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How to Get Rid of Back Pain

Updated on November 9, 2012
Back pain can significantly affect your everyday activities.
Back pain can significantly affect your everyday activities.

Back Pain Relief

Have you ever had back pain so bad that you just want to lie in bed all day? Maybe you lifted too much weight in the gym. Maybe you slouched for hours when you were working on your papers. As you try to pinpoint the cause, you massage yourself with one hand and do some weird stretches to try to relieve the pain. These seem to help a little bit, but you find yourself grimacing in pain again after just a few minutes. Sound familiar? If you answered yes, you may want to read the tips below on how to get rid of back pain and prevent it from coming back.


What Causes Back Pain?

The back supports your upper body and connects it to the lower extremities. Because of this, the back takes a lot of the work needed to accomplish everyday activities. Back pain can occur because of too much strain put on the back. This doesn’t only happen when lifting heavy weights. Back pain can develop over time because of bad posture and wrong form when lifting.

Here are the common causes of back pain:

  • Overuse of back muscles
  • Over stretching
  • Slouching
  • Standing for long periods of time
  • Lifting or pulling incorrectly
  • Poor posture


How to Get Rid of Back Pain

1. Apply ice on your back.

When you injure your back, it is just common for it to swell. However, too much swelling can make the pain worse and lengthen your recovery period. You can reduce swelling or inflammation by applying ice immediately after you strain your back. This also helps speed up healing and reduces pain. Do not put ice directly on your back. Wrap ice cubes in a piece of cloth first.

2. Try heat treatment.

If you find that applying ice does not help relieve back pain, you can try heat treatment instead. This can be as simple as taking a hot shower or placing a bottle filled with warm water on your back. It is recommended to try these 2 days after you had back pain because heat can actually increase inflammation and might do more harm than good in the first days of back pain.

3. Compress.

If you have back pain but need to move around because of work or other reasons, try compressing the area by using an elastic bandage. Wrap it around your midsection to help support your back and allow you to move more comfortably.

4. Rest your back.

This one seems to be automatic. When you are suffering from back pain, all you want to do is to lie in bed and hope the pain goes away after a few hours of resting. Do not force yourself to do difficult tasks. Allow your back to have its much needed rest. Be careful, though, as spending too many hours in bed and doing nothing have been proven to be bad for your back.

5. Take painkillers.

If you need a quick relief from back pain, it is a good idea to take over-the-counter painkillers such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen. Remember to check with your doctor if taking medications is the right thing for you especially if you are pregnant or have serious health problems.

6. Stretch and exercise.

Do not make your back pain an excuse to just relax and sleep all day. Not moving around can actually be bad for your back. One way to get rid of back pain is stretching and exercising. Stretching helps relax the muscles and speeds up the healing process. Exercising strengthens your back and enables it to support the amount of work you put on it. Incorporate these into your daily habits to help prevent back pain.

7. Maintain good posture.

You may not notice the ill effects of slouching and bad posture until you are old. Do not wait for you to have back pain before you change these bad habits. If you catch yourself slouching in front of your computer, remind yourself to sit straight. Also, you must take note of your sleeping habits. Often times, you wake up with your back hurting because of a bad sleeping posture. Lie flat on your back and place a pillow under your knees. If you want to sleep on your side, put a pillow between your legs and raise your knees slightly upwards towards the chest. These little things might not seem to do much good but these actually help a lot when trying to relieve back pain.


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