How To Relieve Your Lower Back Pain When Lying On Your Back
Ultimately you need a safe and effective way to relieve the pressure on injured parts of your lower back, which is why it hurts your back when youre lying down. We recommend the lumbar decompression exercise below because it helps move your spine back to a supported neutral position. You need to do it correctly, and if you do it will really help your lower back pain. This exercise makes up an important part of the Back In Shape program that we mentioned above so if youd like more help, remember you can join the Back In Shape program and start fixing your back pain from home for free, Now, onto the exercise:
You Might Have Weak Muscles
So, after weeksor okay, a monthof resisting exercise, youre finally back on a regular schedule. Everything is off to a great start, minus your back pain.
Director of Pain Management at AMITA Health Neurosciences Dr. Ankur Dave, M.D. explains that many folks who complain about this targeted pain usually lack strength.
Though youll eventually get there, he explains that most simply strain their muscles as they progress in level. As you get more confident and stronger, youll likely see that soreness subside.
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
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The Tricky One: Cancer As A Cause Of Low Back Pain And The Necessity Of Testing Just In Case When The Symptoms Justify It
Sorry I have to use the C word I know its kind of a bummer. But C happens.
A few cancers in their early stages can be hard to tell apart from ordinary back pain a bone cancer in the vertebrae, for instance and these create a frustrating diagnostic problem. They are too rare for doctors to inflict cancer testing on every low back pain patient just in case. And yet the possibility cannot be dismissed, either! This is an unsolveable problem.
Most cancers and ominous problems will inevitably start to cause other, distinctive, ominous symptoms, and it wont be long before someone catches on that theres more going on than just back pain. So it truly is an extraordinary circumstance for back pain to be ominous without causing other symptoms that raise the alarm.
For example, in 2017, the New England Journal of Medicine reported on a creepy case of slowly growing neurological deficit caused by a very stealthy cancer, which took a lot of diagnostic effort to solve.22shudder So sneaky cancers happen but they are crazy rare.
This is an unholy combination of factors: the exact same symptoms can have either an extremely rare but serious cause, or an extremely common but harmless cause that can be greatly aggravated by excessive alarm!
My favourite epitaph: I told you I was sick!
Inflammation Sleep Stress And Pain
The link between sleep and pain is based on some superficially simple inflammatory biology: bad sleep is inflammatory and inflammation makes it harder to sleep, which is not widely appreciated. That means that sleeping badly can actually make it harder to sleep well!17 This is a vicious cycle every extremely frustrated insomniac is familiar with: being exhausted from a sleepless is not a guarantee that you will sleep well the next night.
And that vicious cycle is relevant to night and morning pain, which is known to be significantly mediated by the immune system signalling molecule interleukin-6. IL-6 and inflammation are almost synonymous more of one means more of the other. Everyone knows that stress makes it harder to sleep, but how? Its not just because your mind is racing its because stress makes us produce IL-6, which is inflammatory, and inflammation in turn makes it harder to sleep! And then the bad sleep also makes us pump more IL-6
And thats why its important to get your sleep!
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Final Thoughts And Key Takeaways
If youre suffering from the flu right now, I urge you to check out these natural flu remedies that can help you recuperate more quickly.
The flu is no joke it can make you miserable. And adding back pain to your list of symptoms can make you feel even worse.
Heres what I want you to take away from this article:
Key takeaway #1: Although you wont find lower back pain listed on most lists of flu symptoms, its actually pretty common.
Key takeaway #2: Several factors can contribute to flu-related back pain. These include inflammatory responses, pulled muscles from coughing and complications such as pneumonia.
Key takeaway #3: People with pre-existing back pain conditions are more likely to have a recurrence if they get the flu.
Key takeaway #4: Mainstream medicines pain relievers and over-the-counter flu medications do little to alleviate back pain, and some have serious side effects.
Key takeaway #5: Topical analgesics with natural ingredients and a far-infrared heating pad are the options I recommend for back pain relief while recovering from the flu.
