Lower Back Pain Plus Stomach Pain - Learn To Stop The Two

Having to bear lower back pain accompanied with stomach pain is an experience no one should ever have to go through. Scientists and doctors all over the world are groping around, mostly in the dark, trying to put their finger on the cause of lower back pain. So far as women are concerned doctors are sure that lower back pain accompanied with stomach pain is related to their menstrual cycles and this is something that can be dealt with a fair amount of ease.

However, doctors have admitted that it is not an easy thing to pinpoint the cause of lower back pain accompanied with stomach pain. They insist that a patient who can keep a track of the symptoms and report them to the doctor will make the process of diagnosing the cause and arriving at a better and effective treatment an easier task.

Some of the causes of lower back pain accompanied with stomach pain are related to the more common urinary infections and kidney or bladder problems, then again you may have a serious bowel problem. Whatever the cause of your lower back pain and abdominal pain you will soon find that it is very difficult to pinpoint and even more difficult to treat effectively. Most treatments available will prove to be temporary in nature and the condition will recur frequently.

In most cases where the lower back pain is caused by a urinary tract infection or cystitis a bout of stomach pain is also accompanied along with the lower back pain. There will also be a bit of inflammation in the abdominal region. There will mostly be a burning sensation in the stomach or back. Kidney stones are another reason for lower back pain and stomach pain.

If lower back pain accompanied by stomach pain is caused by kidney stones the pain will be so severe that the patient will not be able to stand or sit. In such cases the best resort is to use a local anesthetic to relieve the pain temporarily while the doctor treats the cause of the pain. In more unfortunate cases the pain is caused by tumors in the kidney and this scenario will have to be dealt with by the best experts in the field. Self, over the counter medication is strictly ruled out in cases where the pain is caused by kidney malfunctions or dysfunctions.

Doctors may also consider dysfunctions of the bowels to try to locate the cause of lower back pains accompanied by stomach pains. In such cases the doctor may prescribe some pathological tests to arrive at the proper conclusion and also to decide which medication is the best suited for the patient's recovery. One sure-shot way to tell if the back pains and stomach pains is caused by the bowels is that the pain will come in waves, mostly between small amounts of exertions. Remember to tell the doctor this if he does not ask. Most lower back pains are cased by bowel disorders.

Other areas that your doctor will consider are the bowels. For instance both constipation and diarrhea can be painful. The doctor will do more tests if you indicate you've had a change in your bowel patterns when you began to get lower back pain with stomach pain. One surefire way to tell if you are experiencing pain from the bowels is the nature of the pain itself. It would come in waves with minimal discomfort, or none at all in between the pain.

If you happen to have lower a bloated or swollen lower belly, this may be a warning flag for conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome. Notice fresh blood or tarry looking stools? This would need investigating as well.

Your pain may feel like it's coming from the womb or any other of your internal reproductive organs. This would mean you would experience the pain in the middle of the lower belly, just above the line of public hair about as far up as the navel. There might be more pain to one side than the other - usually an indication of an ovary being inflamed etc. If you have pain when you have sex, you would feel that deep in your pelvic area. The possible range of conditions is varied. You could be looking at pelvic inflammatory disease, ovarian cysts, fibroids or maybe even endometriosis. In any event, don't wait call your doctor immediately.

Some Chiropractic Manipulation Techniques To Promote Back Pain Relief

When most people think of chiropractic techniques or care, what first comes to mind is perhaps the standard neck or back adjustment. However, in order to understand why chiropractic care is so useful, it is important to be aware that doctors of chiropractic have a lot more tricks up their sleeves other than just the famous back or neck adjustment.

Chiropractors treat more areas of the body than just the spine. These highly trained professionals go through in depth training of chiropractic techniques as well as detailed study of how the body works in relation to all aspects of health. Muscle and bones are just a part of their training. They also have good knowledge of how disease and injury affect each region of the body and how to treat it for optimum healing. Take a look at some of the chiropractic techniques you may be less familiar with.

One of the most interesting chiropractic techniques is known as the applied kinesiology technique. This one deals with more than just the alignment of the spine and joints. The placement of the bones can't be correct unless the muscles surrounding them are in correct placement as well. Using light massage and manipulation of the acupressure points, chiropractors can encourage normal and healthy muscle function. This restored balance helps the bones move back into the proper position. This technique is an interesting look at how all the systems of human body work together as one.

Since the spine related adjustments are the most familiar to most people, here is a look at some of the spine chiropractic techniques and what they are used to correct. First is the Cox flexion distraction. This technique involves using stretching or traction of the spine to correct lower back pain and misalignment. The Thompson terminal point technique is another frequently used technique. Using a special drop style table, this technique is used to adjust the entire spine.

Another fascinating example of the dynamic of how different areas of the body can adversely affect a seemingly unrelated area of the body is neck pain. In some cases the Sacro-Occipital technique is used. The patient lies on their back with padded blocks placed under the pelvic region. This allows the body to adjust itself and reduce neck pain. There are hundreds of other techniques chiropractors can use to improve the performance of the body and promote pain relief. These are just a few.

The various chiropractic techniques are an interesting subject to understand how every area of our body can directly impact its neighbor. Understanding the purpose of some of the things your chiropractor may do is a good way to reduce fear of the unknown and take a proactive stand in your own health care.

Each of the chiropractic techniques was designed to heal a specific problem. These techniques help to relieve pain, improve joint flexibility, and increase body function without the use of medications or surgeries.

Causes of Low Back Pain (Right Or Left Side) - Symptoms, Treatment and Pain Relief Options

How is your lower back feeling?

Does it hurt on the lower right side of your back?

1.) Introduction to This Article

Your lower back is the foundation for your torso. As you already know, it is imperative to be as pain free as possible in your lumbar spine. Unfortunately, more people get back pain than you might guess. It has been said that 80 % of people get back pain at some level throughout the course of their life. Let us now take a closer look at why you may be suffering from pain in your lower back, on the right side.

2.) Causes of Lower Back Pain - On The Right Side

• Muscle Strains


• Ruptured or herniated disc


• Poor body mechanics during weight lifting, sitting, or exercising.


• Obesity or previous lower back issue that was not healed completely

3.) Pain Treatment Options

If you have hurt your lower back then it is important to take it seriously, of course. When we were all younger, rest seemed to take care of everything. As we all get a little older it becomes more obvious that your life is constantly tugging at you. There is always something to do and it seems that rest is not as possible as we might like. Sometimes ice can help, but this is usually used when you are laying prone. The problem with ice is that it melts fairly quickly too.

Surgery is an option for extreme cases. However, many quality physicians will tell their patients that they would rather have you try conservative treatment options that work, rather than getting you in to the operating room. Let's face it, sometimes surgery is the only option to help us recover.

4.) Why Braces Can Help You

Many physicians will tell their patients about the importance of getting a back brace for support. They do this for 3 basic, time tested reasons. For example a quality lower back brace can help to:

• Reduce your back pain


• Promote healing of an injury lower back


• Remind you not to make certain movements that can further your injury and pain levels.

You will be surprised that a low profile, light weight back support can actually be concealed by a t-shirt as well. For this reason, people will never even know that you have one on, unless you tell them. For these reasons, many physicians and people benefit from the increased support of a back brace that unloads painful elements of their lower back.

* This is health related information. We believe in the benefits of lumbar back supports, but it is best to talk with your physician regarding health advice for your particular situation.

Massage Chairs For Low Back Pain

Low back pain results from a musculoskeletal disorder of the lower back. It can come in varied degrees of pain level. Many things can be the cause of low back pain, but most typically it is caused by muscular strain, injury to the lower back including the discs, ligaments, and muscles that are surrounding the spine area. There are a variety of treatments depending on exactly what is causing the pain, but one treatment that is gaining popularity is massage chairs.

Most people at one point or another in their life will experience some level of low back pain. It may be caused by certain disorders of the lower back, injury or just plain over usage. Some of these causes can be prevented where others may occur as symptoms from other diseases.

Some common disorders affecting the spine are Pagets disease, Ulcers Scheuermanns disorder, Ankylosing spondylitis, Pancreatitis, Pelvic inflammatory disease and Spinal stenosis. These conditions are best treated by a medical doctor. The treatments for these conditions range from medication to surgery and may involve physical therapy as part of the recovery process.

Many of the causes of low back pain can be prevented. They may result from improper lifting techniques, poor posture when standing or sitting or from injuries. It is always best to warm up your body so the muscles of the back are flexible. Pain associated with these items stem from muscle stiffness.

The common motion causing low back pain that can be prevented is how the body is used. From an anatomical point of view, the weight being put on the spine tends to be concentrated on a few muscles, ligaments and tendons in the lower back. This concentration of force tends to tire out these muscles causing them to become stiff and more brittle. If the force continues to be applied, then these soft tissues can become further fatigued causing them damage.

Massage chairs have found their way into more medical and chiropractic offices as a treatment to the muscles, ligaments and tendons of the lower back. The role of the massage chair is to help to loosen and relax these tight muscles. They have a number of specialized techniques that are applied for effective therapy.

For instance, a slow, continuous kneading of the lower back muscles along the ribs helps to stretch them to retain their elasticity. A rolling massage is applied to the whole spine. The rollers of the massage chair move slowly up the spine slightly adjusting each bone in the spinal column. The massage chair comes with a number of settings that can be targeted for effective relief.

Another common task of a massage chair is to provide heat therapy to full body. Special heaters are included throughout the massage chair. Areas that require heat to be applied are selected. The heat is used to reduce swelling and improve blood flow in the targeted area.

