What are the best ways to reduce severe lower back pain? In the US, back pain is a common condition associated with physical alignment. A study suggested that eight out of ten Americans suffer from back pain at some point in their lives. Perhaps you were cleaning your home or working in the backyard and put too much pressure on your back. Maybe, you had an injury while playing football or suffer from arthritis, a chronic condition in the spine. If the back pain is severe and sudden, you need to consult a pain management doctor.
In some cases, the pain goes away with a little exercise and some stretching. But, when you combine a medical treatment along with home remedies to treat discomfort and pain, you can boost the recovery process. Do you live in New York City? You can contact Dr. Matthew Grimm, one of the best pain management specialists in NYC. Here are some options to reduce severe lower back pain at home.
1. Muscle Movement
While in pain, you won’t feel like walking, but the first thing every pain management doctor recommends is body movement. A misconception among people with back pain is that they can no longer stay active. Therefore, you should keep up with the usual level of daily movement and activity. A thirty-minute walk around the block with your dog will be enough. In most situations, a weak spine is a reason for lower back pain. But when you move the muscles surrounding your spine, you will develop support around it, reducing pain.
2. Stretch and Strengthen
Strong abdominal muscles can support your back, so enhancing flexibility and strength for pain relief in your lower back is a great idea. Soon after you wake up in the morning, start the day with some stretching and exercises. You can try tai chi, Pilates, and Yoga, but if these exercises are hard for you in the morning, reschedule them for later in the day. Nevertheless, warming up in the morning will keep you active throughout the day. A simple exercise you can try involves lying on the floor on your tummy while stretching your arms and legs away from the body. This exercise will strengthen the muscles around your hips and the core.
3. Keep Good Posture
Good posture is crucial to keep your spine aligned and reduce pressure on the lower back. Do you have bad posture? This might be the reason for your back pain. Try stretchy bands, straps, or tape to maintain spine alignment. Your head should be in line with the pelvis, and don’t crane your chin or slouch your shoulders. If you work in front of a screen, you should rest your arms on the desk or table. Your eyes should align with the screen front. Make it a point to regularly stand up from your chair and stretch.
4. Maintain a Healthy Weight
Excessive weight can also be a reason for lower back pain. You can shed extra pounds to reduce the pain in your lower back. Weight loss reduces the mechanical force acting on your lower back and spine. Consult with a pain management doctor, and they can guide you as to the best techniques to reduce pressure in your lower back. Also, they suggest the best exercises and diet reduce weight.
5. Try Ice and Heat
You can try more than one technique to boost your recovery from back pain. You should choose the methods that work for you and build a routine. One technique that gives instant relief from back pain is heat and ice therapy. You can either try one or both, but this remedy is quite helpful for many patients. This treatment is highly recommended to ease inflammation or swelling. If you have tight or stiff muscles, apply a heating pad for quick relief. Experts suggest that you should use this treatment for no more than 20 minutes at a time. Moreover, you should avoid this method if you already use an ointment or muscle-ache creams.
6. Know Your OTC Medications
You can relieve muscle stiffness and aches using non-prescription pain relievers. The two major OTC medications are acetaminophen and NSAIDs such as ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen. NSAIDs are essential to lower inflammation, reducing tenderness and swelling. However, acetaminophen is not helpful for inflammation. If you have occasional back pain, both medications can be effective. But for severe pain, NSAIDs are better, especially when you have an inflammatory condition such as arthritis.
7. Nerve Stimulation
Researchers today are studying treatments that reduce chronic back pain by stimulating nerves. If all the above medications and therapies aren’t effective, a pain management doctor might include acupuncture in your treatment plan. They might also suggest transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation or TENS. In this procedure, the doctor will block the incoming pain signals through mild electric pulses on the nerves.
Reduce Severe Lower Back Pain: Conclusion
Chronic back pain can be hard to tolerate, and in extreme conditions, it may also affect your quality of life. Therefore, you need a good pain management doctor who can diagnose your chronic pain condition and suggest the best treatment plan. Visit Dr. Mathew Grimm, one of the best pain management doctors in New York City, for a solution. He will share personalized, customized, and innovative pain relief treatments suitable for you.
For further information and to schedule an appointment, give us a call at 646-862-5555.
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