How can I alleviate lower back pain?

Question

I use Advil, a heating pad, Icy Hot....the whole nine yards. NOTHING HELPS!

Answer 1

Have you consulted a doctor? I did when my lower back was hurting. I was prescribed an array of meds until we found something that relieved the pain without the funky side effects. I also invested in a new mattress/boxsprings set. Did wonders for me.

Answer 2

I experienced the same type of problem. Just like you, Advil, heating pads, etc., did little or nothing. At one point, the pain became so bad that I could not sleep at night.

I finally went to my dr. who did a CAT scan and diagnosed me w/ mild arthritis in my lower back caused by a previous injury. He told me to do certain exercises to alleviate the pain... and they worked!!! Now if I feel the pain coming back, I just do my exercises and my back feels better (thankfully, this happens only on rare occasions).

My advice to you is to see your dr., have him/her run tests, and find out what is causing the problem. Once you and your dr. know exactly why your back hurts, you can develop a plan together that will alleviate the pain.

Answer 3

I would go to the Doctor, I have had back problems for a long time now have always just used over the counter meds, heating pads, it only helps enough to keep me minimally functioning, I thought eventually it would heal but just always seems to get worse now I become very stiff and rigid during periods of inactivity. I have also developed severe GI problems was just recently hospitalized with severe lower stomach pain and also I have severe heartburn and trouble swallowing food also very painful, believe my over the counter pain relief has caused me severe problems be careful self treating is not so good those meds you take for pain can really mess you up if you are not very careful . Go to the Doctor and see what they recommend and avoid anything that will further mess up your back because once it is gotten to a certain point it is very hard to fix. Try to avoid extreme lifting and workouts but do not stop moving to much try light activity ask your doctor for ideas and pain management, you may also try chiropractic didn't work for me but some people have had success, Remember avoid strenuous activity when I first had back pain it was limited to one area now three completely different areas of my back . Good luck go the Doctor and chiropractor mild to very moderate exercise and.easy on the pain meds take antacids and food milk plenty of water and take as little as possible.

Answer 4

Go to the CHIROPRACTOR.

Back pain is primarily caused by a subluxation of the spine. This is where one or more of your vertebrae are out of alignment. It's very common. A chiroprator is a spinal specialist who easily and painlessly corrects this.

Pretty much any other suggestion is merely "treating the symptom" rather than the "cause".

If you ignore it or take painkillers the pain may eventually subside but this is only because the muscles in your back will adjust to the spine being the wrong way. This is bad and will create other associated problems including more subluxations as other parts of the spine are forced to compensate.

Once you have your spine alignment corrected (you may need a few visits if you've left it too long) you can assist its future flexibility and resilience by doing yoga, swimming and other such things.

Answer 5

Because you did not disclose your age and associated symptoms it would be difficult to answer as there are different diagnosis and reason !Any way back pain mostly is because of the sprain and strain of muscles So it is musculoskeletal or neuromuscular pain!Irrespective of cause you can use NSAID means non steroidal anti inflammatory drug like Brufen,diclofenac or nimesulide with or without paracetamol!You can do massage and also hot fomentation!If nothing helps than you should try to find out the reason !For that go for Ultra sono graphy or plain x ray for radio opaque stone in kidney ureter and also go for lateral x ray of the spines for any evidence of lumber canal stenosis or a slip disc or loss of any lumber lordosis or shadow of cold abscess ! Because many time Tuberculosis of the spine also gives this pain !Or some major diseas like multiple myeloma also gives pain ! All this can be discuused well if your age is known !If nothing found than go for Myelography !and meet your doctor for to have a clear cut diagnosis!Always YouRsmE

Answer 6

You should first see your Doctor to find the cause of the back pain.

Your treatment can vary greatly depending on the cause of it.

Most back problems, in my experience, are alleviated with proper instructed exercise by a Physical Therapist. Other times, medication is needed in conjunction with active exercise and stretching.

If your condition is not acute (within the last week), you should try applying moist heat or a dry heating pad to the area prior to activity.

Answer 7

I have an old work injury to my back that has plagued me since 1993.
I have found that heat actually AGGRAVATES the pain, (by making the back muscles etc swell up, so you might want to COOL the heat treatment, literally.
Try an ice pack for 20-30 minutes and take one Advil instead of two and follow it an hour or so later with one Tylenol.

Answer 8

I have almost completely alleviated my back pain by going to a chiropracter on a regular basis, being massaged weekly and exercising consistently. I think the exercise is the most important thing, that and having an attitude that is good. Attitude makes a world of difference. It has literally been years since I have had an episode. I have taken muscle relaxers and an occasional hydrocodone (narcotic) when I felt an episode coming on and with meds and prayer it has not escalated. Good luck.

Answer 9

I had had lower back pain for nearly 4 years and pretty much thought it was in my head.

I lost 15kg, and had a spine consult, and found out that it wasnt in my head, but that I had a scoliosis of the spine (curvature) and a spondylysithis (where the spine doenst connect fully (sp).

I have been at the chiropractor now for nearly 3 months and am nearly pain free.

It has also helped with my sinus problems and other things that I had wrong. i havent been sick since I started, even with the onset of winter.

I thoroughly recommend you see one, have x-rays and see if they can adjust you so you are comfortable. Also, I get remedial massages every fortnight which seem to help as well.

Answer 10

1st get an X-ray done as this back ache can be a sign of slipped disc..so go to a doctor. Once the reason is diagnosed, then you can go for physiotherapy. I had to use a belt for 6 months to alleviate the back pain. Now I am careful and avoid lifting heavy stuff.

Answer 11

Good luck. I've been trying to do that since October. What helped me was lots of patience, painkillers by the truck load, heating pads all the time I was at home and during sleep and whan I felt a bit better, walking on a treadmill a a slow speed for a few minutes everyday,at first 10 and now I've reached 45. The pain will go away, you just have to be determined. Oh , lastly losing 30 pounds also helped