i've been having back pain for about a year, any ideas how to get rid of this problem?

Question

my back pain is in the middle, when i stretch it feels like something is out of place.

Answer 1

Chiropractor!

I went to one because my running put me all out of whack. It's cheap, no needles, no medicine and it feels good right away. Make sure you interview the person first to make sure you like him. But I had a great experience with one in CA and I hope you do too.

Answer 2

Depends on what has caused your back pain. It could be an injury, bad posture, arthritis. You need to see your doctor, or go to a specialist. An X-ray will tell you whether there is anything out of place. The best way to get rid of it first hand is to make sure you have good posture both sitting and standing with your back straight. Walking can help. If it is severe then you can get a tens machine from your chemist which emits small electrical impulses to the affected area, and sometimes helps. Painkillers do not often help back pain.

Answer 3

Start with a chiropractor and massage therapist.
Much pain is from muscles below is an example of what may help (based on headaches).
Begin with a couple swigs of molasses or a couple of bananas daily - magnesium (which regulates many things in the body) and potassium (a needed building block for muscles).
Drink at least 1/2 gallons of water per day. Running a body low on water is like running a car low on oil is the analogy the head of neurology at UCDavis told my husband about 10 years ago.

Now to the cause - muscles - your back, neck shoulders and head have tender spots. They are knots in the fibers of the muscles called trigger points. It makes the muscles tight which makes them press on nerves and other things causing the pain.

The cure - start with a professional massage, you will also want to go back over any place you can get to 6-12 times per session up to 6 times per day rubbing (or lightly scratching on your head) every where that is tender until the knots go away. The place where the skull connects to the spine press up under the edge of the skull (to get to those muscles).

For more information read The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook by Davies. It teaches what to do and where the pain comes from.

Answer 4

The first mistake we made was to crawl out of the water. The second was to come down from the trees and walk upright. Since than we have had backache.

I assume at some stage you have seen your family doctor and been checked over, if not, after a year you should do so.

99% of patients with back pain are ultimately managed with a combination of pain relief and physio.(Though a few routine blood tests are often reassuring.)Only about 1% ever end up with any more active intervention.

Increasingly more doctors are reducing their chronic prescriptions for anti-inflammatory drugs because of worries about patients stomachs and hearts. That leaves painkillers, many of these have their problems notably addiction. it is generally a good idea to avoid pills that include CO- this means they contain codeine e.g. co-codamol, codydramol, Dihydrocodeine.

Generally excercise is good and immobility prolongs the problem.
A few patients will be assessed as severe enough for MRI,CT scan and may be investigated further. X-rays of lumber-sacral spine are seldom very useful and the radiation involved is significant.

the majority of back pains do settle, no matter what we do, chiropractors, osteopaths and acupuncturists seldom do as well as conventional physio. Unfortunately some patients with back pain don't ever completely settle.

Answer 5

Massaging the back muscles by applying pressure will reduce the pain.Apply an icepack to the affected area. This will make the area numb and reduce the pain or apply a hot water bottle, heating pad or a warm compress to the painful area of the back .Sometimes alternating a warm compress and an icepack will reduce the pain faster. More details and remedies at http://aches.in/backpainremedies.html

Answer 6

The best thing you can do for your back pain is to see a chiropracter. If you've been dealing with this pain for a year now it's not just a simple fix that you can do at home. Something isn't right and it's best to find out what it is and how to take care of it. A chiropracter isn't that expensive. Most insurance companies cover a certain amount of treatments per year. If your insurance doesn't cover it mention it to the chiropracter. Alot of them will offer discount prices if you just pay with cash.

Answer 7

Go see your family doctor and get an MRI, that way you know if there is a problem with your spine or if it is muscular. Then get a referral to a doctor who specializes in backs. He will be able to give you all of your options, including physical therapy and surgical. Take your actual MRI films when you go, not just the report.

Answer 8

First and foremost you have to identify the source of the back pain. If you have strained or twisted your back you know it...if not see a doctor and find out. When you know that follow doctor's orders to alleviate the pain. Therapy works wonders.

Answer 9

It's never simple, depends on ur age, weight and suspected trigger of the pain. Chairopractors are good but quick fix... After trying many routes I found physiotherapy the best. The toughest; coz u have to work at the remedial action but the best for same reason, it's ongoing. Good luck in finding ur cure, it's never easy, but nothing worthwhile is generally easy:)

Answer 10

That's because you pulled something in your back.

My advice is to lay down with a heating pad on low to medium heat. Put some Icy-Hot on the affected area before lying down.

Don't move too much if you have to.