Acute Lower Back Pain - 8 Tips For Treatment
Back pain is very common today because of prolonged hours at the computer, stress, improper posture, improper lifting of heavy things and an improper diet. However sometimes, this back pain accumulates to acute lower back pain, making life miserable to the sufferer. Here is some advice to help overcome this back pain.
1. First, before you actually try any self treatment, you have to asses the severity of your condition. If you find some numbness in your back, find it difficult to move, are pregnant, are more than 60 years of age, experience loss of bladder control or develop other consequent symptoms like a bad headache or fever, it's better to consult a doctor. The back pain could mean something serious, and is better treated by the doctor.
2. It is only if your lower back pain is not that bad, and does not have any complications that you can consider using self-treatment. A sufferer from acute lower back pain obviously takes complete rest in bed.
3. However this is not always the best thing to do. Instead carry out your normal daily activities but at a slower pace, without placing much strain on the back muscles.
This is because tough rest is good, too much isn't. Instead, light activities help in speeding up the healing process. However do avoid performing whatever action that had triggered your back pain at first like bending or riding a bike.
4. Next, you have to treat the lower back pain using some cold compress. Place an ice pack in a thin piece of cloth and apply it to the affected area for about 20 minutes, several times a day. This helps in reducing swelling and inflammation, and consequently, reduces the nerve impulses in the region.
5. Hot compresses have to be used once the muscle spasms and acute pain has reduced. A heating pad or a warm bath will do, to help in loosening tight muscles. If required, take a few painkillers for some relief from the pain too.
6. Once the acute lower back pain has subsided, exercise helps in preventing recurrence of the pain. By exercise, it does not mean you can do any exercise you think of.
You have to ask a qualified instructor for advice on the right exercises to help treat and prevent acute lower back pain. You will be given exercises based on your body, age and physique. Basically yoga and swimming help tremendously at treating back pain.
7. Besides all these tips, even the adapting of a healthy lifestyle helps in recovering from acute lower back pain. The right food and avoidance of activities that may cause excessive strainon your back helps provide long time relief from acute lower back pain.
8. Many people resort to stretching for some relief from acute lower back pain. However though it does provide some relief, too much of stretching is not advisable. This is because too much of stretching leads to loose and weak joints and makes them more susceptible to injury.
With the help of these tips, you find it much easier to cope with your problem of acute lower back pain.
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