Lower back pain can be a chronic and debilitating condition that often makes performing routine life activities a challenge. By taking steps to strengthen, and protect your back, you can relieve this pain and prevent it from returning. Dr. Leon Reyfman and Dr. Boleslav Kosharsky specialize in treating pain-related issues and work with you to come up with the most appropriate treatments and therapies that alleviate pain and put you on the road to recovery. They understand how annoying the constant discomfort can be and focuses on finding the best approaches, remedies, and home care to reduce your backache and improve your function and quality of life.
Lower back pain is extremely common. It is one of the top reasons people end up missing work or giving up the activities they love. The lower back supports the weight of the upper body and is subjected to a lot of stress and strain, especially during everyday movements like lifting and twisting. If it is not addressed timely, it can worsen and become debilitating.
For most people, a sudden injury and aging-related wear and tear causes lower back pain. However, increasing sedentary lifestyles and underlying medical conditions can also contribute to back problems, which lead to pain and other complications.
In most cases, it is difficult to accurately diagnose the reasons behind lower back pain. If you have not suffered any injury or experienced unusual symptoms, chances are it is nothing serious. The inflammatory flare-ups can be managed and treated with home care and simple treatments.
Read more: Home Remedies for Fast Back Pain Relief
Top Tips for Dealing with Lower Back Pain Successfully
No matter the cause of your lower back pain, these recommendations can help you relieve it and stop future episodes.
Lift Correctly
Muscle strains or ligament sprains in the back usually occur when you lift something too heavy or do not use good body mechanics. If possible, avoid lifting heavy objects, but if you need to lift something heavy, it is essential to do it right to support the back.
Use the following tips to lift heavy objects correctly and avoid hurting your back:
- Engage the leg and abdominal muscles instead of using the back
- Hold the item close to the body while lifting
- Wear suitable footwear
- Keep your feet apart with one leg in front of the other for stability
- Keep the shoulder facing the same way as the hips, with the head up, and avoid any twisting of the back or leaning to the side
To protect your lower back from injury and prevent further complications, maintain a proper posture when performing any physical activity. Whether it is at home or work, you need to be careful when hoisting heavy items.
Read more: What Causes Chronic Back Pain? Here Are 7 Potential Culprits
Maintain Correct Posture When Sitting and Standing
The right posture can make a significant impact and help prevent and ease lower back pain. A good posture is when your body is positioned correctly and ensures your weight is evenly distributed, even during sleep.
Tips to practice good posture include:
- When sitting, keep your feet planted on the floor and use a chair that provides lower back support
- Avoid hunching forward to look at the computer screen or reaching far out in front to use your mouse and keyboard
- When you are standing, keep the shoulders back and the head up
- The head should be above your shoulders, and the top of your shoulder should be over the hips
- Avoid slouching as much as possible and aim to keep your spine erect
- Take regular breaks to walk around and switch positions to avoid sitting or standing in one position for too long
A correct posture ensures the natural curves in your spine are balanced and not overstrained or stretched.
Use Heat or Ice
experienced a lower back injury, applying ice can reduce inflammation and swelling by decreasing blood flow. Icing also numbs the affected area, which keeps the pain down.
Hot packs can also help with pain as heat increases blood flow to the affected area and relaxes the muscles, which promotes healing. Heat is also useful for chronic lower back pain that is not related to an acute injury. It is best for muscle pain or stiffness. A warm shower is equally effective for relaxing the tensed muscles.
Alternate between hot and cold packs. Apply ice during the first 24 to 48 hours. You can use a bag of frozen vegetables as an ice pack or put ice cubes in a plastic bag. Keep it on the affected area for at least 20 minutes. After that, switch to heat to ease soreness. Whether you are using heat or ice, always wrap the hot or cold pack in a light towel or cloth to prevent skin damage. A combination of hot and cold reduces pain and helps to heal muscle damage.
Read more: What Is Causing My Back Pain, and How Can I Remedy It?
Stretch Your Muscles
Exercises that stretch your muscles and lengthen your stomach, hips, and back muscles relieve chronic and acute lower back pain and prevent future back issues. Studies show that people who stay active despite lower back pain are more flexible than those who are not so active.
Stretching is a great way to keep muscles flexible and healthy, and this flexibility is necessary for regular body movement. As the muscles in the back extend in many different directions, it is important to do a variety of stretches.
Some basic lower back stretches include:
- Lying flat on your back and pulling your knees to your chest
- Lying flat on your back with your arms stretched out in a T position, bending one knee and twisting in the direction of your straight leg while trying to tough your bent knee to the floor.
- This stretch is called a spinal twist.
- Lying on your stomach with your arms stretched overhead and lifting your chest and/or legs off the floor. This is called a Superman stretch.
Exercises that both strengthen and stretch your body, especially in your abdominal core, are most impactful as they support your back. Stretching also promotes stress relief, which can reduce tension in the lower back and make you feel better.
Read more: How Can I Relieve Pain in My Neck?
Choose Proper Footwear
Proper supportive footwear inside and outside the house can help deal with lower back pain. Shoes that don’t fit well or have high heels can change your walking patterns. Occasionally wearing unsupportive shoes such as flip flops or high heels is unlikely to cause lower back issues, but prolonged or frequent wear can put pressure on lower spine. If you are investing your money in buying new shoes, get comfortable footwear, that fits well and does not cause stress and strain through your lower back and joint.
