Lower back pain can range from a minor annoyance to a really debilitating problem. Sciatica – the name given to the symptoms when pain in the lower back triggers the sciatic nerve which runs down both legs – can be a serious problem that affects not just the back but the legs and feet too, and can lead to all kinds of secondary problems as it makes it difficult to move or even rest comfortably.
Many people experience lower back pain and sciatica, and there can be a wide range of causes. Often, it can be difficult to treat lower back pain long term without addressing the underlying issues, such as poor posture, muscle tightness or weakness, or musculoskeletal problems like herniated discs in the back.
While it can be important to seek out proper medical care and a full diagnosis for your lower back pain, there are some measures you can take to both relieve the pain, and prevent it from recurring, safely at home. Here we look at some of the things you can try:
Heat Treatment
Treating painful back muscles with heat can often alleviate the pain almost immediately, and is a good strategy you can use wherever you are. Having good heated pads or pillows designed for muscle pain relief will allow you to apply heat whether you are sitting or lying down, and can be used even if you are at work when pain strikes because it is a discreet and simple pain relief approach. Lower back pain can often be the result of tension in lower back muscles like the piriformis, and the upper glues, and so by heating the area you can help soothe them and feel more comfortable and mobile. A hot water bottle can also be a reasonable way to do this, though it has the disadvantage compared with heated pads of needing to be refilled periodically to keep giving the heat you need. You can also consider ointments like Deep Heat which are designed to give a heating effect when applied to the skin of the area affected.
Stretches
Stretching the muscles in your lower back can help a lot with pain, and if you do it daily, can also help prevent future pain by stopping these muscles from getting overly tight. There are several yoga positions like the pigeon which specifically stretch out the piriformis, and you can feel them working straight away. It is recommended to pick a stretch you can feel working on the painful area and to hold it for 30 seconds, three times a day. You may also benefit from other stretches designed to correct your posture and prevent further back pain, for example stretching the hip flexors and the upper back and neck.
Massage
Massage can be another good way to reduce lower back pain symptoms. Whether you have a professional massage, get somebody you know to do it, or even use something like a massage pad that is placed on the back of a chair to give a mechanical massage whenever you need it, you should find that it can help. You may find massage of the affected area painful at first if the muscles are very tight, and may even feel as if you have bruises there after the massage. This is quite normal, and after further massage treatment you should find that your muscles begin to improve in terms of tension and the massage itself becomes a more pleasant experience.
Some people also find that massaging the backs of the legs, especially the calf muscles, can help as there are trigger points here that can contribute to lower back pain. You can work on your own calf muscles by using a tennis ball under your leg and rolling it around the calf.
Anti Inflammatory Medicines
Most painkillers will help if you have acute lower back pain, but one of the best choices can be ibuprofen, which will reduce inflammation and tends to work well on muscle pain. Because it is available without a prescription, it can be a good medicine to keep at home and use when your back pain is at its worst. If Ibuprofen doesn’t help, then you should consider seeing a doctor because there aren’t really any better pain medications for back pain available without a prescription.
If you are experiencing lower back pain, try some of these approaches to see if you can’t feel better at home, straight away!
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