may recommend physical therapy, medication, or other treatments. People who have existing health conditions or who take regular medications should speak to a doctor before trying any herbs or supplements.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration do not monitor supplements for purity or quality, so it is essential to research reputable companies first.
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- Beck, B. D., Hansen, & angst . M., & Gold, C. . Coping with work-related stress through guided imagery and music : Randomized controlled trial. Journal of Music Therapy, 52, 323352
Exercises To Fix Back Pain At Home
After stretching the area and getting an understanding of your individual range of motion and pain tolerance the next step to fixing back pain at home is to strengthen the surrounding musculature.
This is important to reduce the likelihood of injury again and restore full range of motion in the future pain-free.
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When Should You See A Doctor
Initially, lower back pain may be mild and go away on its own. However, if the pain becomes severe or does not go away, you need to see a doctor.
At first, you can try treating back pain using home remedies or over-the-counter pain relievers like aspirin, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen. If you dont address the symptoms, back pain can affect your normal daily activities. If you experience back pain for more than two weeks, it could be a sign that you need to see a doctor.
Signs that you need to see a doctor include:
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Pain in the back after trauma
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When back pain is associated with fever
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Loss of control over your bladder and bowel
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Loss of strength and sensation in your arms and legs
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Night back pains
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Pains associated with certain medical conditions, e.g., osteoporosis
You may want to see your primary care doctor for diagnosis and treatment. They might refer you to a specialist if your diagnosis is unclear or further treatment is required.
Stretching Exercising And Eating Right
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When Is Lower Back Pain An Emergency
Most episodes of lower back pain eventually resolve on their own, but there are times when you should . Some of these situations include:
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Patient is a child
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Pain is severe, constant, suddenly or progressively worsens, and/or doesnt go away
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Pain interrupts sleep
While some situations may warrant immediate intervention, most cases are not urgent and can be scheduled at a time convenient for the patient.
When Your Sciatica Warrants A Visit To Your Doctor
Its important to recognize when at-home therapies arent easing your sciatica. If these treatments dont help you, it may be time to see your personal doctor or spine specialist.
People avoid the doctor for a variety of reasons. Maybe youre unsure about how to use your health insurance or you dont have any. Or perhaps you simply dont like visiting the doctor and prefer an ignorance-is-bliss approach.
Whatever the reason, some sciatica symptoms truly warrant medical attention. In rare cases, delaying medical care could lead to or cause permanent nerve damage.
If you experience any of the following, please see your doctor as soon as possible:
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You have severe pain in your low back and legs
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You experience nerve-related symptoms, such as weakness, numbness, tingling, or electric shock-like pain
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Your pain doesnt improve after 2 weeks
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Your pain gets worse, even when using at-home therapies
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You have loss of bowel and/or bladder control
Easing the extreme pain of sciatica doesnt always require an extreme treatment approach. Relieving sciatic nerve pain at home with gentle exercise, ice and heat therapy, proper posture, and medication may go along way to speed your recovery. But the most important thing you can do for your low back and leg pain is to take it seriouslyalways call your doctor if you arent experiencing relief.
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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.
Common Causes Of Chronic Back Pain
Chronic back painis usually age-related, but can also result from a prior injury. The mostcommon causes include:
- Arthritis of the spinethe gradual thinning of the cartilage inside the spine
- Spinal stenosisnarrowing of the spinal canal that may lead to nerve pain
- Disc problems, such as a herniated or bulging disc
- Myofascial pain syndromeunexplained muscle pain and tenderness
In some cases, its difficult to pinpoint the cause of chronic back pain.If your doctor has exhausted all diagnostic options, its time to seek asecond opinion from a back pain specialist, recommends Nava. Itsimportant not to make rushed decisions or undergo extensive medicalprocedures until the origin of the pain is found. Not only may they nothelp they could make the pain worse, warns Nava.
If the source of the pain is not known or cant be treated, your bestoption may be to work with your doctor on reducing the flare-ups and makingthe pain manageable with nonsurgical treatments.
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Set Up Your Desk For Success
Malek and Mukai suggest these tips for better desk set up:
- Make sure both feet are on the floor.
- If the back of the seat is not touching you when seated, use pillows to bring the support closer to your back.