Massage chairs have the capability to apply traction. Traction is used to stretch out a given set of muscles. The rolling massage applies traction to the vertebra in the spine. Each vertebra is individually adjusted as the rollers progress up the length of the spine. Massage chairs can apply traction to the lower body and to the arms and shoulders.

If you are getting a massage, you might as well relax. Massage chairs incorporate MP3 Players where you can play soft soothing music. Music helps the mind to relax and to let go. This letting go releases the tension in the muscles that the mind is holding. This provides an important environment of relaxation in what may normally be a busy location in offices today.

As you can see the occurrence of low back pain is high considering all of its many causes. Almost everyone will have some incidence of lower back pain sometime in their life. For some the pain will be mild, but for others the pain can be quite severe. It is good to know your options and be educated in your choices. Find the right treatments for your and consult with your physician. Technology advances and massage chairs have become very sophisticated. Consider a massage chair a multi-faceted asset in your long term back care health.

Anytime Lower Back Soreness Hits It Could Be Absolutely Incapacitating To Your Current Life-Style

The back is the workhorse involving human body. This particular remarkably solid structure literally carries the responsibility of the entire body, and is accountable for almost every move you make. This makes it prone to injury, and also the resultant back pain can be very immobilizing. It is estimated that four out of five adults have problems with back problems at least once during their lifetimes, which is also several reasons for being absent via work.

Back pain is a common complaint. Most people in the United States Of America get each year lower back discomfort at least once in their lives. Back suffering is just about the most common reasons people go to the doctor as well as miss perform.

Back suffering is one of the most frequent, non-life-threatening, distressing circumstances, affecting 4 in 5 Americans at some stage in their lives. And many need to be wary of come back bouts. Yet lower spine soreness treatment offers undergone an ocean change considering that the 1990s. Professionals now take pleasure in the key role regarding exercise for back problems and maintaining a healthy back. Additionally they better comprehend which ailments surgery will help and which in turn patients are good surgical candidates.

When lower back discomfort or perhaps tenderness attacks, firmly sticking to correct sitting, standing up and slumbering postures is specially critical. Maintain back active, frequently changing roles when you're standing, sitting, and lying down. This will aid distribute the workload to all or any the muscle tissues of your back. If there is an increase or sustained duration of the pain you may have to see a medical care specialist. Consult your physician if the back pain is the response to an impact injury or incident. Back pain that disrupts sleep or day by day activities may need professional proper care. And if you have shooting aches and pains, numbness or perhaps weakness with your legs you need to speak to your physician.

Back pain identifies pain or pain felt inside upper, middle, or lower back. Your pain may lengthen to the body and hip and legs. The back consists of a complex design of navicular bone, ligaments, important joints, muscles, along with nerves, along with discomfort can result coming from a problem with any of these components.

Back pain can vary from gentle, annoying discomfort to excruciating agony. Depending on how long it lasts, it can be referred to as acute or chronic. Acute back pain occurs suddenly nevertheless lasts just briefly, which is often intense. While continual back pain is typically less severe while severe back discomfort, this persists for a longer period and may even recur usually. The duration of acute back pain is a couple of days to a few days, with development during that occasion, whereas continual spine soreness lasts for more than 3 months and sometimes gets gradually worse.

Lower back pain is one of the most common ailments in the U.S., in fact it is preceded merely by colds and the flu virus for occasion lost via work. Low back pain has been described as a 20th century epidemic, the enemy of medicine and an albatross of sector. When every one of the costs linked to it are added way up - work absenteeism, medical and legal fees, cultural security impairment payments, workmen's payment and long-term disability insurance - the bill for you to business, sector and the federal government has been projected to full over Sixteen billion money each year.

The majority of back pain may get better with a few days of home treatment and careful attention. A regular timetable of over-the-counter pain remedies may be all you need to improve your own pain. A short period regarding bed sleep is OK, yet more than a week actually does more harm than good. If home solutions are certainly not working, a medical expert may recommend stronger prescription drugs or additional therapy.

Pain Management for the Lumbar Region

Do you currently suffer from a back problem?

Do you want to find relief?

1.) Introduction

Some people will not live their lives without having pain in their lumbar back regions. They are the really lucky ones, because most people will have some issue with lower back pain in their life time. - Lumbar pain is actually one of the most frequently assessed medical conditions in emergency rooms and doctor's offices. For individuals with this condition, pain management is crucial. When relief is not sought for lumbar discomfort, the consequences can be severe. Inability to function at home and at work, depression and weight gain are just a few consequences of not facing back pain effectively.

2.) Typically, pain in the lumbar area is a result of overexerted ligaments and muscles. In some instances, it occurs as a result of an internal physical condition like a herniated disk, arthritis, sciatica, or osteoporosis. While these conditions themselves may require treatment from a physician, for immediate, pain relief a back brace can be used.

3.) How A Lumbar Support Can Help Reduce Pain

Back braces have proven to be quite successful in pain management relating to the lumbar region. Individuals have used them with many positive results in both emergent or out patient settings.

How a Brace Helps Manage Lumbar Back Pain

A.) Controlling Unwanted Motions

Back braces help manage lumbar pain by restricting spinal motion. This reduces pain caused by the movement of the injured area. By its restrictive actions, a brace also accelerates healing time by alleviating stress on a hurt muscle or ligament.

B.) A Reminder

Back supports also work proactively to prevent further injury by reminding a person to not take on too much and also to only assume proper, posture positions instead of reverting old, harmful habits.

C.) Stress Relief

Several individuals who have used back braces as a lumbar pain management tool insist that the support holds up their abdomens and reduces the stress on their lower backs, providing them with immediate pain relief.

Many persons who deal with lumbar pain simply suffer in silence while attempting to lessen the pain by resting and using cold compresses. Unfortunately neither of these methods has proven very effective in the long run. First of all, a person can only rest for so many days before the duties of everyday life come calling. In addition, extended periods of rest may also worsen the back problem and lead to further problems.

As far as ice goes, even ice packs eventually grow warm and useless, and with them, there is always the danger of using them improperly and causing further harm. At the end of the day, these individuals discover that nothing works as well as the easy to use but highly effective back brace.

Note: Medical advice on braces should be given to you by your local, licensed orthotist (brace specialist).

Chronic Low Back Pain Relief - What Kind of Mattress is Best?

In a recent nationwide survey on back pain, most survey participants reported using a firm mattress with a 2 cm plywood bed board between it and the box spring. But many of those who expressed the most enthusiasm about their sleeping arrangements suggest omitting the box spring and putting an extra-firm mattress on a platform bed.

If you have the option, don't use a brand-name mattress. Instead, have a foam-rubber company make you a, 15 cm (6 inch) thick, extra-firm mattress. It's less expensive than purportedly corrective mattresses and at least as firm and comfortable.

Futon mattresses on platforms are the next choice of US survey participants. But if your hips, buttocks or thighs are painful, you will probably find the futon too thin and hard, and the cause of unwelcome pressure.

If your bed is too hard (as may be the case with some 'orthopedic beds'), try placing a duvet between the under-sheet and the mattress. This gives a softer surface, especially for a more petite sleeper. Remember that what feels firm to someone of 50 kg (8 stone) is very different to what feels firm to someone of 115 kg (18 stone).

Of the 15 US survey participants who turned hopefully to water beds, 8 switched back to firm mattresses and bed boards, complaining that the bed couldn't be made hard enough to suit them. They also said that the water produced a 'rolling action' that made it difficult for them to control their movements and positions. (However, this has become less of a problem with more recent advances in water-bed technology.)

The other 7 were happy with their water beds so long as the mattresses were kept 'filled to the top' and 'firm'. They said the water enabled the spine to align more comfortably, and that the floating sensation eased the pressure on the spine and muscles. You can also regulate the temperature of water beds, which can be an advantage for treating chronic low back pain.

Some back sufferers give up mattresses altogether and take to the floor when their back pain flares up. But lying on the floor is not recommended for incapacitating pain and muscle spasm, primarily because getting up from and down to the floor may add to your pain. Also, if your low back pain is accompanied by pain and spasming in the hips arid upper legs, even a carpeted floor can put too much pressure on inflamed and sensitive areas, causing more pain and spasm.

If, however, you find yourself stuck between a hard floor and a sagging mattress, take the floor until you can make other arrangements.

How Does Acupuncture Assist in the Relief of Lower Back Pain and Spasms?

Every day people ask me about Acupuncture for relief of their lower back pain and back injury. For many people, the thought (let alone the action) of an acupuncture needle into your body would only increase pain. However, acupuncture is a very safe and effective method of pain relief, for acute and chronic conditions. I have found it particularly advantageous in the treatment and management of back aches, back spasms and back pain after a lower back injury.

Firstly, what is Acupuncture? Acupuncture is just one part of traditional Chinese Medicine. Whilst acupuncture is thought of in the Western World as simply a needling process, acupuncture has many forms in traditional Chinese Medicine. Yin and Yang breathing techniques and herbal medicines are also parts of the process of Chinese Medicine.

Acupuncture has been around for 4500 - 5000 years now, and the Chinese were using Acupuncture for many things - not just pain relief - before steel was discovered. This means two main things for us - they were using 'Acupuncture' techniques for pain relief before the needle was invented (Thin bamboo shoots were used), and acupuncture was being used before scalpels were invented. This means that the Chinese were using Acupuncture and needling techniques on each other successfully before they knew what was underneath the 'needle' they were placing in the body.

Traditional Acupuncture is based upon the belief of 'Meridian Points' in our body. Acupuncturists believed that these meridian points were energy channels that related to different vessels in our body - the Liver, Large Intestine, Heart etc. These energy channels run all through our body. The traditional belief in Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture for pain relief, is that by tapping into these energy channels through the use of a 'needle', anything from acute to chronic pain, back aches, buttock pain and back spasms caused by these areas can be relieved. Because of this, the needle is often not placed anywhere near the actual point of pain.