How Do I Know If My Back Pain Is Muscle Or Organ
Sharp pain rather than a dull ache: This could indicate a torn muscle or ligament, or a problem with an internal organ in the back or side. 2. Radiating pain: This pain moves or shoots to the glutes or legs, which could indicate a nerve compression condition. Radiating pain could be a sign of nerve damage.
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Myofascial Pain Syndrome And/or Fibromyalgia
There are two common causes for widespread moderate body pain, both somewhat mysterious and controversial, both known for affecting the back more than other areas, and both known for their morning hijinks:
Theres likely lots of overlap between these conditions. Fibromyalgia isnt really an explanatory diagnosis it just labels a common pattern of symptoms that could have several different causes. MPS is a hypothetical problem with muscle tissue that is a possile explanation for some body pain, and that type of pain is extremely common in fibromyalgia patients.
Fibromyalgia is associated with morning back pain because:
You Might Be Overdoing That Area
Talk to any personal trainer and theyll stress the importance of varying the specific muscles you train throughout the week. Doubling-down on an area over and over again could be the cause of that pesky, lingering ache, Dr. Dave notes. This is especially true if youre unsure of your actual capabilities and trying to match those who are a bit more prepared than you are.
People overdo a workout by lifting too much weight, doing weight-bearing exercise while overweight, running too much without training, or overusing or overextending low back muscles, he says. Lower back pain can happen when someone tries to max out their lifting when their core and lower back are not strong enough for the stress.
To avoid this, start at a comfortable lifting weight or try bodyweight exercises with the Aaptiv app to avoid back pain due to heavy lifting.
Build your way up by focusing on your abdominals, your biceps, your quads, and every other muscle group. After all, if your middle-body is tough, your back will reap the benefits.
Pay close attention to the sensations you experience in your back. More often than not, it wont be anything serious, but dont push it. If youre concerned about your lower back pain, talk to your doctor who will be able to directly diagnose your discomfort.
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Back Pain Culprit: Chronic Conditions
Several chronic conditions can lead to low back pain.
- Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the space around the spinal cord, which can put pressure on the spinal nerves.
- Ankylosing spondylitis inflames the joints of the spine, and sometimes the shoulders, hips, ribs, and other areas too. It causes chronic back pain and stiffness. In serious cases, spinal vertebrae start to fuse .
- Fibromyalgia causes widespread muscle aches, including back pain.
How To Relieve Back Pain
The following tips may help reduce your back pain and speed up your recovery:
- stay as active as possible and try to continue your daily activities this is 1 of the most important things you can do, as resting for long periods is likely to make the pain worse
- try exercises and stretches for back pain other activities such as walking, swimming, yoga and pilates may also be helpful
- take anti-inflammatory painkillers, such as ibuprofen remember to check the medicine is safe for you to take and ask a pharmacist if you’re not sure
- use hot or cold compression packs for short-term relief you can buy these from a pharmacy, or a hot water bottle or a bag of frozen vegetables wrapped in a cloth or towel will work just as well
Although it can be difficult, it helps if you stay optimistic and recognise that your pain should get better. People who manage to stay positive despite their pain tend to recover quicker.
Back pain usually gets better on its own within a few weeks or months and you may not need to see a doctor or other healthcare professional.
But it’s a good idea to get help if:
- the pain does not start to improve within a few weeks
- the pain stops you doing your day-to-day activities
- the pain is very severe or gets worse over time
- you’re worried about the pain or struggling to cope
If you see a GP they will ask about your symptoms, examine your back and discuss possible treatments.
They may refer you to a specialist doctor or a physiotherapist for further help.
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If Youre Experiencing Back Pain Let Us Help You
At Spine Works Institute, we take pride in helping patients through safe and natural therapies. We have an entire team of physical therapists, chiropractors, massage therapists, and other healthcare professionals who are ready to assist you.
Call us at 616-0700 to schedule an appointment, or learn more about our practice here.
Lower Back Pain After Bowel Movement
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Chronic Conditions That Cause Back Pain
Conditions that can lead to chronic low back pain include spinal stenosis, spondylitis, and fibromyalgia. Spinal stenosis is narrowing of the normal spinal canal through which the spinal cord passes. Spondylitis is chronic inflammation of the spine. Fibromyalgia is a muscle disorder that features chronic muscle pain and tenderness.
