How to Relieve Back Pain Without Drugs

how to cure back pain fast at home

Occasional back pain is common. About 84% of adults experience back pain at some point. If you experience chronic back aches and pains, it may affect your ability to live an active, healthy life. Not all types of back pain can or should be treated without medications, and you should consult your doctor before starting any type of treatment. However, there are several things you can do to strengthen your back and relieve back pain without the use of drugsApply heat. Heat is commonly recommended for alleviating back pain, especially lower back pain. Heat will help your muscles relax, which can relieve tension and spasms. If your pain is chronic, or not the result of injury, heat is more likely to help.

Use a hot water bottle or heating pad to apply dry heat. Wrap a hot water in a towel to avoid burns. Do not fall asleep while using a heating pad. Do not use heat applications for more than 15-20 minutes at a time.A hot shower or bath may also provide relief for some back pain. You may also find a sauna or hot tub helpful.Use a cold pack. Icing or using a cold pack is not always helpful for back pain. It is usually more helpful when inflammation is involved, such as with arthritis-related back pain. Icing can also reduce swelling from injuries.To make a cold pack, wet a towel with cold water. Wring to remove excess water. Fold the towel and put it into a plastic zip-top bag. Freeze the bag for about 15 minutes. Apply to the affected area for 10 minutes. Repeat up to 3 times a day.A bag of frozen veggies can act as a cold pack in a pinch. Try to use something fairly small and evenly shaped, such as peas or corn. This will help distribute the cold more evenly.Use a foam roller. Using a foam roller can help relieve muscle pain and soreness.[6] These are usually 4 to 6 feet (1.2 to 1.8 m) long, and look like very thick pool noodles. (You can even use a large pool noodle at first.)Lie on a flat surface with the roller perpendicular to your back. Position the roller so that it just beneath your shoulder blades. Lift your hips off the ground a few inches. Keep your head and shoulders off the ground. Use your feet to roll yourself backward and forward on the roller for a few minutes.

Start with a lower-density foam roller at first. Some foam rollers are very firm and may have bumps or nodules on them to get at trigger points. These may be too intense for beginners.Improve your posture. Slouching and standing improperly can increase the pressure on your back and cause pain. Improving your posture can relieve back pressure and help soothe existing back pain. It can also help prevent recurrence of back ain.Strengthening your core muscles, as recommended in method 1, will help improve your posture. These muscles connect to your spine and pelvis and help hold your body up.Flexibility exercises, such as yoga and pilates, are another good way to improve your posture. These exercises emphasize slow, fluid motion as opposed to the sometimes herky-jerky movements of traditional exercises. Thus, they’re less likely to aggravate back pain.Pay attention to how you sit and stand throughout the day. Your shoulders should be down and back, not slumped forward. Your head should be at a level position, not bent forward or down. It may feel a little awkward to correct your posture at first, but with a little vigilance, you may begin to feel better.Set up an ergonomically correct workstation. Back and shoulder pain can be caused by sitting long hours at a desk. Improper workstation layout can cause your head to droop and your shoulders to slump forward. Setting up an ergonomically correct workstation can help relieve your back pain.Aim to keep your feet flat on the floor. Make sure your elbows and lower back are supported.Make sure that your monitor is at or just below eye level, so that you’re not slumping your head forward to look at it. Don’t put your keyboard and mouse too far away; stretching forward for a long period of time may put stress on your back.There is no one posture or workstation that will work for everyone. However, keeping the basic principles in mind may help relieve your back pain.Practice progressive muscle relaxation. Some types of back pain can be aggravated by stress and tension. Progressive muscle relaxation therapy can help you learn to relax and soothe your sore muscles. With PMR, you tense and then release groups of muscles, all while breathing deeply. PMR can lead to a feeling of relaxation and well-being.Find a calm, quiet place to do your exercises. Plan for about 15 minutes.Make yourself comfortable. Loosen any tight clothing. Sit or lie down. If you’d like, you can play soothing music.Begin with your facial muscles or your feet. Work down or up, accordingly.Clench the muscles in one group as hard as you can. For example, for your forehead, raise your eyebrows as far as possible. Wrinkle your forehead. Hold this tension for 5 seconds, then relax.Move to your eyes and nose. Close your eyes as tightly as possible. Hold the tension for 5 seconds, then relax.Continue to tense the muscle groups along your body. Hold the tension in each group for 5 seconds before relaxing.The major muscle groups you will work on are forehead, eyes/nose, lips/cheeks/jaw, hands, forearms, upper arms, shoulders, back, stomach, hips/buttocks, thighs, feet, and toes.Try an inversion table or chair. An inversion table may help you stretch and decompress your spine and temporarily relieve back pain. While it’s unlikely to offer long-term relief, some people may find inversion helpful in the short term. Consult with your physician before trying inversion.Inversion raises your blood pressure when you are inverted. If you have high blood pressure, heart disease, or glaucoma, do not use inversion.Start slowly, with small degrees of inversion. Trying too much too fast could result in injury.Change your mattress. If other self-care tactics haven't worked, your mattress could be contributing to your back pain. There is no one type of mattress that is “best” for people who suffer from back pain.A lot depends on your preferred sleeping position. Changing your mattress may help relieve back pain, especially if your mattress is saggy or unsupportive.Consumer guides such as Consumer Reports often rate mattresses by sleeping position. You can also find mattress-buying guides that will help you figure out what your mattress needs might be.

Try out mattresses in person before buying them. What works for one person may not work for another. Find the mattress that is comfortable to you.

You can also use pillows and cushions to improve your sleeping position. If you sleep on your back, put a pillow beneath your knees to offer support. If you sleep on your side, put a pillow between your knees to maintain a neutral spine position. Try to avoid sleeping on your stomach. It can twist and put tension on back muscles