What can I do to ease back pain while driving?

Question

I have a 2005 Pontiac Vibe. I drive it about 80 miles round trip 2-3 times per week. After each trip, I have pain in my mid-lower back.

I have explored new vehicles with lumbar support, but I'm not sure if that will really solve the issue.

Any suggestions on relieving back pain associated with an extended period of driving?

Answer 1

Im atrucker .I drive sometimes 12 hours a day. My vehicle has a lumbar air system .But the vehicle I drove before didnt / I went to my local auto parts store and bought a lumbar cushion. It fits right in the small of your back . That should help if you cant find one there. Try a drugstore or medical supply store.

Answer 2

You can get custom driving seats, like Recaro etc...one thing is to look at how you've got it adjusted. If you just got the car, chances are you had a 'comfy place' that you're used to from the old car. Put both of your feet flat on the floor, and get your distance from the steering wheel right. Check your distance to the pedals, make sure that when you go for the gas or brake, you're not 'reaching' and sitting all sideways and stuff. Some people do the 'gangster lean' when they drive, and that's a bad habit. The best way to set it up is so you're 9-and-3 on the wheel, arms relaxed, sitting close enough so you can get to the pedals easily etc. If you're really tall, the ergos may not be right for you, you may have to go 'custom' with the seat...

Answer 3

I recently finished a trip from California to Florida, helping my daughter bring home her SUV. I did most of the driving, and my back was killing me every night! It was a rough trip, and it wasn't until I got back that I noticed she had a built in lumbar support air pillow in the driver's seat!!! I was a bit peeved, because that was EXACTLY what I needed! If you really enjoy your car, you can get a cushion made specifically for cars that gives you that same option. The link below takes you to a site that sells them. That is probably what your problem is, as mine was.... Once that was in place and filled perfectly for me, I've had no problems with my back at all. Just wish I'd noticed it when I picked the SUV up from the port transfer ship!! :(

Answer 4

I cured my sciatica with this natural treatment https://tinyurl.im/stop-sciatica-now
Normally, I would not answer a question like this as my expertise is generally in medication but I had severe sciatica while I was pregnant with my 3rd child (after having had twins) and I had sciatica so bad that I was finding it difficult to walk. I tried massage therapy and physical therapy and could not take medication

I went to the chiropractor and the pain was instantly relieved. My hips and lower back were out of alignment because I had carried twins the year before. On occasion a Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) can also work but they usually only work on one joint at a time - the chiropractor will do your whole back which works faster. Anyone who does not believe in chiropractors will tell you they are quacks - don't listen.

I don't necessarily believe that chiropractors can cure things like diabetes but they can definitely relieve some types of back pain especially if a pinched nerve is involved which is usually the cause of sciatica.

Answer 5

make sure seat is correctly adjusted to you before you drive. Probably a little more upright and closer to the steering wheel than you using at present. doesnt look cool but works. then get lumbar support. may be worth trying a chiropractor as well, my back was messed up by accident in work and I could barely drive 20 miles. Since it was 'tweaked' I've driven to NH from Florida and back (about 3,000)

Answer 6

go to a good chemist,there is now available a very good lower lumber back pillow,you can allso use this when your sitting in a chair,i have had five spinal fusions following an accident,and suffer a lot of pain when driving,and the pillow has changed all that,its only about 8by12 ins so not bulky, much cheaper than changing your car.

Answer 7

the best way that i found was to purchase a small chunk of foam pillow material from wall mart and trim it down to a wedge shape on one side [to shape of my back] then trim the other side to fit the lumbar region of my car seat after a few experimental trips and adjustments it fit well and felt good, then i was able to con my wife into covering it with some cloth obtained from you guessed it wall mart[ this was the hardest part of job] of note got to drive a ford f350 super duty ambulance across several states , it has the high line bucket seats and at the end of each day not only could i still walk i could have danced if i had too..

Answer 8

Ehm..
It is a fact that no one condition reflects sciatica and it would be prudent to refer to it as a generic medical term encompassing lots of symptoms that taken together describe a lower back pain that a patient suffers from. When someone complains of severe back pain that passes down to legs through his buttocks, even down to his feet and toes, doctors suspect him to be suffering from sciatica. Often sciatica presents itself as numbness or a tingling sensation that may not be anything like the severe pain commonly associated with sciatica. This tingling or numbness may be felt by the person when he engages in some activities.


On this site you can find very good tips on how to treat your sciatica: http://curesciatica.toptips.org
Hope it helps.

Answer 9

There are many after market seats that might help. The better seats are expensive, but a lot less than a new car!
Good luck, back pain is such a drag!

Answer 10

Lumbar support makes a definite difference. Also, if you don't automatically have it in the seat, you can try a lumbar pillow especially made for the car.