In the case of lower back pain and back injury, traditional acupuncture has been shown to be effective in providing pain relief for both acute and chronic pain, back aches and back spasms. Acupuncture for lower back pain can assist in decreasing back spasm and chronic pain, along with assisting in decreasing the long term changes in the brain's pain processing.

Over recent years, Acupuncture has become more accepted in Western culture for its use in pain relief for anything from headaches to back pain to pregnancy. With greater research into the actual process of needling and how it works, a westernised form of Acupuncture known as Dry Needling has become more widely used and accepted. A westernised form of Acupuncture, Dry Needling works to relieve muscle spasm, giving almost instantaneous relief from back aches, back spasms and buttock pains caused by muscle spasm after back injury.

Muscle Spasm: Following back injury, the muscles of the back will spasm to protect the injury site, causing many people to suffer from back ache and back spasms. Many of the muscles around the pelvis will spasm after a back injury, leading to buttock pain particularly, along with back aches and lower back pain that will not show up on an x-ray or MRI.

When muscle spasm increases, it can lead to trigger points developing in the muscles. These trigger points are the main causes of back pain, buttock pain and back spasm, along with a major cause of back aches. The technique of dry needling is effective in ridding the body of these trigger points and leading to pain relief from lower back pain, back aches and back spasms.

After a back injury, a major cause of back pain is often the muscle spasm and trigger points, as the underlying problem can often heal itself. This is why for many people, their MRI or x-ray will show nothing, and their Doctor will not believe the cause of their back pain.

Dry Needling is used to safely and effectively break up these trigger points through rapid and fast needling of the area. Unlike Acupuncture, Dry Needling is only done for 5 - 10 seconds, where as Acupuncture Needles are often left in for 15 - 20 minutes. I have found this technique very effective in removing back aches, lower back pain, back spasms, buttock pains and spine pain. By removing the trigger point as the major cause for back pain after back injury, pain relief can be felt almost immediately.

Cycling and Low Back Pain - Symptoms, Treatment and Pain Relief Options - Braces Can Help!

How does your back feel when you cycle?

Does it bother you before, during or after a ride?

1.) Introduction

We do not want to waste your time with this article. We will speak upon how back pain can happen as a result of cycling. You may already know that you have the back pain and you do not necessarily need to know how it happened. You may just want to move directly toward reducing your pain. We will offer some cost effective treatment options at the end of this article that can honestly help you if you suffer from back pain due to cycling.

2.) Common Causes of Low Back Pain For Cyclists

Usually, low back problems occur for cyclists due to a prolonged flexion of your lower back (lumbar spine). As you may have easily determined, this is the movement of your lower back curling when your head comes closer to the knees. - A typical riding position. If you are in a flexed position such as this, it can lead to the fatigue of your lumbar musculature, tension of your lumbar ligaments and it can also compress the intervertebral discs that are located in your lower back.

Studies have shown that the weight that is placed upon your spine is least problematic when you lay down. Secondly the amount of stress that is placed upon your back increases when you stand up straight. This is due to axial load on your spine due to the weight of your upper body and gravity kicking in. The next level of stress comes from sitting down, and especially when you sit in a more crouched you are even asking more of your lower back.

3.) How to Help Prolong Your Cycling Career

A strong core is a good starting point. Your transversus abdominus and paraspinal musculature (the muscles located on either side of your spine) help to provide meaningful support to your lower back. It is of course, a good idea to correctly work out these muscles to help prolong a flexed sitting posture.

4.) Low Back Braces For Support

One very helpful way to reduce lumbar back pain is to increase the level of support you have for your lower back. One way in which you can do this is by having strong muscles like we talked about earlier,... but you can also help to reduce your lower back pain with the use of a lumbar back support. These supports can help to increase intercavitary pressure and thus effectively off load the internal structures of your lumbar spine. - They can be great aids and you can use them before, during or after cycling. It is important to remember though that you should not strictly use a lumbar back support and avoid strengthening your lumbar spine.

*This is health information. Although we firmly believe in the benefits of back support, you should consult your physician regarding medical advice pertaining to your particular situation.

Lower Back Pain

When it comes to lower back pain there's a trap for young players and it is that with lower back pain you've got to keep in mind that the cause of the pain is probably not at the site of the pain.

Most people just want to stretch and heat up the spot where it hurts. If they can get someone else to rub it, then so much the better.

Most likely your doctor will only recommend one stretch; lie on your bed and bring your knees up to your chest. This is a useful exercise and may bring some pain relief, but it doesn't do much for the muscles that are contributing more to your back pain than tight back muscles.

A lot of therapists will give out exercises to stretch back muscles - like doing the cat and dog exercise. These are useful exercises but still don't get to the cause of the problem. The therapist will also want to give you the heat treatment and a rub down but doing that at the spot where it hurts doesn't get to the cause of the problem either. You just come away with a warm feeling under your singlet.

If you've got lower back pain you've got to start doing back pain stretches that loosen off your hamstring and buttock muscles. When these muscles get tight they tilt the pelvis back, turning the natural 'S' shaped curve of the spine into a C' shape. You sit at your desk in the slump dog position. You can't sit up straight when sitting on the floor.

Coupled with that it's frequently the case that muscles on one side are tighter than those on the other side, so the pelvis rotates as well.

The effect of this misalignment of the pelvis is to take the bones of the spinal column out of alignment too. When this happens, muscles, tendons and ligaments in your back are stretched beyond their pain threshold.

The vertebrae start to rub on each other producing bone inflammation - arthritis. The nucleus of the disc gets squeezed out. It may even herniate. If that happens, every time you sneeze and cough it feels someone is ramming a red hot poker into your back.

The X-ray will tell you what's happened, but it won't tell you what's caused what's happened. You can draw cold comfort from the recommendations of the experts. They think back pain happens out of the blue, or by lifting the shopping onto the back seat of your car.

At work they'll say the chair did it.

What you've got is a personally-generated, lifestyle related musculo-skeletal dysfunction caused by weak and tight muscles. You don't get that from the chair or the groceries.

You need both a general and a specific strength and flexibility training program.

As far as back pain stretches go you've got to loosen off hamstring and buttock muscles, in fact all the muscles that tilt and rotate your pelvis. Square up your pelvis and the bones above it will start to go back into alignment. The pain will go away.

There are three key lower back stretches that I recommend. If you click on the Lower Back Stretches tag at the Global Back Care website you can get the free eBook in which these exercises are outlined. Of course there are a lot more than three that I'd advise you to do, but these are must-do exercises.

Start doing them while watching TV. You could get some relief in a few days. Based on my experience there's a good chance that if you have a systematic lower back stretching program you could be feeling one heck of a lot better within 6 - 8 weeks.

But it all stands to reason. Treat the cause of the problem and the pain will take care of itself.

In the meantime stay tuned, highly tuned and remember, it's a big ask expecting to get better by having someone do something to you; sooner or later you have to do something to yourself.

John Miller

Does A Pain Relief Patch Really Work? Icewave by Lifewave Sure Does and I Have Seen It Happen

Lifewave Patches were introduced to the public back in 2004 by David Schmidt, Inventor & CEO. The first year the company introduced Energy Enhancer and has since introduced Silent Nights, Glutathione, Carnosine, Ice Wave, SP6 and in January 2011, Aeon.

In this review I will tell you the benefits of the Icewave patch plus I will give you a firsthand account of how it has benefited people in my circle of people.

The Icewave patch is a pain relief patch.

Are you aware of how many people are in pain right this minute? Low back pain, knee pain, headaches, hip pain and the list goes on. I bet you know someone who is suffering with pain right now. People are not only suffering from pain, but the constant pain is putting a lot of extra stress on the body.

Stress causes inflammation in the body. Long term inflammation causes damage to tissues in the body. This will cause pain in the body.

How does the Icewave patch work?

The patches are placed in most cases directly in the area of the pain using the "clock method". This method was developed to provide fast and effective results for non-specific, localized pain.

Lifewave does have specific placement protocols for head pain, low back pain, all over body pain and more.

In simple terms, the patch causes a bio-chemical reaction in the body. This reaction causes temperature changes in the body which in turn reduces inflammation. Once the inflammation has decreased, healing can begin.

What changes occur with the Icewave Patch?

Reduced pain (most cases within seconds)
Reduced Inflammation

What I have witnessed with the Icewave Patch.

Everyday I see someone using the patches for the first time and are totally amazed at how fast their pain went away. In most cases it is within seconds, yes I did say seconds.

Here are just a couple of examples of what I have seen personally.

A man who has wrist pain that is constant (he is scheduled for surgery, but might be cancelling that). There are two patches that are used for pain relief. The brown patch is negative and the white patch is positive. The white patch was placed directly on the area with the most pain. He was asked to push down on the patch and see if his pain was better, worse or the same. He stated it was a little better. The brown patch was then placed at the twelve o'clock position (visualize a clock), the pain stayed the same. The brown patch was then moved around to the 3 and 6 o'clock position. At the six o'clock position the pain was gone 100%. This all took about 30 seconds.

Another case was a lady with pain in both knees (she had already had both knees replaced several years ago but still has pain). This time the brown patch was placed on the area of her knee with the worst pain and the clock method was done. After a couple different placements her pain was gone and the same was done to her other knee with the same results.

I have seen probable hundreds of cases like this so far. And it is the best feeling to see someone who has been suffering in pain, get rid of it right away.

If you know anyone who has pain, then you owe it to them to share this information with them.

Lower Right Back Pain - How to Get Fast Relief For This Condition No Matter How Severe it Is!

