How to Handle Lower Back Pain

An achey lower back can be one of the worst pains to try to deal with, but there are ways to cope.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. My experience includes having cracks in between my L4-L5 on both sides of my body. Lower back pain is something I have learned to deal with but it will be different for every patient.

2. We will start with the least invasive ways to deal with lower back pain. The first is to STRETCH your back muscles. Be proactive and stretch your back muscles before you are in pain, or before you do any activity. One way to stretch your lower back is to lay flat, face up, and bring your knee to your chest while keeping other leg straight. Do this for both legs.

3. Low-impact activity such as swimming can help build your core and lower back muscles without the pounding or impact you'd have when running on a hard surface.

4. If you are already in pain, try using either ice or a heating pad. Ice will reduce swelling, while heat will relax muscles in spasm. An amazing product that has helped me greatly is Thermalon. It is a wrap that you put in the microwave and it provides moist heat. There is a link to this in the Resources section.

5. Depending on your condition, Ibuprofen or Advil may provide some temporary pain relief.

6. If you try all of the above and nothing works, you may want to consider seeing a pain management specialist. This is someone who can prescribe medication or perform medical procedures to help aleviate your lower back pain.

7. Taking prescription pain medication should not be viewed as a long-term solution as it can lead to an addiction, especially with powerful pills such as Oxycodone.

8. As a last resort, and depending on your condition, back surgery may help reduce your pain. Based on your scans, x-rays, and MRI's, your doctor will determine the best course of action.

Tips & Warnings

• Pain medication should not be considered as a long-term solution. It can lead to dangerous addictions.

Resources

• Thermalon Microwavable Moist Heat Wrap

[askapeach]

on 10/2/2009 All great tips! I, too, suffer from lower back pain. Check out my article on How to Clean a Bathtub Using a Sponge Mop. 5 stars and recommended

[cndbl]

on 9/30/2009 Thank you for sharing. Unfortunately, went through this last year.

[Elizzabeth]

on 9/30/2009 Good advice on dealing with back pain. Thanks!

[nancyzee]

on 9/27/2009 All great tips on handling lower back pain. Thanks. I Recommend!

[xivyisazombiex]

on 9/26/2009 straight forward and helpful.