How to Soothe a Hurt Lower Back
Acute back pain, especially in the lower back, is a common ailment in adults. Usually the back pain is due to strained muscles and ligaments. Sometimes you will know the exact moment that you injure your back, while other times the pain will start suddenly with seemingly no reason. Luckily, most of the time this back pain is not an indication of a more serious condition, despite the discomfort. There are several at-home remedies you can perform to ease the discomfort of lower back pain.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Wrap an ice pack around the lower part of your back. Put the ice on top of a lightweight shirt before securing it to your back with a bandage wrap. This will avoid frostbite on your skin. Ice your back in this way up to three times a day, twenty minutes at a time.
-
2
Substitute a heating pack for the ice pack as soon as you can no longer feel muscle spasms. Ice is meant to stop swelling and spasms. When those symptoms cease, use heat to relax the muscles. If you don't have a heating pad, take a hot bath. Soak or use the heating pad for twenty minutes at a time.
-
-
3
Take a mild pain reliever such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. If you are unsure which pain reliever you should take, ask your local pharmacist.
-
4
Continue your regular activities, though perhaps at a slower pace. Instinct may tell you to sit or lie down to soothe an aching back, but this tends to tighten the muscles further rather than ease them back to health.
-
5
Support your back with a brace if necessary, but be careful not to become entirely dependent on external support for your muscles. Brace just after your injury for a day or two, until the muscle spasms stop. A brace will prevent you from injuring your muscles more than you already have, but if you wear the brace too long it can deteriorate the strength of your muscles, making a second injury more likely. Wear a brace for no more than a week, or according to the recommendation of your doctor.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
If your back pain does not improve within three days or you experience fever, numbness, chest or arm pain, loss of bladder control, a severe headache, are pregnant, or are over 60 and have been taking steroids or medication that contains steroids for a long period of time, immediately seek the care of a doctor. The pain may be a sign that a more serious injury or illness is present.