Lower right back pain is a condition affecting many in today's world. It occurs as a result of muscle weakness, joint immobility and a pinched sciatic nerve.

This condition plagues up to 80% of the adult population in the west and is a constant companion of about 7.5 million adults in the United States of America alone.

You need to realize that your lower right back pain can be treated no matter how severe it current is. This article will show you three ways to achieve this. Read my conclusion to discover an innovative way to permanently and effectively cure your lower right back pain today using little known technique that have been proven to work in 98.7% of cases.

#1. Joint Mobility...
Joint mobility deals with the ability of your joints to move in a manner which is natural and cases you no pain. It is one way to ensure that the pain you feel in your lower right back subsides.

If your joints are moving in a natural manner it will ensure that your muscles remain in a relaxed state. If this cannot be achieved, then you will have a situation where the surrounding muscles will tire out.

You can get your joints to move correctly by performing exercise routines which help to improve mobility in and around your joints.

#2. Muscle Strengthening Exercises...
If the blood supply to your nerves and muscles is not improved, then you can be stressed assured that no exercise routine can benefit your muscles.

To ensure that this is not the case with your conditions, you need to perform muscle strengthening exercise routines. These exercise routines are geared towards treating the pain in your back by increasing the strength of your muscles.

Ensure that you perform the right routines constantly to avoid aggravating your already sore muscles; this is a key factor to getting the much needed relief you seek.

#3. Muscle Stretching Exercises...
These kinds of exercises help to bring you relief by realigning the muscles of your back and your pelvis. While a lot of people may have tried many stretch exercise routines without success, it still is not indicative of the ineffectiveness of this exercise routine.

To make these stretching exercise routines work for you, you need to make sure that you are targeting the correct muscles at the appropriate time. Knowing what you are doing is a vital key towards relieving the tightness and relaxing those lower right back muscles.

Conclusion...
While the techniques above are very effective in treating lower back pain, they are not guaranteed to ensure that your lower right back pain won't reoccur. But there is great news for you.

There is a way to ensure that your condition disappears completely, effectively, and permanently today! Read on to discover how you can achieve a permanent cure for your condition today...

FACT: Most conventional treatments for back pain only work as a temporary band aid solution; they all fail to work in the long run!

Back Pain and Sciatica Cured by Kettlebells

More and more people are finding a genuine cure for their back pain and sciatica through learning how to strengthen their back muscles and correct their posture. We approach all our patients as an individual and make it a priority to first cure their back pain with the quickest method possible whether that be manual techniques, soft tissue techniques, sports massage, nerve releases and joint mobilisations. But once the pain is stabilised our priority is the show the patient how to maintain a correct posture and then strengthen their back correctly. This will fast track their back pain relief but also prevent their back pain and sciatica returning.

There is consistent research to support the use of back exercises to treat low back pain effectively. But the key is they must be the "right" ones or they are ineffective.

We have recently been getting excellent results for treatment of low back pain with kettle bells. More and more people are becoming aware of the benefits of using kettle bells to help improve general health and fitness. However, their use as a treatment technique for low back pain is relatively unknown. The reason for its success is one of the kettle bell exercises known as the "swing" is one of the only safe ways of strengthening and conditioning the muscles of the lower back. The swing also mimics the daily movements of the lower limb making the exercise functional to daily life. Therefore, the lower back muscles not only just become strong; they become strong throughout the movements that most human being's do on a daily basis.

Many lower back strengthening exercises focus solely on the lower back muscles themselves which can cause pain. During daily movements, muscles work in combination with each other. This means it is important to strengthen the whole trunk musculature together with the abdominal muscles and the gluteal muscles. Together these muscles support and control movement of the spine. The swing is perfectly designed in order to work the lower limb muscles whilst safely strengthening the lower back muscles at the same time.

Other ways to use kettle bells to treat low back pain and sciatica include Rotational side bends and Turkish Get Up. These both involve most of the muscles in the body and for this reason trains the back to become strong functionally. In general someone with a strong back and strong abdominal will not get back pain. It is critically important for patients with back pain to exercise, get fit and learn the correct way to strengthen their spine. We have seen time and time again patients who have seen "everybody"-chiropractors, surgeons, physical therapists and osteopaths without success, gain complete pain relief through learning to use their trunk correctly and strengthening their spine.

This approach enables the body to be strengthened as a whole which is both safe, functional and highly effective. This approach works! And what's more-as we are strengthening muscles and burning calories, it it is one of the fastest ways to lose weight too! Bonus!

How You Can Treat Lower Back Pain With Vitamins

From a certain age on we all know what is is like to experience some lower back pain. As we get older and realize that our bodies just don't work the way they used to twenty years ago, stretching and working out more is almost a requirement for keeping our backs in shape. The simple little twist can turn into instant lower back pain without warning. Then we are everywhere trying everything we can to get rid of it, as it becomes a daily irritation. Oddly enough, many of us don't even think about treating back pain with vitamins.

While we slowly move towards a more "natural alternative" way in the medicine world, vitamins in this area are usually overshadowed by herbal treatments and the FDA telling us that nothing of the sort is recommended. So instead, most of us go to a chiropractor spending hundreds of dollars instead of trying something new that might even have better benefits in the end. Then again, everyone wants the "quick fix" and don't believe vitamins can provide that for them.

Well, they're right, it's not going to fix anything right this instant, but at the same time, if you start taking vitamins like Vitamin E and Vitamin C now and each day, they can both be used to help reduce inflammation. Vitamin B12 has been placed in clinical studies with volunteers who were suffering from back pain in the lower extremities, later proving that B12 is a great pain reliever for individuals dealing with issues such as these. These are only a few of several vitamins that can help with your back if taken regularly.

Vitamin D deficiency is considered one of the major reasons people end up with back pain, especially in the lower regions. A study was performed on 360 men and women, where they were given ample doses of Vitamin D over a three month period. After the time had elapsed, everyone who initially was told they had low levels of Vitamin D within their blood (83% of them), were actually all ruled as normal levels again.

We could sit here and go down the list and explain all vitamins, but the idea here is to understand that as we age, it's even more important that we take five minutes or less out of our day to grab a glass of water and ingest the proper vitamins. Do keep in mind that you should consult your physician when taking a substantial amount of vitamins due to possible overdoses. For instance, Vitamin C would allow twice daily as Vitamin E should only be taken once.

Overall, there are several reasons why someone can have lower back pain and unfortunately there are not as many solutions. While vitamins can help other avenues such as good exercise, better diets, and chiropractic help can all alleviate possible future injuries and discomforts. However, I do understand that if you are already in severe chronic pain, the exercise won't be feasible at this point, but the rest should be started as soon as possible. It may take longer to recover, but the long term benefits are the overall goal.

How Physiotherapists Treat Back Pain

Low back pain, back pain, lumbar pain, spinal pain, all are names for the troublesome and very common problem which affects many of us at certain times in our lives. Physiotherapists assess and treat large number of back pain patients every day and have various treatment techniques to help this condition.

Back pain is rarely an indication of serious underlying medical condition such as cancer, infection or arthritic disease but the physiotherapist needs to be sure he or she is dealing with a non-serious back pain. Standard exclusion questions are asked by the physio to rule out loss of weight, loss of appetite, previous cancer history, bowel and bladder control, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, epilepsy, particular pain problems at night and generally feeling ill.

This subjective history tells the physio that the back problem is mechanical, i.e. it is related to the stresses and strains on the spinal joints now and in the past. They can then move on to the objective examination, looking at the patient with their clothes off. Initial examination starts with the patient walking in and with how they sit for the questioning, and posture is noted next. Many postural changes are not of great significance but some fit the overall picture and increase the confidence in the correct therapeutic diagnosis.

Spinal pain usually reduces the normal movements the patient is able to perform and this pattern of movement loss gives an indication of the kind of lumbar problem. The range of lumbar flexion is often reduced with the lumbar spine staying stiff and with pain during the movement or at the end of the available range. The other spinal movements are also tested, with the physio also checking the muscle reflexes, muscle strength, hip ranges of movement, sacro-iliac joints and the skin sensibility. The physiotherapist will palpate the spinal joints, gathering information about the stiffness or pain reactions of the lumbar segments.

The treatment goals and plan will be formulated with references to the findings during the examination e.g. a joint, disc or postural problem. A painful spinal joint will need careful treatment with gentle exercises, pacing, reduction in aggravating factors and pain-killers. A stiff spinal joint can cope with stronger manual techniques and exercises to stretch out the stiff tissues.

One of the most common therapies for athletes, gym attenders and those undergoing rehabilitation after injury or illness is to perform core stability work. Many Pilates classes are available using this approach to holding a mid-range spinal posture while performing activities. Initial technique is taught on a plinth until the patient has good control then progressed to keeping their stability control whilst performing harder and harder activities, finishing off with relevant functional work

Spinal joints do not appreciate being at end of their range for too long such as remaining slumped in sitting for a long period. This stretches the ligaments and can cause and maintain a pain problem. Physios teach patients to understand the new strange posture they are being asked to perform is the norm and that they need to perform it regularly until they do it naturally.

Many back pain physios use the McKenzie technique which uses repetitive movement to change the forces which the disc nucleus exerts on the walls of the disc, the annulus fibrosus. An increase in pressure against the posterior disc wall can worsen symptoms while a decrease can improve pain. Repeated movements in one plane establish a "directional preference", a direction of movement which improves the presenting symptom. McKenzie therapists treat patients depending on whether they have postural syndrome, dysfunction syndrome or derangement syndrome. McKenzie therapy is a popular technique, based on the idea that the disc nucleus exerts a force on the walls of the disc and can cause pain problems.