Supportive footwear can improve your overall posture, increase stability, and decrease your risk of back pain. Make sure to wear appropriate shoes for the activity you are performing, such as sneakers for running or exercising or boots for construction work. Consider your current daily activities and choose footwear accordingly.
Focus on Maintaining a Healthy Weight
Carrying extra body weight can put pressure on the bones and cartilage, which increases strain on the lower back and leads to pain, especially as you age. Losing excess weight is necessary for managing your back pain in the long term and preventing it from worsening. Too much weight gain is linked to a higher risk of chronic lower back pain. Getting rid of the extra pounds can improve your overall quality of life.
Eating a balanced, healthy diet, managing portion sizes, and regular workouts can help you achieve and maintain a moderate weight.
Read more: 5 Signs Your Back Pain Might Be an Emergency
Stay Active
Staying active plays a significant role in healing your strained and tensed muscles. Lower back pain with no serious signs, such as loss of bowel or bladder control, weakness, weight loss, or fever can be treated effectively by moving around and engaging in gentle stretches. Make sure to carefully move within your comfort zone and avoid strenuous activities that cause more pain.
Yoga and Pilates are good for people of all ages and sizes and help you stretch properly, build muscles, and take some time to go within your body. This reduces the stress in muscles and intestines and eases the pain. Adding morning and evening stretches to your routine, and finding the right combination of activity and rest enable you to live a pain-free, healthy life.
Focus on Maintaining a Healthy Weighttake Over-The-Counter Pain-Relieving Medications
Thanks to advancements in medical technology, a multitude of symptoms can be reduced and diminished with just a small pill. Over-the-counter pain-relieving medications, especially nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), are most effective as they reduce swelling, which provides pain relief. In some cases, muscle relaxants and nerve-pain medications can also help deal with lower back pain.
You can also buy sprays and creams to dull pain. These topical remedies make your skin feel hot or cold to mask the back pain beneath. Medications are a great temporary fix. Figuring out the root cause of your back pain is necessary to avoid health complications in the long run. Not all medications are safe for everyone, so check with your doctor before taking them.
Read more: How to Relieve Shoulder Pain When Lifting Your Arm
Get a Massage
Getting a massage may relieve lower back pain by lengthening shortened muscles and easing tension in the lower back. Healthy muscles lead to increased overall stability, which can prevent future lower back problems.
Structural massage, which includes soft-tissue techniques to address problems with your muscles or skeleton, or relaxation massage that uses kneading, stroking, or circulating motions, can improve back pain symptoms in a short time. You can get through daily activities more easily, without using pain medication with the right massage. With a qualified health professional or massage therapist, your spine can regain its full range of movement.
Having the specific area of pain manipulated and pressure released leads to relief, which over time improves the level of pain along with function for people with chronic lower back pain. Massage therapy also aids in reducing stress and anxiety, increasing blood flow to the muscles, which helps with overall health.
Sleep on a Quality Mattress
A medium-firm mattress is best for dealing with lower back pain. It is essential to select a firm mattress and box-strong set that does not sag. Sleeping on a too-soft mattress can also cause lower back pain. If necessary, place a board under the mattress. You can also put the mattress on the floor temporarily if needed.
However, your preferred sleep position should also influence your mattress selection. If you are a side sleeper, select a softer mattress to maintain good posture. Back and stomach sleepers should choose a firmer mattress. Avoid sleeping on your stomach if you have lower back pain.
Making slight changes in the way you sit, stand, and sleep and taking into account factors that can cause back pain allow you to deal with lower back pain effectively and keep it from returning.
Read more: 9 Stretches to Relieve Neck Pain
When to See a Specialist for Your Lower Back Pain?
If your lower back pain does not improve after 2 weeks of resting, over-the-counter medications, and using home remedies, it is time to seek medical attention.
Lower back pain that keeps you from participating in normal, daily activities should not be taken lightly. You should call your doctor right away if you have any red flags, including:
- A history of cancer or a recent infection
- A recent fall or other accident
- Extreme fatigue
- Rapid weight loss
- Signs of infection, such as fever, chills, sweats
- Nerve problems, such as shooting pain, numbness or tingling
- Changes in bowel or bladder function
The doctor will assess whether you have muscle or nerve problems that are causing your symptoms. He will examine you physically to check for tenderness, spine range of motion, and arm or leg strength and may order imaging tests such as x-rays, CT scans, or MRIs to find out what triggers your pain.
There are many options for treating lower back pain. Your specialist will recommend the best treatment after assessing your unique needs and lifestyle habits.
Read more: 8 Tips to Help Ease Your Back Pain
Living with back pain can be really unpleasant, and you need to find the best solution to deal with it. Call Pain Physicians NY Clinic today to schedule an appointment with our board-certified pain relief doctor. Dr. Leon Reyfman and Dr. Boleslav Kosharsky are highly-rated pain management specialists in NYC. They focus on diagnosing the causes of your lower back pain, whether it is resulting from an injury, medical condition, or is caused by bad posture or lifestyle habits, to deal with it most effectively. They help you identify the source of your pain to put an end to it for good so you can enjoy overall well-being and do what you love in life.