By Dr. Robert White Whether you re experiencing back pain for the first time or your back is acting up again , there are some things you should and shouldn t do to keep the problem from becoming worse. First of all, heat is a no-no . This includes spas, whirlpools, hot baths and the ever-popular heating pad.
Heat brings more blood to an already inflamed area and increases the swelling.
Use cold instead for 10 minutes per hour while lying down. Pain pills and muscle relaxants usually aren t very effective, because more back problems are the result of a joint misalignment problem, not a muscle problem. The reason is that, in order to be effective, these medications need to be so strong that people have difficulty functioning. Instead, try controlling the pain with ice. Don t just hope the problem will go away on its own .