Once the symptoms are under control, the patient is taught to pace their activities appropriately so as not to overstress their spinal joints at any one time and to work on their overall fitness. It is embarrassing that there isn't good evidence for any particular therapy for low back pain. However there is good evidence that increasing our overall fitness, both aerobic and muscular, improves back pain symptoms and makes it less likely that we will have further episodes.

Lower Back Pain - Ankle and Foot Plantar Flexion

Patients with lower back pain due to L5 and S1 nerve root irritation often complain of calf cramps, especially at night. The strong calf muscles are responsible for you to be able to walk on your toes. These muscles are especially important in the push-off phase of walking on level surfaces as well as on inclines and steps.

To be able to test the strength of the calf muscles, the best way is to have the patient stand on one leg. The patient then lifts the heel off the floor. Normally, there is at least a span of 5" between the surface of the floor and the under surface of the heel.

When the patient is examined to walk on their toes, one has to assess not just the ability to perform this type of walking but the ability of the patient to raise the heel of the floor by about 4-5".

Similarly, when the patient is instructed to walk on heels, there should at least be a span of 3-3.5 inches between the floor and the under surface of the big toe joint known as the first metatarsal joint.

The muscles that perform plantar flexion of the foot are:

- medial gastrocnemius (L5, S1 through the tibial nerve)

- lateral gastrocnemius (L5, S1 through the tibial nerve)

- soleus (L5, S1 through the tibial nerve)

- tibialis posterior (L5, S1 through the posterior tibial nerve)

- flexor digitorum longus (L5, S1 through the posterior tibial nerve)

- flexor hallucis longus (L5, S1 through the posterior tibial nerve)

- peroneus longus (L5, S1 through the superficial peroneal nerve)

- peroneus brevis (L5, S1 through the superficial peroneal nerve)

Lower Back Pain Right Side - 2 Exercises

To prevent lower back pain right side, it is important to remember more than just good posture. Proper exercise is necessary to build strength and flexibility. What are some of the exercises that we can perform to prevent lower back pain right side?

First of all, it is important to distinguish between lower back pain right side and left side. When our pain is localized to one side--in this case, the right--it is commonly due to twisting and/or lifting motions or activities that favor our right side. The right side is especially vulnerable because most of us are right handed and our strongest side is the right, so that is the side we use. This makes lower back pain right side more common for the majority of us.

Does this mean we have to perform exercises that concentrate on the right? That is probably not a good idea as we do not want to enforce a side that is already a bit stronger. Our exercises should focus on both sides, but as we perform them, we should pay close attention to the pain and where it is localized.

There are a couple of good exercises to consider, but check with your doctor first to make sure you are healthy enough to proceed. If your lower back pain right side starts to return, stop the exercise and rest. After an injury, you must proceed with your exercises slowly as not to re-injure yourself.

You want to start building your core to take some of the stress off your back, but rather than sit ups or crunches, try leg extensions. They are good strengthening techniques to help with lower back pain right side and left side. Begin on your hands and knees, shoulder width apart, and head looking at the floor. Keep your abdomen tight and curled in a bit (not too much), but remember to breath throughout the drill. Making sure your hip does not drop down, slowly raise your right leg until it is fully extended. Hold for 5 seconds and visualize the stretching the painful area as you hold. Repeat with the left leg. Do 8-10 repetitions. Over time, gradually increase the time you extend your leg. When you are strong enough, try for 30 seconds. For additional resistance, you may extend your opposite arm straight out in front of you as you raise each leg.

Chest raisers are common leg stretches to relieve pain in the low back area. Begin by lying on your back, knees bent at a 90 degree angle and your feet comfortably flat on the floor. Keeping your left leg in position, place your hands under your right knee and pull it as close to your chest as you can. Hold for 20 seconds before you slowly lower your foot back to the floor. Again, pay special attention to the location of your pain as you hold, but do not work the right side any differently from the left. Repeat 5 times with each leg. For additional resistance, extend one leg straight on the floor while you raise the other knee to your chest.

If done gradually and deliberately, you will experience relief of your lower back pain right side by focusing on the location of the pain as you stretch and exercise. Remember, stretches and back exercises are not meant to be painful. If you experience increased pain, especially on the lower right side, stop the exercise and consult with a doctor.

Improved Back Pain Following Tummy Tuck Surgery

An abdominoplasty with repair of the separation or widening of the gap between the rectus abdominis muscles may help to alleviate some types of back pain. Pain, in and of itself is sometime difficult to properly diagnose. Relief of back pain should not be your primary goal in undergoing a tummy tuck, but many are pleased when it does in fact get better

Think of the lower abdomen as an internal corset. The muscles of the abdomen are interconnected with the internal and external oblique muscles. It is this muscular arrangement that gives the back it support and properly rotates the pelvis. The type of back pain most frequently associated with a loose abdominal wall is in the lower lumbar spine. The medical condition is known as kyphosis. After a tummy tuck with tightening of the fascia, patients literally have a more secure support structure.

It is well known that that having strong tight abdominal muscles improves low back pain and the tendency toward lordosis (concave back and protrusion of the belly). Interestingly, after tummy tuck procedures, patients note they get full more quickly after eating, also probably a result of having a tighter abdominal fascia.

And of course after any plastic surgery it is necessary to be on a good diet and exercise program. The tummy tuck will improve only the resting tone of the abdomen. It will not strengthen the muscles at all. With proper exercise these core muscles can be toned adding to the benefits of the procedure. Patients should never rely on plastic surgery as a substitute for good exercise and eating habits.

There is good medical evidence to support the claim that an abdominoplasty will help with back pain. It is equally important to rule out any other causes of back pain such as a ruptured disc or pinched nerve. Clearly, if there is an anatomic problem with your spine or back, an abdominoplasty will not help.

With proper diagnosis and a good surgical plan most patients can expect improvement. It is important to know what will be helped and what is beyond the scope of the operation.

Natural Lower Back Pain Relief Tips

Many people that seek lower back pain relief often turn to either prescriptions or over the counter medicine and creams to help. Unfortunately, there are many causes of pain in the "small of the back" and drugs only mask the symptoms, they don't actually offer any treatment.

Some reasons to avoid medications in your lower back pain relief treatments...

1. For one, many of these medications are expensive, and they only provide temporary lower back pain relief.

2. Another problem is that many of these drugs, while approved by the FDA, haven't had long term testing, so who knows what kinds of side effects may occur down the road. You often see advertisements on television for attorneys that are accepting cases for all kinds of lawsuits against different drugs and those responsible for manufacturing them.

3. Over time, as our body builds up a tolerance to the medications, they become less effective and we stop taking them as directed on label. we end up taking more and more medication, just to get the same results. It IS possible to achieve toxic levels.

Because most of these medications are only temporary, those of us that seek these types of relief treatments end up having to spend hundreds of dollars a year, but to no avail. It's wasted money.

The thing is you really don't have to do this to get permanent lower back pain relief. There are many different alternatives available that not only work to help with musculoskeletal inflammation, but work extremely well and don't cost a lot of money.

The first steps to finding lower back pain relief is finding the underlying causes of discomfort.

There can be a number of factors and types of musculoskeletal inflammation involved.

One cause could be that you are actually experiencing a pinching of the sciatic nerves. Maybe you have an old injury and this problem never fully was resolved, and so now many years later the aching returns.

Maybe you sit for too long at work - this is one of the major causes of distress. Or, you possibly strain your lower back on an everyday basis by just standing for long periods in the act of doing your regular job. Some types of work are worse than others when it comes to lower backache causes. Jack hammer operators are notorious for having excruciating pain symptoms.

Others of us may have certain vitamin or mineral deficiencies, this can play a major role. Simply putting your body in chemical balance can often make you more comfortable and offer long-term relief for aching and tenderness.

Before you run out and get major surgery - your back spasm may not be caused by something as major as ruptured discs - you can greatly improve your conditions by just starting with some simple, natural therapy.

Instead of sitting for long periods of time, get up off the couch or chair and start stretching and moving around at least once every hour. Just walk around - this can help stretch the muscles and improve your circulation as a free bonus.

Weight... obesity can add a huge strain. If you want to improve and get some lower back relief, maybe it is time to try to reduce this weight. Those that have lost weight and started a program of muscle stretching exercise, have found that they find much relief.

Lowering your body weight isn't all about exercising, muscle stretching, going to the gym, etc. You have to change your dietary habits, eat more healthy, and lower your intake of high fat processed foods. These preservatives can build up in your body and cause all kinds of different health related problems, not just now, but later on in life too.

There are a variety of lower back pain relief techniques and treatments.

There are several courses on exercise techniques that work to condition the muscles of your lower back. If you consistently do these exercises several times per day, not only do they treat and provide natural severe back pain relief for musculoskeletal inflammation and its' associated pain, but they also strengthen muscles that have been weakened due to lack of exercise - making them function much better.

One popular pain treatment is acupuncture. For those of us with a problem with the needles, Shiatsu acupressure practitioners will press and knead certain points on your body and can be a great way to reduce tension and can even help with sciatica. Instead of applying needles to different points on your body, pressure is applied to these areas, providing the same kind of lower back pain relief.

There is hypnosis, meditation, deep breathing exercises and a number of other methods that are completely natural to assist in finding that elusive lower back pain relief you are so urgently seeking.

Lower Right Back Pain - The Facts

Back pain is a very common condition, one which sufferers often visit their doctors to seek treatment for. The patient is looking for solutions or at minimum information pertaining to the problems that they are experiencing. The doctor may not be able to provide the information.

