Sunday, August 17, 2008

How to Treat Lower Back Pain?


There are a number of reasons that caused lower back pain. Some of these reasons include injury to the muscles, discs that support the spinal column or damage to the ligaments, muscle strain and overuse of muscles. If you find lower back pain annoying and would like to cure this, read on to find out some treatments that can help improve your lower back pains.

For a couple of days, choose a resting position that you find comfortable. You can try lying on your side with the pillow positioned in between your knees. Or try lying on your back on the floor then place a pillow beneath your knees. As much as possible, shift positions, never remain in one position for long. Then every two hours, take a ten to twenty minutes walk, after that rest. In cases where you are experiencing pain, take some medicine like acetaminophen or those that reduce the swelling and irritation such as Ibuprofen or Naproxen. These medicines are effective especially when taken regularly as compared to taking these when the pain is severe.

Another way to treat lower back pain is by using a heating pad set on low or medium or buy a single-use heating wraps that can last for 8 hours. Although there is no proof that this method actually works, however, you can try them to find out if this can help.

If you think you are able, resume your normal activities. Moving your muscles help keep these strong. It is not recommended that you stay in bed for more than a day because this will only make your lower back pain worse. Walking is another exercise that can help you with your lower back pain. Your physician may also recommend some other exercises that can make your back muscles stronger. Some of the exercises that your doctor may advise you to take can actually strengthen the trunk muscles, core and the spine. Strengthening your muscles usually lead to posture improvement, body balance and decreases the occurrence of injury.

There are other therapies that you may find helpful on reducing your lower back pain. A therapeutic massage can help ease the muscle spasm at your back. While spine adjustment or manipulation through an osteopath, physical therapist or chiropractor achieves the same effect of easing back muscle spasm. Many people will notice that there is a considerable improvement after a single session of therapy and sometime further spine manipulation is not necessary.

Another technique in the treatment of lower back pain involves biofeedback or Cognitive-behavioral therapy. This therapy is used for controlling pain and anything that trigger pain. For more information about this therapy, you can consult with a psychologist, or clinical social workers who are knowledgeable in pain management.

On the other hand, some people suffering from lower back pain prefer alternative treatment such as acupuncture to help them with their condition. There are studies that prove acupuncture to be effective with reducing pain and disabilities connected to back problems.

1 comment:

Me and My Bump said...

To treat lower back pain effectively, you need to find the root cause of the problem. This often means looking elsewhere in the body, focusing on the body mechanics. There is loads more info on this at Osteopaths Guide