How to Relieve Lower Back Pain: The Ultimate Guide to Pain-Busting Strategies for Relief (at Home)!
By: Sue Senger
Tags: Wellness, Health, Self Care, Pain, Exercise

How to Relieve Lower Back Pain Fast:

(1) Use ice packs and heat wraps

While many people find comfort applying heat to an aching back, the recommended strategy is to first apply ice packs, up to 20 minutes at a time, for the first 24 to 48 hours, and then use heat wraps thereafter.

The ice can help to reduce inflammation in the initial phase of a lower back injury. Then, switching to heat can help relax your sore muscles and provide pain relief. Check out the video below for a complete explanation of how and when to use ice vs heat for a sore back.

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(2) Rest your back, but not necessarily your whole body

Resting your back when it hurts seems like a great idea to reduce your pain, right? After all, movement tends to trigger a painful reaction in sore back muscles. Many sources of advice recommend anything from 2 days to 2 weeks of rest to ease discomfort.

But if you are tempted to just go to bed and wait for the pain to stop, DON’T DO IT! Bed rest is not the same as resting your back.

Your back and your body are designed to move. Every time we immobilize a joint or moveable body part we risk losing range of motion as the joint gets stiff or as scar tissue builds up and restricts movement.

A recent study published in The Lancet shows definitively that continuing to move is critical for a speedy recovery from lower back pain. The key to fast healing is to adjust your schedule and tasks to avoid repeating or worsening the injury while continuing to move. This study confirms that limiting your movement too much will actually slow down your recovery by days or even weeks. Check out the Global News coverage of the study below.

(3) Use pain relievers for short term relief

In the initial days of an injury, relief from non-prescription pain relievers or anti-inflammatory drugs can be helpful. Examples include drugs like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve).

Ask a pharmacist or a health care provider which medication is best suited for you. Remember to always use drugs according to their labels and to check for possible drug interactions if you are already using other medications.

(4) Gentle stretching

While you don’t want to continue activities that trigger sharp pain in your back, and you don’t want to just go to bed, gentle stretching can provide relief from lower back pain and get you moving more comfortably.

Exercises that slowly stretch and relax tight back muscles can lead to long term pain relief. Try these 10 best exercises to relieve lower back pain recommended by Penrose Physical Therapy and remember that movement can bring relief.

(5) Use correct lifting posture

Better to practice safe lifting, than suffer Lower back pain! (Image by Karen Arnold from Pixabay)

Lifting heavy objects is a common cause of lower back pain. Ensure that you understand the correct posture for lifting. That means squatting down to lift something heavy, keeping your shoulder, back and hips aligned, and lifting with your whole body, rather than by bending over and straining your back. It may also mean making a few trips instead of just one!

If your back pain is the result of lifting at work, ask for a change of duties for 3 to 14 days to let you recover while still continuing to be active at your job. When you do return to lifting, do so slowly and mindfully to avoid repeating the mistake and re-injuring your lower back.

(6) Break up periods of sitting with movement

If your back pain is the result of too many hours chained to your desk, you may come home to find your back sore and aching by the end of the day. The critical thing here is to move MORE not less!

Take 5 to 10-minute breaks every 50 to 60 minutes to relieve your sore back when working or sitting for extended periods of time. Simply standing up and walking around can make a big difference in your level of pain. Or try the gentle stretching exercises noted above for added relief.

Modifying your workstation and organizing your desktop can also reduce your lower back pain. Check out this video for tips on how to create an ergonomic, back-friendly workstation.

(7) Use an exercise ball

Crazy as this might sound, sitting on an exercise ball can relieve lower back pain and help strengthen your core muscles all at the same time. When used correctly, the ball helps to stabilize the spine which can reduce your back pain.

Check out the video below for how the exercise ball can support you while doing pain-relieving exercises for your lower back.

(8) Seek supportive therapy

For lower back pain that does not respond to any of the home treatments noted above within 4 to 6 weeks, it may be time to seek supportive therapy, such as physiotherapy, massage therapy, chiropractic or acupuncture treatments.

Supportive therapies provided by certified caregivers can help to re-establish your range of motion and ease your pain. Aligning, relaxing, stretching and strengthening the lower back muscles will reduce your pain rapidly and help prevent future injuries.

Therapists can also make specific recommendations for lower back pain exercises and stretches that are best suited for your situation and type of injury.