Lower Right Back Pain Information

The back is made up of the spine and vertebra the spinal column and nerves, ligaments, tendons muscles and this structure makes the back an incredibly flexible and mobile body area, but small changes in any of these components of the back can cause the back to become unbalanced, causing pain.
The following problems can occur which would cause such imbalances:

• Strained muscles


• Torn ligaments


• Joint stiffness


• Joint damage/ Injury


• Disc issues


• Nerve compression/Irritation


• Fractured bone

It is very common to experience stiffness, aching or pain in the lower back, lower right or lower left back. The reason is that the issues are common is because the lower back is susceptible since it is used when lifting, can be put out of balance through back posture as the upper body must be supported. This fact also leads to a higher likelihood of age related wear and tear being present, as we get older.

As mentioned previously, the lower right back pain can be caused by poor lifting technique, bad posture, or sporting injuries, and since the lower right and lower left back are made up of many muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves and bones, these improper movements can cause injury or inflammation in one or more of these structures, leading to lower right back pain.

There are three types of muscles that broadly speaking act on the spine, and those are flexor, extensor and oblique muscles. The flexor muscles help you bend forward, or flex the spine, which would occur whilst lifting objects for example. The right flexor muscle may cause lower right back pain, the left flexor can also cause low right back pain due to imbalanced that might be cause by the left flexor.

The extensor muscles, which exist in the gluteal and lower back muscles and allow you to sit up straight, extending the spine may also become fatigued, or strained causing soreness. The lower right or lower left extensors may become inflamed or injured and cause back pain.

The oblique muscles, which attach to the sides of the spine, allow rotation of the spine allowing you to turn. Injury or straining of these muscles can cause a large number of problems due to imbalances that will likely occur.

In addition to simple muscle strain, injury to ligaments, joints, and bones can also cause muscle pain. If one of these structures is injured or inflamed, back muscles can go into spasm, drastically limiting your movement and cause pain in the lower right back.

Stress is a common cause of pain in the lower right back. Stress will make your back muscles tighten. This happens to every muscle in the body, as we move into a "fight or flight" response. Muscles that are tightened lack the energy they need to support the spine. If the stress is frequent, and measures are not taken immediately to relieve it, lower right back pain can easily develop.

Severe Lower Right Back Pain

Lower right back pain that lasts more than two week is duration or if the pain is intense and does not ease for a week, or you experience numbness or tingling, then immediate medical advice should be sought. It may mean that rest is required, or medication to take down inflammation or a battery of tests needs to be done to find out the cause. Whilst rest may be recommended, it is still a good idea to do a small amount of exercise, 30 minutes a day if possible, to prevent the muscles from weakening, or the joints from seizing up.

If the muscles weaken, they will not protect or support the back as completely, and so may result in further unnecessary injury. The rest / severe back pain event cycle will continue, with the situation becoming worse every time, unless care is taken to prevent the cycle from continuing.

Symptoms of Lower Right Back Pain

To be able to fully and quickly treat back pain, you need to be aware of the causes of lower right back pain, and the symptoms that may be experienced. This can involve understanding what location the pain is felt in, the type of pain, and the severity of that pain. Does the pain move around, or is it concentrated in one area?

1. Numbness in buttocks or extending down leg - You may have a herniated disc - see a doctor immediately. This may also be sciatica caused by a trapped nerve, in which case you may want to consider consulting a chiropractor.


2. Pain from twisting, or bending? - You may have pulled a muscle, or you may have a herniated disc - see you doctor.


3. Blood in the urine - You may have a kidney issue. See a doctor immediately.

Lower Right Back Pain Treatments

The pain can be helped by having stronger more mobile muscles in the back, as they will be better able to support the spine, and prevent further issues.
If the spine is stiff, and not in the neutral position, it is worthwhile visiting a chiropractor to get your spine reset toward the neutral position. This course of treatment will not happen immediately, but really does work.

Gentle exercise initially, to build up the strength in the back should be performed, and nothing that causes intense pain. You're doing it wrong, or have another issue if that happens, in which case visit your doctor. Any exercise should also be accompanies by gentle stretching both before and after exercise.

5 Tips and Relief of Lower Back Pain During Pregnancy!

I know you are tired of discomfort during your pregnancy so here are so here are 5 tips relief for the lower back pain during pregnancy.

The most important thing during pregnancy is the good night sleep, and if you sleep in a very uncomfortable position, it can make your back pain even worse. Therefore, when asleep you can use the maternity back support belt, which works great to help you to support your belly, so your lower back wouldn't have to carry all that weight alone.  Most women don't get this and tend to ignore it, but the weight is still there even when you are a sleep.

Some women also like to wrap pillows just below their bellies to help them while asleep. On the other hand using pillows is a very good idea. Use as much pillows as possible to make it more comfortable.  Some women sleep with 10 pillows around them. Why not, as long as it gets you comfortable and pain free.

Pain in your feet can also cause the pain in your lower back so the tip number 3 is to wear low-heeled shoes or the athletic ones, forget about the high heels for now. High heals can cause some major issues for the life time.

But even with this, you still might feel some pain in your feet, and the best is the massage. There are numerous appliances that you can use for foot massage, and the best way is to ask for your significant other.

The next tip is some light and safe workout. You can choose a light walk each day, or soft exercises. With the combination of exercise and light stretching each day, your back pain will be reduced or maybe completely gone. The fact about these exercises is that they help your body to cope with the constant change and with carrying a lot more weight than before. If you stretch your muscles, you will not only avoid the back pain but leg cramps as well.

Tip number four is to avoid carrying anything heavy! This is a MUST! You've got enough to carry already. So avoid carrying and standing for a longer time, if possible try to move, but do not stand or sit on the same place for a longer time, and avoid slouching while sitting.

If possible, always keep a rolled up towel behind your lower back. And finally tip number five is to have plenty of sleep. Bed rest really works for most pregnant women, and keep in mind that the bed rest is not recommended all day long and in every kind of posture, it is best to sleep on your left side, and use plenty of pillows, with a pillow between your legs and a very thin one under your abdomen.

Back Pain Relief For Campers

Camping is a great activity especially if done with the family, friends or loved ones. It strengthens camaraderie and bonding and is also a good way to de-stress. The beauty of nature with its fresh air, sunshine, vegetation and wildlife will surely get the tension out of anybody's system. The physical activity that comes with this endeavor is an effective way to exercise our bodies as well, making us a lot fitter and healthier.

But having back pains can be a real deal breaker. This can make your trip very unpleasant instead of pleasurable. Since camping requires a great deal of physical activity, having back problems can really ruin it for you. Imagine carrying heavy backpacks, hiking and setting up camp which can take a couple of hours to finish with a painful back; it's like playing tennis with a broken wrist. The two just seem to be incompatible with each other.

Most back pains occur in the lower back. This happens when the lower back's discs have weakened. Remedies, treatments and rehabilitation have been developed by doctors throughout the years but the number of patients continues to rise. Some patients resort to painkillers; this is effective in relieving pain but it cannot stop it from recurring.

Using firm beds can work wonders as well. These types of beds provide our backs with the best support. According to many patients, the long-term us of these beds reduce the pain substantially and decrease the recurrences greatly. This is the reason why lots of patients now resort to these instead of taking various pain-relieving drugs.

Doing moderate walking regularly is another highly recommended option. This exercise regulates the alignments in our back by correcting the hip flexors. The back muscles are also provided a subtle exercise by walking; this can improve the condition considerably.

Naturally, getting enough sleep provides a lot of help. In fact, our overall health is benefited by having the right amount of sleep.

And if ever an attack of back pain occurs to you in the middle of a camping trip, just lie down on a firm mattress in your tent. Rest your back for a while and try to avoid strenuous activities. Getting a good night's sleep will notably reduce the pain and you'll still have enough time to enjoy your camping trip.

Lower Back Pain - 5 of the Worst Exercises You Should Never Do

Did you know that some of the worst exercises for lower back pain are the exact ones that are typically recommended by health care professionals?

Most low back pain sufferers have very weak abdominal muscles and are usually told to perform exercises to strengthen the abdominals.

It has been my experience to avoid certain exercises at all costs. If you want to relieve low back pain then you need to know the 5 worst exercises for your low back.

#1: Sit-ups- I have never had a client of mine perform a traditional sit-up. Sit-ups are the absolute worst exercise. Now, most health professionals have gotten away from recommending this exercise, but there still are some who do. Sit-ups pose a couple of major problems.

First, performing the exercise with hands behind your head can aggravate or develop strain on your cervical spine (your neck). Because of the typical abdominal weakness most low back pain sufferers have, they cannot effectively initiate movement of the trunk by engaging the abdominals. So, instead they begin to pull at the head which causes strain to the cervical spine.

Second, sit-ups involve the hip flexors more than the abdominals. Your hip flexors are active in such movements where you bring your knee up. For example, when walking up a flight of stairs your hip flexors lift your leg to you can put your foot up on the next step.

But, your hip flexors also attach to each vertebrae on your lumbar spine. When you overuse these muscles they generate force that pulls from the lumbar area of the spine which causes stress to your lower back.

#2: Crunches- Traditional crunches were used as a safe alternative to the sit-up. Technically, crunches utilize the abdominals and stretch the spinal erectors which can help alleviate low back pain.

But, here a few interesting facts that make crunches one of the top 5 worst exercises for your low back:

• fact #1- crunches primarily engage the rectus abdominis, commonly called the "six pack" muscles. The rectus abdominis functions to flex your spine as when bending forward at the waist. Crunches fail to engage the entire abdominal complex (internal obliques, external obliques and transverse abdominis). Your entire abdominal complex is what provides a strong and stable foundation for your lower back.



• fact #2- the more crunches you perform over time your body eventually begins to develop a stooped forward posture or "hunch back". This is really bad because it puts a lot of stress on your lower back. It also weakens the muscles of your upper and mid-back which are extremely important to maintain good posture and protect your lower back.



