Back pain is a frequent problem and is not always caused by a sudden trauma, such as an accident or fall. Excess weight, your lifestyle, or the early stages of arthritis can all contribute to progressively worsening back pain. Mild to moderate back pain can often be managed with conservative treatments.
Get Comfortable
If your back pain was not caused by a sudden, severe injury, you might benefit from at-home care to make yourself more comfortable until the problem resolves. Heat therapy is often effective if your back feels tight or aches. Add back support when you are sitting or lying down. Tucking a pillow behind you when you are sitting or lying on a pillow while in bed can reduce the amount of pressure on your back. Some people find positioning their legs in certain ways can also reduce back pain. For example, while you are seated, elevating your legs on an ottoman can be helpful. At night, you might want to raise your legs using a wedge pillow or place a pillow between your legs if you sleep on your side.
Talk With Your Doctor
When back pain becomes an ongoing problem, it is important to speak with your doctor for further instructions. Your doctor will want to know if you experience any other symptoms or if a certain event precipitated the problem, such as heavy lifting. Imaging tests can also help identify the issue. A radiologist might notice problems with alignment in your back, a herniated disc, or fractures. In some cases, your doctor might prescribe a short course of muscle relaxers if a problem is found on x-ray. If nothing is found on imaging, muscle relaxers might also help if your doctor believes you have muscle-related concerns, such as back spasms, or an underlying problem is made worse due to muscle tightness.
See A Physical Therapist
Seeking the help of a physical therapist is more than learning exercises that may help reduce back pain. A physical therapist will evaluate you by watching you perform different tasks, such as walking, bending, or lifting your legs while lying on your back. These tasks might seem simple, but they can reveal issues with your soft tissues that might contribute to your back pain. For example, people with a tight iliopsoas muscle and/or weak glutes will have difficulty performing the Thomas Test. Issues with the iliopsoas muscle can manifest as back and sacroiliac pain or be the culprit of hip bursitis. Based on the results of your evaluation, your physical therapist will suggest exercises. Additionally, once you are more aware of which muscles may need stretching or strengthening, you might find new exercises to do or change your daily activities, such as walking more instead of sitting all day.
Although many instances of back pain are not serious, they can become ongoing and lead to degeneration of the spine or disability. Identifying the problem quickly and trying different conservative treatments can reduce pain and increase mobility.
Share25 June 2018
I am a mother of four wonderful children, and like other parents, I have been to my fair share of health care clinics. It seems like my children are always getting scrapes and coming down with colds. When I was a new parent, I never knew whether I should take my injured or ill child to the emergency room or local urgent care facility. I received some simple advice from a seasoned parent that made my decisions easier that I want to pass onto all new parents, along with other health tips I've learned. he told me that she tended to take her children to the ER when they were bleeding or had very high temperatures and took them to the local urgent care for any other problem. I have followed her advice ever since, and my children remain healthy and happy!
