How to relieve back pain at home

People with back pain can visit healthcare professionals for treatment, but this isn’t always necessary. Back pain is usually minor and you can treat it at home.

If you have a sore or stiff back that isn’t too severe, you should try some of the following to help relieve your back pain at home:

• Apply ice — Icing your back can help reduce any inflammation or swelling associated with the pain. This can also help soothe the pain itself.
  
  Apply a bag of ice or a cold pack to the sore area for 10 or 15 minutes. Do this two or three times a day, but no more than that. Icing your back for too long could make the blood vessels constrict. This reduces your blood flow, which can make your pain take longer to recover or cause other problems.
• Rest — Don’t push through your back pain to keep doing stressful activities like heavy lifting or sports. You need to take it easy for a few days so your back can recover.

It’s still important to stay a little active though. Walking around or even jogging, if you can manage it, can help improve your blood flow and loosen up stiff muscles in your back.

• Stretch — Sitting for long periods of time can cause the back muscles to grow stiff. If you have a desk job, it’s important to get up at least every hour to stretch your back and walk around. This can help your back muscles stay flexible and strong throughout the day.
• Improve your posture — Speaking of sitting, the way you sit may be contributing to your back pain. Slouching and tilting your head downward puts pressure on the muscles in your back and neck. This causes pain and stiffness to develop.
  
  You can help relieve and prevent back pain by improving your sitting posture. Keep your back straight while sitting and tilt your head up. Square your shoulders with your chest. If you use a computer monitor, adjust it to eye level so you don’t have to hunch or look down all day.
• Wear better shoes — The kind of footwear you wear impacts more than your feet. Footwear affects your entire body, especially your back. Your feet support your entire body, and if they’re not getting adequate support, other parts of your body have to compensate. Much of this burden falls on your back.
  
  Avoid wearing high heels and opt for footwear that is more supportive. Talk to a physical therapist about orthopedic footwear and insoles if you’re not sure what’s right for you.

Let Specialists in Sports and Orthopedic Rehabilitation (SSOR) help you with your back pain

When your back pain is too severe or isn’t responding to any of these home treatments, you should visit a physical therapist. Our team is skilled in treating all kinds of back pain and helping you prevent it from happening again. Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.