• fact #3- the majority of low back pain sufferers are considered overweight to some extent. So, exercise focused on burning more calories and body fat is an important key to managing back pain. The less fat you carry around your midsection the less stress to your lower back. Crunches are one of the least effective exercises for burning calories.

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#3- Leg raises- This exercise is probably the 2nd worst exercise you can do for lower back pain for the same reason as sit-ups. Leg raises have the potential to involve the hip flexors even more than sit-ups because your legs a longer and weigh more.

#4- Torso twists on machines- This exercise involves sitting on a machine where you hold a couple handles with a pad at your chest and twist from side to side pulling weight from the machine. Too many people load up this machine with too much weight and/or perform the twist improperly which can create shearing forces at the spine and injure the disks that protect your spine.

#5- Low back extensions- This is the machine where you sit with a weighted pad at your back. You lean forward then push yourself back up to sitting upright against the resisted pad. Low back pain does not necessarily mean you have a "weak low back" and need to strengthen it. At least not in this manner. This type of movement overuses the muscles of the lower back which is one of the most common reasons why people develop low back problems in the first place.

So, performing this exercise only compounds the initial problem by training you to overuse your lower back muscles.

How To Relieve Back Pain Using Lower Back Exercises

Whilst the short answer is - loosen off tight hamstring, buttock and hip flexor muscles and embark on a serious all round body strengthening program - the longer answer may provide you with a better understanding of why you need to do these exercises to relieve back pain.

A few weeks ago I unsubscribed from a medically-oriented back pain forum because I thought that most of the information supplied by regular writers was unhelpful.

In answer to the question, 'What's the cause of back pain?' most of the correspondents made statements like this one:

'... there is a central disc protrusion with a focul annular tear... facet joint arthropathy and ligamentum flavum hypertrophy... there is a disc bulge which is paracentral to the left side and extended in to the foramen and far laterally... there is mild crowding of the cauda equine... .

Whilst it's all well and good to know what's going on in your back, we need to go back a stage and find out what has caused the 'central disc protrusion with a focul annular tear... facet joint arthropathy, ligamentum flavum hypertrophy... and disc bulge.'

Few people in the medical industry know where to look.

An X-ray is useless. It just tells you what's happened. It doesn't tell you why it's happened.

Neither will the radiologist nor the doctor tell you that you've generated the problem yourself. The incident that brought the problem to a head - lifting a bag of groceries into your car, digging in the garden, sneezing... will get the blame, but we all know that normal healthy human beings are designed to put groceries into cars, dig the garden and sneeze without collapsing in a screaming heap.

It's highly likely that what's happened over the weeks, months, years and decades, as muscles have gradually tightened and become weaker, bones have moved out of alignment. That's why it's a personally generated dysfunction. It's why rubbing, crunching, heating and vibrating the spot where it hurts isn't going to lead to the permanent restoration of poor function to good. These activities are not related to what really needs to be done.

And when bones are out of alignment it only takes an incident of minor proportion to tip you over the edge into 'central disc protrusion with a focul annular tear... facet joint arthropathy, ligamentum flavum hypertrophy... and disc bulge' territory.

Q. So what is the underlying cause of a high proportion of back pain?

A. Vertebrae that are out of alignment.

Q. Why are vertebrae out of alignment?

A. Usually because the pelvis is out of alignment.

Q. Why is the pelvis out of alignment?

A. Because tight muscles - usually hamstring, buttock and hip flexor have pulled it out of alignment.

Q. Why are these muscles tight?

A. Tight muscles come with decades of sitting down for long periods of time, often with a poor posture - and without a flexibility training program. Just doing a few yoga exercises every couple of days would be enough to stop it from happening.

Unfortunately, most therapists will get straight to work rubbing, crunching, heating and vibrating at the spot where it's painful and forget to give you a good flexibility training program for the muscles further down the body that are causing the problem.

Plus people get a warm feeling in their singlet when they've been rubbed, crunched, heated and vibrated. It feels like it must be doing them good. They love someone to do something to them, even if they're better off doing something to themselves.

A physio might get you to do the cobra yoga pose (masquerading as the McKenzie exercise). The doctor might tell you to lie on your bed and bring your knees up to your chest. Both exercises are useful but miss the point, which is focusing on loosening of hamstring, buttock and hip flexor muscles.

So when it comes to lower back exercises always keep in mind that the underlying cause of the pain it rarely located at the site of the pain. You need to loosen off hamstring, buttock and hip flexor muscles.

You also need a good, all round body strengthening program - situps, pressups, squats and the Superman back arch. You can do that at home.

If you go to a gym three times a week and spend 40 minutes pushing and pulling weights, so much the better.

In the meantime stay tuned, highly tuned and remember that when it comes to lower back exercises, the key ones are those that loosen off tight hamstring, buttock and hip flexor muscles.

John Miller

Lumbar Sprain - Not Just Another Back Ache! Braces For Support

Most people think that a backache is not something to be too worried about. We often treat backaches as something that is caused by exhaustion or something that can be treated with a bunch of pain relievers. Backaches can be the result of sudden strain and exhaustion. But if you are experiencing lower back pain all the time, then, you may have to consider that what you are experiencing is not just a backache - but a lumbar sprain. Here are some reasons why you need to take lower back pains or lumbar sprains seriously.

It can lead to a lumbar spasm

Although you may think that the lower back pain you are experiencing is bearable and can easily be fought by taking pain relievers, extensive strain on your lower back muscles will cause the soft-tissues on your lower back to swell. The inflammation of your lower back muscles can lead to a muscle spasm which is something that your pain relievers may not help you with. Although the word "spasm" would make you believe that a lumbar spasm is something that will happen momentarily and just get lost after some time - the truth is that it can take days for you to fully recover from a lumbar spasm. In fact, most patients who have lumbar spasms have to be on bed rest for several days with an adequate dose of muscle relaxants and pain relievers to help them through the ordeal.

A lumbar spasm can be really painful

Once the muscles on your lumbar spine is affected, you can barely move your body without experiencing pain - this is what happens when you are afflicted with a lumbar spasm. Walking, sitting up and basic functions or movements will seem like such an effort because everything you do will cause you pain.

Lumbar Sprain may only be the beginning

The lumbar sprain that you are experiencing may just be an underlying symptom or result of a bigger back problem like a ruptured disc or Sciatica. If you are experiencing lower back pains or lumbar spasms, the best option for you is to consult your doctor and have yourself checked on what is causing these back pains. Most often than not, lower back pains may be caused by being overweight, unhealthy lifestyle habits (smoking, too much alcohol), poor conditioning or over-exertion of the muscles.

Aside from taking pain relievers and muscle relaxants, most doctors are now suggesting for their patients to make use of back braces in order to take away the pressure from the lumbar spine and provide you with relief from the pain that lumbar sprain or spasms is causing you. There really are a lot of options for you to deal with lumbar sprain, so make sure to ask your doctor about it.

Back Braces For Support

When you are struggling with low back pain then it is time you looked into back brace support. These can also be very helpful in helping to reduce your pain, add support and they can also help to promote healing.

* This article is helpful health information, but it is not a substitute for your doctors advice.

Common Causes Of Lower Back Pain

For many adults lower back pain is a common occurrence. In fact lower back pain is one of the leading causes of adults seeking medical treatment from a doctor, clinic or emergency room. But in the vast majority of cases, back pain does not necessarily indicate a more serious issue -- it is only an occasional nuisance. But, of course, it can still be very painful and render the individual practically useless for several days or possibly even weeks.

Sometimes however, lower back pain can be a symptom of another, more serious medical problem. For example, kidney problems can result in severe lower back pain, and there are other medical conditions that can also produce soreness in the lower back area.

But for the most part lower back pain is simply caused by strain placed on the muscles supporting the spine. The fact is, the muscles of the lower back support most of the weight of an adult human's body. The heavier the body, the greater the stress that is placed upon lower back muscles, and the more likely it is an individual can develop occasional soreness in the lower back. Weak or undeveloped stomach muscles may also contribute to back pain, as the muscles in the abdomen also help support the spine. Strengthening the abdominal muscles can help prevent lower back pain in some cases, or at least, make it far less frequent.

Lower back pain that persists for 90 days or more is usually considered chronic. But any time an individual has back pain for longer than three or four days, they should see a doctor for a diagnosis of the problem. Additionally, if the back pain is severe or if there is also pain down the side of the leg, it is important to see your doctor immediately, as this can be a symptom of sciatica. Sciatica is not usually a dangerous condition, but it can be very painful as it involves pressure on the sciatic nerves in the back, hip and leg.

The tricky thing about many a lower back problems is that they are often difficult to diagnose. Your doctor may prescribe a series of tests in order to rule out any type of kidney problem or other medical cause unrelated to the back muscles themselves. Doctors also sometimes prescribe MRI tests to look for a herniated disk or other problem of the spine.

But in the overwhelming majority of cases the cause of lower back pain is entirely down to strain on the lower back muscles. Stress is also believed to play a role in lower back pain, as chronic stress can cause the muscles in the body to contract, resulting in decreased blood circulation to muscle tissues. This decreased circulation in muscle tissues is a leading cause of back pain.

If your doctor determines that you have a herniated disk, in most cases the disk will slide back into its proper place on its own. But in the meantime, you will need to get plenty of rest, and as much as possible, reduce all strain to the back. Staying in bed is often prescribed. In rare cases, or as a last resort to control chronic disc related pain, doctors may recommend surgery. However, using pain relievers, and getting plenty of bed rest is usually enough to allow lower back pain to subside on its own.

