The Best Treatment For Lower Back Pain | HealthInfi

Give your back a break

A word of advice for the four-fifths of Americans who know back pain: Consider slacking off, just this once. People who don’t pursue extreme treatment tend to have fewer complications than those who end up rushing into MRIs, x-rays, epidural injections, narcotics, and even spine surgery long before it’s truly necessary, according to research.

As many as 90% of back-pain episodes resolve within 6 weeks, whether they’re the result of an injury or due to a structural or nerve problem. Of course, knowing that fact makes the misery only slightly more bearable, so try these patience-prolonging strategies to relieve your pain and possibly even shorten the wait until Father Time works his subtle magic.

Pop a pill

Even as you practice patience, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) or naproxen (Aleve) can help ease the pain you’re pushing through. The research behind medicine guidelines for lower-back pain finds that these may give slightly better relief than acetaminophen (Tylenol). Over long periods, NSAIDs can cause gastrointestinal problems, so don’t take them for more than 10 days without consulting your doctor.

Go hot and cold

Break out that bag of frozen peas (or an ice pack, if you want to get fancy) for the first 48 hours after the pain sets in, and put it to use for 20 minutes a session, several sessions per day. After those two days are behind you, switch to 20-minute intervals with a heating pad. Localized cooling shuts down capillaries and reduces blood flow to the area, which helps ease the swelling, says Lisa DeStefano, an associate professor at Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine in East Lansing. Cold also thwarts your nerves’ ability to conduct pain signals. Heat, on the other hand, loosens tight muscles and increases circulation, bringing extra oxygen to the rescue.

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