Severe pain combined with numbness or tingling in the legs is often a sign of a serious back injury. It’s important to seek professional help if your back pain also involves trouble urinating, fever or unintentional weight loss.
Your family doctor may recommend over-the-counter anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen, or analgesics (pain killers) such as acetaminophen to help you cope with your backache.
X-rays, bone scans, MRI, CT scan and ultrasound are modalities that specialists may use to help diagnose your backache. The low back, or lumbar region, is more susceptible to injury and pain because it supports the weight of the upper body.
Pain from mechanical back pain can be severe, but it doesn’t involve high fevers, rapid weight loss, bladder / bowel problems or loss of leg function, which are all signs of something more serious. Common causes of backache include poor posture, improper lifting technique, obesity, sedentary lifestyle and mild trauma from athletic activities.
Make sure the salt bath isn’t too hot because otherwise it will pull water from your body, dehydrate your muscles and increase the risk of further damage. Backaches from muscle strains are usually described as dull and achy in nature and are not particularly debilitating. Some range of motion is restricted, but walking, sitting and sleeping are not usually impaired.
Always drink lots of water immediately following a massage in order to flush inflammatory by-products, lactic acid and toxins from your body. Failure to do so might cause a headache or mild nausea. As an alternative to massage therapy, position a tennis ball underneath your body, near your backache. Roll on the ball slowly until the pain subsides.
Side effects of muscle relaxant use include drowsiness, dry mouth, constipation and confusion. [3] X Research source An alternative to muscles relaxants are anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen.
Laying on your back for hours at a time is not a good idea, either. Get up at least once an hour to move around even a little bit, and try going for a leisurely walk every day. Avoid excessive sitting (more than 30 minutes at a time) because it puts more pressure on the low back joints and may further irritate them.
Backaches from joint sprains are usually described as sharp and shooting in nature and they tend to be fairly debilitating. Most range of motion in the affected area is lost, and walking, sitting and sleeping are noticeably impaired. People with spinal joint sprains usually walk hunched over and to the side because the muscles surrounding the affected joints quickly spasm to “guard” the injury.
Although a single spinal adjustment can sometimes completely relieve your back sprain, more than likely it will take three to five treatments to notice significant results. If uneven leg lengths or flat feet is deemed to be the primary cause of your backache, then your doctor or chiropractor may recommend orthotics, which are custom made shoe inserts that support the arches, promote better biomechanics when running or walking, and help alleviate back pain.
Facet joint injections are limited to three within a six-month time frame. The pain relief benefits from facet joint injections typically begin on the second or third day post treatment. Until that time frame, your backache may get a little worse.
If need be, a physical therapist can treat your sore muscles with electrotherapy such as therapeutic ultrasound, electronic muscle stimulation or microcurrent. Good strengthening exercises for your back include swimming, rowing and back extensions, but make sure your injury is resolved first.
It’s also claimed that acupuncture stimulates the flow of energy, referred to as chi. Acupuncture is practiced by a variety of health professionals including some physicians, chiropractors, naturopaths, physical therapists and massage therapists.
Mindful meditation has been shown to be effective in reducing pain. One study found that 3 sessions over 3 days for 20 minutes each was able to significantly reduce pain. In addition, pain was reduced after meditation, meaning the results lasted long after meditation was finished. [9] X Research source People that are depressed or suffer severe trauma are more likely to experience chronic aches and pains.
