Lower back pain is a nuisance that almost everyone will have to deal with at one time or another in their lifetime. Unfortunately lower back pain can be caused by just about anything, including overuse, strain, or injury in everyday activities. This makes the search for low back pain relief ever changing and important. There are simple easy treatments for low back pain and there are more invasive and permanent treatments. The most common form of pain relief is the use of over the counter medications. There are several different choices to choice from when looking for a medication for low back pain relief. Medications can include Tylenol, Motrin or other anti-inflammatory medications like Advil or Aspirin. As always, it is important to follow the instructions on the bottle and if you have any questions consult a doctor. There are products made just for pain relief such as Doan's pain pills. There are several topical medications that can be used also, including Icy Hot and Bengay, as well as other topical products.
Two other popular low back pain relief methods include the use of heat and ice to sooth and dull the pain. This is recommended for injuries like strains to use ice for the first week because heat can aggravate the injury even more. You can use an ice pack or cold compass several times a day for relief. The recommendation is 20 minutes of ice followed by at least one hour between icings. After the first week following an injury or for chronic low back pain one may use a heating pad for the same, 20 minutes of heat followed by at least an hour before applying the heat again. Many find it most helpful to alternate the two methods several times during the day.
You may also get pain relief from exercise. The simplest and most effective exercise for this type of pain has been found to be walking. It is important when walking that you have shoes that fit well and to make sure the walking surface is relatively flat. Always start small and increase the exercise as your back starts to feel better. That way, you don't overdo it or risk serious injury because of your attempts at relieving the pain. For more detailed exercises for strengthening ones back muscles, it is best to ask the advice of a physical therapist, doctor, or chiropractor. People searching for pain relief often seek the help of other professionals to get better treatment options. You can find back pain relief by going to a chiropractor, who uses a type of hands-on therapy often helpful in relieving pain. Acupuncture is also a method used for relief of pain. Traditional Chinese acupuncture typically is applied by putting extremely fine needles into the skin at specific points on the body to create an energy flow with the body's meridians. Other styles of acupuncture might employ pressure, heat or even mild electrical current to stimulate the energy flow along the meridians which may aid in low back pain relief.
People who suffer from chronic low back pain or debilitating injuries are often led to back surgery. Surgery is used when there are no improvements after several other attempts at relief. Surgery is performed under general anesthesia and requires hospitalization. Back surgery is a permanent and last attempt at correcting a back problem. This surgery requires plenty of recovery time and physical therapy following. There are different options available when considering surgery so be sure to discuss them all with your doctor. The best advice for pain relief is to allow the time needed for healing after an injury or overuse. Once the back is injured it is easily re-injured so strengthening the back muscles is an also a good step in prevention of future injuries. For those who suffer from chronic low back pain there are always new and improved methods for low back pain relief. You should always seek medical treatment when you aren't certain about which relief methods would be best for your back pain. Never discount your injuries or assume that they're not that bad because you might end up doing more damage in the long run if you don't take it seriously enough.
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