Why Use Physiotherapy To Treat Back Pain

Physiotherapy dates back to the ancient times but the modern practice of this allied medical care started in the 1920s. It is used to address conditions like recurring pain, musculoskeletal disorders, and movement disorders. The health care professional who is trained in this field of endeavour is known as a physiotherapist or a physical therapist.

Nowadays, the services of physiotherapists are widely sought by a large number of people who suffer from a wide variety of afflictions. The most common of which is back ache. It used to be that when an individual has backache, he goes directly to a doctor. At present, he has another option and that is to engage the assistance of a physical therapist.

Backaches come in different forms depending on the specific affected area. The causes are quite varied ranging with those resulting from injuries due to motor accident, some diseases or an unhealthy lifestyle. It may be in the form of lumbar back pain or thoracic back pain.

Thoracic pain, commonly known as upper back pain or middle back pain, is due to a lot of reasons like degenerative disc diseases. It may also come about because a spinal disability. Sometimes, the constant repetitive movement in the upper body or a joint dysfunction may lead to upper back pain. Since the upper back is much more stable compared to the lower back, upper back pains are less common compared with lower back pains.

Lumbar back pains or lower back pain is a much ordinary occurrence with a variety of causes. It may be because of a torn ligament, a herniated disc or slipped disc, muscular spasm or just plain poor posture. Even the act of lifting improperly of a heavy box may result in lower back pains.

Back pains may be temporary and minor, where an individual will just feel a twinge of pain or some tenderness or it can be recurring and debilitating. People who are plagued with chronic back pain are better off starting therapy with a licensed physiotherapist. The relief will be more lasting for it will target the root cause and not just deal with the symptoms. For some, it is a choice between physiotherapy and surgery with the latter having a higher risk factor.

In physiotherapy for back pains, a combination of methods is used in the treatment process depending on the reason for such a condition. In case of problems with spinal discs, only a certified physiotherapist is supposed to work in manipulating back the disc into place. Licensed physiotherapists underwent extensive education and training to be equipped with skills needed to handle injuries such as herniated discs. Surgery for herniated discs is quite costly and risky. There is a long recovery period also where one has to be kept stationary.

Massage may also be used to relax the muscles at the back and to relieve the pain caused by torn ligaments. Myotheraphy and hydrotherapy can be used to ease back pains, not just temporarily but for a lifetime.

Exercises For Lower Back Pain - Relief and Prevention

Lower back pain afflicts many people all over the world. The reasons for this pain could be caused either by an acute injury, chronic overuse or misuse of the back, or an illness. There are a variety of remedies to rectify lower back pain, and one of them is exercising to strengthen the muscles and ligaments in the affected area. Of course, it is highly recommended to seek the advise of a health care practitioner prior to starting any exercise program. The following are some exercises that can help to remedy lower back pain.

The Bridge - With this exercise, you will begin by laying on your back, with your knees bent and feet on the floor. Putting your weight on your heels, lift your buttocks off the floor, and try to get your torso completely perpendicular to your thighs, with your heels directly underneath your knees. Your buttocks should be squeezed, and you will also feel some tension in your back muscles. Hold this position for about 10 seconds, then rest, and repeat 2 more times.

Wall Squats - Stand with your back flat against a flat wall. Bend your knees to make a 90 degree angle between your thighs and calves, with your feet flat of the floor, and your thighs parallel to the floor. You will feel a lot of tightness in your thighs, but you should also feel your back muscles contract as well. Hold this position for 10 seconds, then rest, and repeat another 5 to 10 times.

Flies - Lay on the floor on your stomach with your legs straight and together. Anchor your feet and ankles underneath something, like a couch or chair, and put your hands behind your head. Slowly lift your chin off the floor as you flex your lumbar muscles and start arching your back. Slowly lower your head back to the ground. Do this about 10 times in a row, then rest, and repeat for another 2 sets of 10.

Dead Lift - This exercise can be done with or without weights. Begin by standing straight, with your feet shoulder width apart. Keeping your legs straight, lower your torso so your are reaching for your feet. Then slowly raise your torso back to starting position, trying to arch your back slightly. This exercise will work both your lower back muscles as well as your hamstrings. Add weights to get an even greater result.

These exercises will relieve lower back pain as a result of strengthening your back muscles and ligaments.

Top 9 Epidural Side Effects for Back Pain Treatment

Epidural steroid injections are commonly used for the treatment of back pain. It injects a powerful anti-inflammatory with a local anesthetic pain relief medicine directly around the spinal nerves, providing immediate pain relief. However, even the best drugs in the world are not without the dreadful side effects. Side effects from epidural steroid injections are rare but not uncommon. No more than 3 doses of treatment should be given within a 12 months period with each treatment spaced at least 2 months apart from each other.

1. Infection -Infections occurring are rare nowadays due to the advanced technique and the usage of sterile needles. They are extremely unusual, occurring only less than 0.5%. However, patients suffering from diabetes are at a higher risk.


2. Bleeding -Bleeding is also unusual and patients who are suffering from bleeding disorders or taking blood thinning medications are not allowed to be given epidural steroid injections. Their spinal cord can be compressed and could lead to serious consequences, possibly even death.


3. Dural tears -It is a very common side effect which occurs in 1% to 2% of all reported cases. The dural is accidentally punctured with the needle and results in the patient suffering from headache. The needle punctured dural reduces the amount of cerebrospinal fluid pressure which in turns causes a spinal headache and is improved when the patient lies down. It will usually go away by itself in a couple of days.


4. Nerve damage -It is an extremely rare side effect but has been reported. The injection needle injures the spinal nerves which are compressed, resulting in either temporary or worse permanent damage.


5. Blood sugar -Blood sugar levels especially in patients suffering from diabetes have been reported.


6. Allergy reaction -Patients have reported to be allergic to the medication present in the injection and this is normally due to the preservative in the medication and not with the active ingredient itself.


7. Weakening of muscles -Steroid myopathy which is effectively the weakening of thigh muscles has been reported. Cases are rare.


8. Facial redness -Occasionally, patients have reported to suffer from facial redness after the injection. The effects usually subside in a couple of hours, at most a few days and are not serious.


9. Fevers -Patients have also reported having low grade fever after injection and this is due to the body's natural defence mechanism reacting with the steroid. It is nothing serious and will go away on this own.

Long term side effects from epidural steroid injections are uncommon and the side effects are usually non critical, however do not be complacent and always seek the help of a qualified medical practitioner if any complication arises.

The Causes of Extreme Lower Back Pain And How You Can Cure It Successfully

Causes Of Extreme Pains In the Lower Back.

Extreme lower back pain has a number of causes. This type of pain becomes more common as we age. This is due to changes in bone density, muscle strength and disc structure. Although back pain can occur anywhere, it is most common along your lower back in the lumbar region. Quite often, it is due to lifting objects that are too heavy that in turn causes your muscles or ligaments to overstretch generating great pain. Lower back pain may include dull, sharp or persistent pain that may be chronic or acute.

When the spine is overworked, this may cause a disc (connective tissue pad between vertebrae) to rupture or bulge. This type of damaged disc may place pressure on nerves/blood vessels of the spinal cord sending pain signals to the brain as well as generate a malfunction of the body part they innervate.

Extreme lower back pain may also be caused by muscle damage or bone lesions due to injury. Scar tissue may develop from injury that may generate a weak spot. Other causes may include arthritis, osteoporosis, viral infections, joint disease or congenital spine malformations. Being over weight, pregnancy, lack of exercise and improper sleeping positions can contribute to lower back pain as well.

In some cases, extreme lower back pain may be caused due to an internal medical condition. Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, kidney dysfunction and pancreatitis may contribute to lower back pain. If you are diabetic, you may experience bad back or leg pain related to nerve damage. All of these symptoms require immediate medical attention as this may develop into permanent damage.

Treatments For Extreme Pains In The Lower Back.

With extreme lower back pain, you should be properly diagnosed by a physician to make sure the appropriate treatment is applied. Listed below are some simple treatments that are recommended to get relief from extreme lower back pain.

Rest

More often than not lower back pain is due to some form of muscle strain. Resting the spine for a few days

is good to prevent further damage to your muscles. However, more than a few days of rest will do more harm than good. You will need to begin physical therapy as soon as possible. Exercise is necessary to strengthen the muscles that are damaged.

Anti-inflammatory Medications

Over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) such as aspirin are helpful in reducing the amount of inflammation and decreasing the amount of pain, you may experience. Your doctor may prescribe a stronger NSAID depending on the severity of your pain.

Warm Compresses

Heat packs or a warm bath will help relieve tension in the muscle as well as increase blood circulation to the area. Greater blood circulation to the affected area will bring in more oxygen and nutrients and carry away wastes allowing for rapid healing.

Exercise

The most important part to relieving back pain for the long-term is to exercise. You need to increase muscle strength and flexibility. It's a good idea to consult a chiropractor or physical therapist initially so that you learn the right exercises to do as well as do them properly. Later you can exercise on your own.

Muscle Relaxers

Physicians will sometimes prescribe muscle relaxers to keep your damaged muscle from tensing. This may also happen with other muscles that have not been damaged because they are trying to take over lost function. Either way, this will allow you to continue your exercises with greater ease.

Epidural Steroid Injections

These injections are often used around the spinal nerves to decrease inflammation at the site of damage.

Spinal Surgery

If medications and physical therapies are not giving you the relief you need, you may have to consider surgery. Back surgery is considered the last resort and requires serious consideration. Your doctor will help you determine if this is right for you.

With any kind of back pain that persists, you should see a doctor to get a proper diagnosis. This will determine proper treatment. Even with extreme, severe lower back pain, proper exercise, warm compresses and pain/inflammation medications may work wonders. If the pain isn't responding to these treatments, you may require some form of surgery.