At Home Low Back Pain Relief.
Everyone will experience some form of low back pain in their life. Having the knowledge to manage and find relief from it for yourself is a powerful tool to maintain a strong & resilient body.
An important first step is gaining the body awareness to be able to differentiate between pain and injury. This comes with time and often only becomes apparent after you’ve dealt with pain for a long period of time. Sensations such as severe pain with or without movement, locking, and feeling unstable or weak are indicative of a potentially more serious injury that should be addressed with a healthcare specialist. The progressive worsening of symptoms with the passage of time is another sign that something may be wrong and needs to be examined. Lastly, the obvious signs of injury after an accident or trauma like joint swelling, pain, redness, bruising, and heat that coincide with the three sensations listed above should be looked at by a professional. Trust your body and the signals that you’re receiving. If something feels off, get help.
Let’s set the stage with a brief introduction to the inflammatory and immune response. Not all signs of inflammation need to be checked out by a doc. Inflammation is your bodies way of healing and self-regeneration. Without it there would be no healing and no recovery from anything. Blood flow is the driver of this natural response to injury. The more blood flow to a damaged tissue (muscle, tendon, bone, etc.) the more inflammation you’ll see… and this isn’t a bad thing! We want the blood flow to facilitate healing.
We all know that ice makes things contract and get smaller and it effects blood vessels similarly by constricting them and closing down blood flow. This may be a good strategy when pain relief is the only goal, but not in regards to healing and tissue regeneration. The guy who wrote the book on R.I.C.E. (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) in 1978, through more extensive research, has since retracted his earlier recommendations and in 2013 he stated, “Subsequent research shows that ice can delay recovery. Mild movement helps tissues to heal faster, and the application of cold suppresses the immune responses that start and hasten recovery.”
Two important things… 1. Ice suppresses and slows down the immune response, thereby slowing down your recovery. 2. Mild movement helps tissues heal faster. Understanding just these two things is a great starting point in being able to manage your pain at home.
Applying heat can provide some relief from both pain and stiffness, but just because ice may slow down recovery doesn’t mean that heat speeds it up. I find that heat is best used as way to warm a region up and provide minor relief from pain & stiffness before getting into some movement and basic exercise which is known to improve tissue healing. 10-15 minutes of using a heat pack is plenty before getting into your movement practice.
All that being said, this is what I do whenever I have lower back pain, discomfort, or stiffness.
I never rest my back for more than 1 day.
I make sure that my recovery exercises and stretches happen on the floor. Pain relief does not happen on the couch or in bed.
I avoid movements and positions that make my pain hurt worse.
I experiment with slow and progressive movements. Spend time in positions and moves that feel good. If it feels good, do more of it.
I do not rely on OTC pain meds. In fact, I don’t take them at all. Like ice, if you’re constantly taking an anti-inflammatory pain med you are slowing down the time it will take for you to recover.
I try to get up and move around every 30 minutes. This might just mean walking a few laps through the house or office.
I make sure my sleep is on point. Consistent sleep and wake times. Blacked out room. No food 2-3 hours before bed time. Limited screen time (phone and TV) before bed.
Eat nutrient dense whole foods. Meats, fruits, and vegetables. Limit highly inflammatory processed and refined foods.
I ask for help if I’m unable to figure it out on my own.
Lastly, I believe that I will get better and my pain will go away.
Give these things a try. If they help, you know that you’re on the right track.
if you can’t seem to figure things out on your own or if your pain is getting worse, ask for help. One of the primary goals in our clinic is to educate and empower out patients to be able to manage pain from minor injuries on their own.