Sooner Or Later Any Posture Gets Awkward The Trouble With Tissue Stagnacy Regardless Of Position
Being still always gets uncomfortable, regardless of what position were in. We like to move, and sitting or lying down always gets uncomfortable in time. Forced immobilization is a potent torture method. Working in stagnant postures like sitting in at a desk, no matter how well we do it can start to feel more like a kind of torture as we age.21
Sleeping is an obvious potential source of tissue stagnancy, of course, but beds are more comfortable than chairs in every way, physically and psychologically. Healthy young people are relatively immune to simply being still in bed, but as we age and develop assorted vulnerabilities and sensitivities things like fibromyalgia, myofascial pain syndrome, and chronic inflammation it starts to become a problem.
Trigger points may be aggravated by stillness, for instance.22 Morning pain could be a wake-up call , letting you know that you have a bumper crop of mostly asymptomatic trigger points that flare up overnight. In Litas case, trigger points could account for the consistency of her symptom timing, and for the peculiar way in which she is fine at 6am, yet cant stay in bed past 7am, but then is fine again by 8am as she gets moving and her trigger points calm down.
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Change Up Your Sleep Position Or Mattress
Switching to a more supportive sleep position can reduce lower back pain. Also consider how you can use pillows or invest in a new mattress to support better spinal alignment and relieve lower back pain.
Research suggests medium firm mattresses are the best mattresses for back pain. In one study of people with low back pain, those who slept on medium firm mattresses reported lower pain scores both during sleep and upon getting up in the morning.
Finding Lower Back Pain Relief
Nearly everyone will experience some form of back pain in his or her lifetime. The low back is the area behind the belly from the rib cage to the pelvis and is also called the lumbar region. Back pain is a major cause of missed work. Low back pain usually resolves on its own and is commonly the result of a strain injury. There are many treatments for low back pain.
At Risk for Lower Back Pain?
Low back pain can start in a person’s early twenties and continue on throughout adulthood. Studies have shown that up to 80% of the general population are affected by low back pain at some time during their lives. Learn to prevent lower back pain by knowing what activities could be putting you at risk.
Common Causes of Low Back Pain
- Manual materials handling
- Twisting of the trunk
- Bending the trunk to the side
- Excessive reaching
- Extreme tallness
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Chronic Low Back Pain Of No Specific Origin
Low back pain is defined as pain, tightness, and stiffness between the lower end of the rib cage and the buttocks. “Chronic” means the pain has lasted for twelve weeks or longer, and “no specific origin” means the pain cannot be traced to any specific cause, incident, or injury.
Most susceptible are individuals who perform heavy physical work, especially when there is ongoing anxiety, depression, and emotional stress at the same time. The longer the stress and back pain continue, the more difficult it is to ease the symptoms and return the patient to normal functioning.
Treatment involves nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and sometimes opioid medications for pain, though both have risks when used long term. Antidepressants may also be tried, along with psychological counseling.
Corticosteroid injections for the back are effective for some patients, and fusion surgery is sometimes attempted. Lifestyle changes in the form of improved diet, exercise, and stress management are very helpful in most cases.
Rarity: Common
Top Symptoms: lower back pain, unintentional weight loss, back pain that shoots to the butt, fever, involuntary defecation
Symptoms that always occur with chronic low back pain of no specific origin: lower back pain
Symptoms that never occur with chronic low back pain of no specific origin: thigh numbness, buttocks numbness, lower back pain from an injury
Urgency: Primary care doctor
Symptoms Of Lower Back Pain When Walking
If youre experiencing pain in your lower back when walking, you may have felt some of these symptoms already.
Pay attention to what your back is telling you. What type of discomfort are you feeling? Is it dull pain? Is it shooting pain? Identifying the type of pain will help your doctor figure out whats going on.
Also, pay attention to where you feel the pain. Is it in one specific area? Is it acute pain that radiates across your lower back?
The type of pain and its location may help you and your doctor determine whats going on.
If you are experiencing lower back pain when walking, here are some pain symptoms you may be feeling:
- Stiffness
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