How to Use Home Remedies to Relieve Back Pain or a Backache

Back pain usually resolves in 4 weeks or less with home treatment.

Most Americans will experience back pain at some time, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, and most can treat themselves at home successfully. Be sure to see a doctor if pain is severe, persistent, or accompanied by weakness, numbness, tingling, or problems with bowel or bladder control. Otherwise, you can take good care of yourself with home remedies.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• A heating pad
• Cold packs
• Over-the-counter pain reliever

1. Apply cold packs for the first 24 hours after injury -- 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off. This will help reduce inflammation early on. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, however, if cold makes your muscles tighten or feel worse, you can skip this step.

2. Take a hot shower or soak in a hot tub if you have one. This will help to relax the back muscles that spasm and tighten, causing back pain.

3. Apply a heating pad after you're done with the 24-hour "ice phase" -- just like the hot shower, it will help your muscles relax.

4. Sleep in the fetal position -- on your side with your legs curled up -- with a pillow between your knees. This will gently stretch your spine.

5. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as aspirin or ibuprofen, according to the package instructions.

6. Get rest -- but not too much rest. In the first day or two, avoid the activity that triggered your back pain, and take it easy. After that, continue with your normal routine as much as possible. Contrary to popular belief, bed rest will not help you heal faster and might even be counter-productive.

7. Exercise if it doesn't make your pain worse. Taking a brisk walk daily can help your back.

Tips & Warnings

• Learn how to do activities -- like snow shoveling and lifting -- properly. Backaches often arise when people are bending at the back when they should really be bending at the knees.

• Invest in a good quality mattress. You can relieve and even prevent chronic back pain by purchasing a good mattress that provides proper support to your body during sleep.

• These tips will work for muscular back pain. But if your back hurts more severely, you could have a spinal injury, which is much more serious. A spinal injury will require immediate medical attention.

• Do not apply a heat pack if swelling is present. This can indicate a serious back injury and heat will only make the injury worse; cold compresses should be applied whenever swelling is present.

References

• University of Maryland Center; Step 5: What to Do When Pain Begins; April 6, 2007