Back Pain
Treatment
Hot and Cold Therapy:
Cold: Good for reducing the
initial inflammation of acute back
strain or sprain. The cold also
distracts from the back pain. Wrap
ice in a cloth and apply to area of
back pain for 20 minutes every four
hours. After 4 or 5 days, heat can
be applied.
*If you have circulation problems
or nerve damage do not use hot or
cold therapies unless recommended
by a physician.
Heat: Do not apply
heat to an inflamed area.
Soothing heat applied to the
back increases blood circulation to
the back, speeding healing and
helping the muscles to relax. The
heat is also a distraction from the
back pain. Apply heat 20 minutes at
a time. Heat can be in the form of
hot water bottles, heating pads, or
a hot shower or bath. Moist heat
penetrates more deeply and more
quickly than dry heat.
*Wait at least an hour between heat
applications. Do not sleep on a
heating pad to avoid overheating
the tissues.
Topical Rubs:
Deep Heating Rubs, e.g. Creams
applied directly to the problem area stimulate blood
flow to the area applied, creating surface heat. The
heat is mainly a distraction from back pain. Do not use
in conjunction with a heating pad or you may burn the
skin.
Topical capsaicin cream: Capsaicin
is an extract from red chili peppers that reduces a
substance in the nerve endings that transmit pain to the
brain. The effects are cumulative and it can take 1 to 6
weeks of regular use to obtain the full effect. The
benefits seem to add to the benefits of pain medications
and/or anti-inflammatory medications.
Medications
Pain Medications: Tylenol, Aspirin, and Advil
are common non-prescription pain medications used in
treating acute or chronic back pain. Tylenol is an
analgesic (relieves pain but not inflammation). Aspirin
and Advil are anti-inflammatory medications that relieve
both pain and inflammation.
If pain is severe, codeine preparations may be
prescribed. A tolerance to codeine preparations can
develop if they are used regularly, rendering them
ineffective. With chronic back pain, codeine
preparations should be saved for days where back pain is
at its worst.
Muscle Relaxants: In cases of severe acute
back pain, doctors may prescribe muscle relaxants. In an
acute back injury muscle spasms initially protect the
back from further injury by preventing movement. But
muscle spasms also cause pain, reduce blood flow and
delay healing. Muscle relaxants can cause drowsiness.
This may be beneficial if they are taken at bedtime.
Anti-inflammatory medications may be just as effective
in relieving muscle spasms (inflammation triggers muscle
spasms).
Staying
Hydrated
Drink plenty
of water to help flush away acidic waste products from
the muscles. High levels of acidic waste products
(byproducts of muscular activity) in the muscles can
cause muscle irritation and pain.
Stress
Management
The muscles
of the back and neck are commonly affected by stress.
Stress alone can cause back pain. Not only does stress
cause tensing of muscles which restricts blood flow
(oxygen) to the tissues in the tensed area, but stress
hormones are released that intensify the perception of
pain. Stress can also intensify back pain for which
there is a clear physical cause. By causing the back
muscles to tighten up, stress also leaves the back
vulnerable to injury.
Massage
Therapy
A
professional massage therapist can relieve back pain by
manipulating the soft tissues (muscles and tendons) to
help relax tense back muscles and increase blood
circulation to flush out waste products from the back
muscles, and accelerate healing. The majority of people
who are treated by massage therapists are seeking back
pain relief.
Acupuncture
Though there
are a variety of acupuncture techniques, a commonly used
method involves inserting very fine needles into
specific points in the body. Stimulating specific points
of the body is believed to stimulate healing. Most
studies have had positive results.
Chiropractic
Treatment
Chiropractors
treat back pain by manipulating the spine to help
restore normal range of motion in the spinal joints,
taking stress off surrounding soft tissues (muscles,
ligaments, fascia) and providing back pain relief.
Supplements
Strained
muscles tense up or even go into spasms. Calcium and
Magnesium help relax the muscles and prevent muscle
spasms. Calcium also helps clear lactic acid from the
body.
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