We list 5 easy cures you can try for your back pain.
Every person suffers from back pain at some point in their lives. While it may be a chronic condition for some, for others it might be a new phenomenon arising out of injury, stress, overwork or simply a poor posture.
Consider these simple fixes if you wish to know how to cure back pain:
- Apply a pain relief cream. The first thing to do on a new back pain is to apply a good pain relief cream on the site. Use a fast-absorbing cream that does not require vigorous rubbing. Apply the cream just before going to sleep, and you will wake up with most or all of the pain gone. If the pain persists or increases over time, it is best to consult your doctor.
- Blow hot, blow cold. Applying hot and cold packs is a common part of lower back pain treatment. Start by applying an ice pack on the site for not more than 10 minutes at a time. Do this about 3 times a day for the first 48 hours. You will notice a lessening in the back pain during this time. The pain receptors in the area are sufficiently numbed and you won’t feel the pain as much even as the body tries to heal itself. After 48 hours, apply a hot compress for not more than 10 minutes at a time, 3 times a day. The compress opens up the painful muscle and tissues. Follow up with a pain relief spray.
- Get a gentle reflexology massage. Reflexology is the science of healing by activating the pressure points in the major portions of the body. Reflexology massages are extremely useful in chronic and lower back pain treatment. They relieve the stress and tension out of painful muscles and joints, and stimulate increased blood circulation. In turn, the body responds by healing itself faster. However, undergo this massage only upon the advice of your doctor.
- Sleep it off – but be smart about it. Often, the simplest answer if you wish to know how to get rid of back pain, is to curl up in bed and sleep it off. Uninterrupted sleep for at least seven hours can do wonders for the painful back. But you must be careful about not hurting the back as you sleep: avoid sleeping on a sagging mattress, or on your belly (this puts pressure on the spine) or with your head on a high pillow. The back should be supported by a firm mattress.
- Try gentle stretches. If you want to know how to cure back pain without using any creams or OTC medication, try gentle stretching several times a day. Often, the problem occurs due to muscles ‘frozen’ in a certain position for a long time, especially if you have a desk job. Inactivity for long stretches of time can cause back pain. Stretching opens up the compacted muscles and increases blood flow to the site.