- Use a pillow behind your lower back or vertically along your spine
- Raise your computer monitor so the top of the screen is eye-level with you you may need to invest in a separate keyboard.
- Use a proper chair that offers lumbar support, armrests, and an adjustable height.
- If your back is extra achy, try raising the chair slightly so your hips are just above your knees. This may reduce pressure on the low back and decrease pain.
- Consider variable height desk set up there are some cheap desktop units so you dont have to buy an entirely new desk.
- Take stretch breaks every hour. Walk around and move. With the variable height desk vary sitting and standing dont stand all day and dont sit all day.
Get A Backrub With Medicated Ayurvedic Oil
Ayurveda recommends getting a backrub with mahanarayana taila, which is a medicinal formulation containing sesame oil, milk, and a multitude of beneficial herbs like bilva, ashwagandha, brihati, and shatavari. According to ayurveda, if you have a vata or pitta body type, you should lightly rub the oil over the affected area. Those with a kapha body type should get a deeper massage.7
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Bonus Tip: Consider Taking A Vitamin D3 Supplement
If your doctor agrees, consider taking a vitamin D3 supplement. Vitamin D is essential for bone, neuromuscular, and immune system function. Taking a vitamin D3 supplement can help reduce back pain by increasing the absorption of calcium in your body and improving bone strength.15
See Calcium and Vitamin D Requirements
Finding the perfect pain relief technique is usually a process of trial and error, making it worth exploring various approaches. Try these natural pain-relieving strategies for your back pain and see what works best for you. Severe pain that is not relieved by self-care must be evaluated by a health professional for an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.
Physical Therapy And Exercise
A physical therapist can apply a variety of treatments, such as heat, ultrasound, electrical stimulation and muscle-release techniques, to your back muscles and soft tissues to reduce pain.
As pain improves, the therapist can teach you exercises to increase your flexibility, strengthen your back and abdominal muscles, and improve your posture. Regular use of these techniques can help keep pain from returning.
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Use Hot Or Cold Packs To Ease Pain
This is an easy remedy that you can try at home to tackle your backache. Apply a hot water bottle to the affected area to alleviate the pain when your back starts hurting. Using a cold pack can also help. But take care not to apply ice directly on the skin as you might get a cold burn. Wrap the ice pack in a washcloth before you use it. Some people also find that alternating between an ice pack and a hot water bottle eases pain. Go with what works for you there are no hard and fast rules!
What Are Some Less Invasive Or Noninvasive Back Pain Treatments
Your doctor has a wide range of treatments that may help your lower back pain. In general, expect your doctor to take a stepped care approach. That means starting with simple, low-cost treatments and moving to more aggressive approaches later. Keep in mind that many treatments take time to reach their full effect.
Medications. When over-the-counter pills and topicals dont do enough to relieve back pain, your doctor may recommend a prescription drug. Examples include:
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Antiseizure medication, such gabapentin or pregabalin, for nerve-related pain
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Muscle relaxants, such as baclofen or carisoprodol
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Prescription NSAIDs, such as celecoxib, diclofenac, or fenoprofen
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, such as oxycodone or hydrocodone, on a short-term basis.
Physical therapy . PT for lower back pain involves passive and active therapies to help the patient build core muscle strength, improve spinal flexibility and range of motion, correct posture and more. Your physical therapy sessions may include:
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Exercise
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Ultrasound
Injections. An or a may provide short-term pain relief when lower back pain causes sciatica symptoms, such as leg pain.
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Secrets For Getting Rid Of Back Pain Fast And Naturally
For those who suffer from low back pain or any type of back pain, to be honest, it might seem as if life is passing you by.
A great many people spend the majority of their days sitting. You sit during your commute, you sit all day at the office, you sit to eat lunch, you sit for the commute back home, sit during dinner, and then sit watching Netflix.
All this sitting sounds like a dream, right? But what it is doing to your back is a nightmare. Sitting puts so much pressure on your lower back and spine that its no wonder it ends up hurting!
The Worst Part? The worst part about back pain is that once it rears up, it seems so difficult to get rid of! You try changing chairs, you adjust your posture, you rub it, you stand up and stretch, you might even try walking around. Walking feels good for a few minutes, but then its back.
How can you get rid of lower back pain? Its a frustrating problem!