Suffering with lower back pain can drive you to distraction. It isn’t easy to get on with everything you need to do in a day when your back is aching. More often than not, back pain is a temporary thing caused by overdoing it or sitting in an awkward position for a long period of time. However, knowing that it’s temporary won’t help you while you’ve got it.
Here are some at home remedies you can try when you’ve got lower back ache.
Light Exercise
If you’ve got back pain, it may seem like a silly idea to exercise. Getting up and doing some stretches is the last thing on your mind when you’re in pain. Our initial reaction would be to rest until the pain is gone, but doing some light exercises can really help to relieve pain. Not only are you stretching the muscles in your back, you’re also releasing endorphins. Did you know that endorphins can be equally as strong as pain medication available to you over the counter? Going for a twenty-minute walk or cycling for half an hour is enough to do your body some good.
REM Cycle
As humans, we need a decent amount of sleep to function properly. Have you ever had a bad night’s sleep and found it difficult to work the next day? During our rapid eye movement (REM) cycles we are in deep sleep and likely to be dreaming. It is during this time that our bodies have chance to repair themselves and rest. This is why it’s so important to sleep well and for long enough when you have any kind of health problem. If you’re having trouble sleeping because of your back pain, take a look at this sleep aid pillow.
Massage
If you’re in pain with your back before you go to sleep, ask your partner to give you a massage. Massage is a great way of promoting blood flow and loosening the muscles in your back. When you’ve got lower back pain, it could be because the muscles in your back have tensed. Some firm pressure on the muscles will help to relieve the pain. If massage doesn’t do anything for you, consider seeing a chiropractor for the active release technique. A professional will be able to pinpoint the cause of pain and recommend treatment.
Hot or Cold
If you’re sick and tired of taking pain relief tablets, pick up a hot water bottle instead. It doesn’t matter whether you try something hot or cold because both will help to inhibit nerve impulses and stop pain messages being sent to the brain, just as a pain relief tablet would. Using a hot water bottle will promote blood flow and good blood flow is needed for the affected area to receive healing nutrients. If you go the other way and choose a pack of frozen peas instead, it will help to reduce inflammation, which is the main concern in most back aches.
*If your back ache continues for longer than a week, it’s important to seek medical advice from your doctor.