How to Heal Lower Back Pain

You’ve done it again–hurt your lower back. Admit it, you are not 25 any more. Let a few ground balls go through your legs once in awhile in softball. Don’t worry, you can blame your errors on your eyesight. That’s another problem for the more mature blokes.

Rest, Ice & Heat

Lower back pain is no joke. Your injury can stem from physical activities, repetitive tasks on a job or even sitting too long, a problem an athletic guy or gal like you might not admit. Lower back injuries run the gamut. The most common injury is a back strain. You can also sustain more structural problems such as bulging or herniated discs. Tendinitis and arthritis are also common problems in the lumbar or sacral vertebrae of your lower back. All lower back problems can be alleviated through various treatments. First and foremost, you need to stop all physical activity for awhile and rest your back. If you have severe pain, use a back brace when you need to be mobile, or if you sit in front of a computer at work. During the first 48 to 72 hours, use ice on your back. Ice will help reduce any inflammation or swelling. It narrows the blood vessels and temporarily restricts the flow of blood. This is important during the early stages of a lower back problem because of possible broken blood vessels, which can increase swelling and pain. When the swelling has subsided, a heating pad will help promote blood flow to your lower back. Blood carries oxygen and nutrients such as vitamin C that are necessary for healing.

Medication

No treatment would seem right without a little medication. An anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen or naproxen should do the trick. These medications can also help heal your lower back pain. They are Cox-2 inhibitors, which limit the effects of Cox-2 enzymes on prostaglandins (chemicals). The interaction of the enzymes and chemicals are the body’s natural response to injuries.

Massage

Massage is another effective treatment for healing lower back strain or structural problems. Massage also increases the flow of blood to the lower back. Have your significant other spend five or ten minutes several times a day massaging your back. It may just do more than relieve your ailing back. Finally, stretching and strength-building exercises can help cure lower back problems.

Exercise

Exercise is the best way to increase blood flow to the muscles and bones in the lower back. However, you should not start exercising until you have your inflammation and pain under control. Stretching will increase flexibility and mobility in your muscles. Muscles do tighten with age. It is also important to build strength in your lower back and adjacent muscles, which will add stability to your spine and lower back. This will help alleviate pain in your lower back.

These lower back remedies should be used in the order outlined above. There is no set time frame curing lower back pain, but you can enhance your recover the more proactive you are in your treatments.