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Back pain or backache is a painful condition that can interfere with your work life and personal life. Lower back pain causes more disability than many other health conditions. According to a study, 80% of adults are likely to experience a lower back pain at least once in some point in their lives. Many people also experience pain in their upper back and middle back areas. The back pain relief remedies can help you combat this painful condition. There are many home remedies that can provide you relief from back pain.
Top 10 Back Pain Relief Remedies
The spine and the back muscles support the body weight of a person. You use your back muscles for daily movements, including standing, sitting, and walking. Therefore, back pain can interfere with your regular life. Let’s take a look at the top 10 back pain relief remedies:
1. Exercise for moving your back muscles
One of the most recommended back pain relief remedies is to exercise regularly. Choose exercises that will get your back muscles moving. When you are having back pain, it can be quite challenging to get up and exercise. But it will reduce your pain to a large extent.
Back pain occurs due to tight muscles. A short walk, water exercise, or other low-impact activities will help you get relief from back pain. Apart from loosening the tense muscles, exercise release endorphins which make you feel better. Endorphins are the natural painkillers of the brain.
If you exercise every day, you will be able to get rid of back pain. Daily exercise programs such as stretching and strength training will keep your back muscles strong and flexible. It will prevent painful episodes of back pain in the future.
2. Stretches
There are various kinds of stretches that will help you get relief from back pain. You can practice various postures of yoga that are known for yielding positive results in back pain. Here are the following stretches that you can practice at home:
- Touching your toes: Bend forward to touch your toes. It will help in loosening your lower back muscles.
- Child’s pose: Sit on your heels. Make sure that your knees are hip-width apart. Now, lean forward gently and place your head on the yoga mat. Stretch your arms in front of your head. If you do the child’s pose regularly, it can help you get rid of back pain.
- Cobra pose: This is one of the best stretches for back pain. Lie down on your stomach. Your hands should be face down beside your shoulders. With the support of your hands, lift your chest up gently. Your head must point towards the sky.
- Cat-Cow pose: This stretch brings a lot of flexibility to your spine and warms the body. It stretches your neck and back torso. Sit on your knees and hands. Place your wrists under your shoulders. Begin by inhaling and doing the cow pose. Lift your chest and chin. Gaze towards the sky. Exhale and move into the cat pose. The pose resembles a cat stretching its back.
These stretches are one of the most useful back pain relief remedies.
3. Heat and cold
According to studies, heat and cold can help you get relief from back pain. If you get a back injury such as a back strain, use ice packs on your back immediately. Wrap an ice pack in a towel and apply it on your back. It will reduce inflammation. Cold provides a numbing effect for intense back pain.
You can find cold packs in the market designed for back pain relief. If you don’t have a cold pack, you can use frozen vegetables or a bag of ice to get relief. A heating pad also provides relief from achy or stiff back muscles. Before using the heating pad, you must test the temperature to make sure that it is not extremely hot.
Always read the instructions on the heating pad. If you do not have a heating pad, you can place a hot water bottle in your back. However, you must be careful so that you don’t end up burning your skin.
4. Pain-relief oils and ointments
You can find many ointments and pain rubs that can provide relief from backaches. Buy creams and ointments that have ingredients such as capsaicin, diractin, nurofen, and lidoderm. They can desensitize the pain in your back. According to research, both topical and oral medications are effective.
Arnica is a popular homeopathic remedy that can help you in back pain. You can find Arnica gels and creams in the pharmacy stores. You can apply lavender essential oil to get relief from a backache. Many people prepare ointments with cayenne peppers and apply them with acupressure to get relief from a chronic back pain.
Tiger Balm or Icy hot are popular over-the-counter ointments. These ointments can have side effects such as rashes and skin irritation. You must conduct a patch test before using them regularly.
5. Massages
Massages are one of the best back pain relief remedies. Gently massaging a tense or sore muscle in the back can help in relieving pain. Massage therapy has plenty of benefits. It alleviates your back pain and improves back function.
You can ask a friend or your partner for a relaxing back massage. Tell them to use a medicated ointment for giving you the back massage. You can also opt for structural massages. If the cost is not an issue, you can go for an expensive massage therapy. There is no difference between structural and relaxation massages.
6. Limit your time on the bed
If you spend too much time lying on the bed, your back pain will not reduce. You have to limit your time on the bed and live an active life. Many people who have low back pain tend to bed rest for many days. This makes the pain worse. They find it difficult to continue their daily tasks.
Patients with low back pain should avoid more than 2-3 days of bed rest. If you live an active life, you will slowly get rid of back pain.
7. Take care of your posture
People with poor posture are more prone to back pain. Although your back pain might have started after a long day at the gym, the underlying reason can be your poor posture. When you have a bad posture while doing your daily activities, you end up putting a lot of strain on your back. Therefore, one of the simplest back pain relief remedies is to maintain a good posture.
8. Sleep properly
Many people develop a back pain by sleeping in a poor position. It is important to sleep in the right position so that you don’t feel any pain after waking up in the morning. Sleeping on a mattress without proper support can also result in back pain.
Sleeping on the stomach can result in severe back pain. This sleeping position puts a lot of stress on your back. Therefore, you should avoid this sleeping position. If you sleep on your back, you should put a few pillows under your knees. If you are a side sleeper, you can place pillows between your knees. You must keep these points in mind to get relief from back pain.
9. Relaxation Techniques
One of the lesser known back pain relief remedies is meditation. Using relaxation techniques will not only put your mind at rest but also alleviate your back pain. Deep breathing exercises and tai chi are great for calming the mind after a long hectic day. Relaxation techniques decrease the level of perceived pain to a large extent.
10. Change your shoes
Wearing high heels can result in lower back pain. You need to wear shoes that provide good support to your legs. If you wear shoes that are too uncomfortable, they will result in muscle strains in your back and legs. You can consult a foot specialist for finding the right footwear.
Back pain can occur due to various reasons. It can be due to a bad sleeping position, poor posture, sedentary lifestyle or stress. Back pain is often associated with anxiety and depression. If you are feeling a lot of mental stress, you can develop a back pain. Talk therapy can be helpful during such times.
Back pain can badly interfere with your daily life and create a mess. However, there’s nothing to worry as back pain is a common thing. Now that you know the 10 back pain relief remedies, you need to practice them regularly.
Follow a healthy lifestyle. Exercise every day and get enough rest. Practice relaxation techniques to combat daily stress. If the pain does not subside after following the relief remedies, you must go to a specialist and get a checkup done.
