With more and more people taking jobs that are sedentary, back pain is at an all-time high. Back pain can strike at any time, even if you aren’t lifting something heavy. Here are some tips to treat back pain at home. You should contact a doctor if your pain doesn’t subside within a week of being treated at home.
Sit Up Straight
Your mum probably told you to sit up straight, and this advice still applies. Sitting for any length of time tends to aggravate back pain, even if you sit properly. Slouching makes back pain even worse, so make sure your chair has good back support. Putting cushions behind your lower back also helps, as does placing your feet firmly on the floor and bending your knees. If you have the option, it is a good idea to choose a chair with armrests so the pressure on your back is reduced.
Take a Pain Relieving Pill
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDS, are recommended for relieving back pain. They are available over-the-counter at most drug stores. The dose that is usually recommended by doctors is two 200 milligram tablets no more than three times daily. Ibuprofen is the most common type of NSAID. This medication typically relieves pain within an hour of being taken but should be taken for about two weeks to heal inflammation in the body.
Apply Ice
Ice is great for reducing inflammation and relaxing muscle spasms, so it is most helpful for treating back pain within a couple of days of the injury when the pain is acute. Ice may be applied to the painful area for about a quarter of an hour each time, no more than eight times daily. Ice should never be applied directly to bare skin because it can cause frostbite. A thin towel may be wrapped around the ice before it is applied to the skin.
Use Heat
Depending on the reason your back is hurting, applying heat the injury may reduce the pain. Ice should be applied to overuse injuries and spasms, while ice should be applied when your back is hurting due to stiffness in the muscles or joints. Heat reduces pain by making the muscles more flexible and loosening them. Placing cushions and a heating pad or hot-water bottle on your back is a great way to reduce back pain, but take care not to fall asleep while using heat because burns may occur.
Change Position
Simply changing position can help you feel better when you are experiencing back pain. Lying on your back with cushions or a pillow under your knees and neck can reduce back pain, especially if you raise your arms to stretch your spine.
Wear A Corset
Weak muscles put stress and pressure on the bones, nerves, muscles, and disks of the body, but wearing a corset to support the muscles helps to relieve this stress. An elasticized corset that is soft is great for back support, but wearing the corset for long periods of time can weaken the muscles further, so wearing a corset is not a long term solution for relieving back pain.
