Back pain is very common and, in most cases, will improve with treatment.
Pain is often caused by poor posture or unhealthy movement patterns, leading to strain on the muscles and ligaments.
Sometimes back pain may be caused by arthritis, disc disease, fracture, pressure on the spinal nerves, or other medical conditions.
Experiment with different home treatments to find what works best for you:
- Apply heat or ice 1 to 4 times per day for the next 2 weeks. If heat or ice feels better, stick with that. It may help to alternate between the two.
- Apply topical products like Salonpas, capsaicin, or Icy Hot. If you use capsaicin cream, wash your hands, and don't rub your eyes!
- Get a massage, particularly if you have muscle soreness or recent strain.
- Get acupuncture.
- Consider a chiropractic evaluation.
- Stay moving! (Read more below.)
Over-the-counter medications can help, but it usually takes a few days of consistent dosing to see a difference.
Start with an NSAID medication:
- Take it with food.
- Do not combine NSAIDs, like ibuprofen, Aleve, Motrin, etc. Take only 1 at a time.
- Take: ibuprofen (Motrin) 400 to 600 mg every 8 hours OR naproxen (Aleve) 250 to 500 mg every 12 hours.
- If you are over 70 years old or have kidney disease, heart failure, or prior stomach ulcers, avoid NSAIDs, and use Tylenol instead.
If you're still having pain or cannot take an NSAID, add acetaminophen (Tylenol):
- Take 500 to 650 mg up to 4 times daily.
- If you have liver disease, discuss the safety of this medication before you take Tylenol.
Let us know if you have questions about safely taking these medications. Never take more than the maximum amount listed on the bottle.
If you avoid movement, back pain can last longer. It's important to stay active, but don't overdo it.
Remember:
- Engage in regular activities and gentle stretching, but be careful when you have pain.
- Limit long periods of lying down or sitting.
- To strengthen your back muscles, try low-impact exercises, like walking, biking, swimming, yoga, or pilates.
- Do exercises that target your back and core muscles. Try this conditioning program.
Even as your back pain improves:
- Maintain a healthy weight, and seek support if needed.
- While sitting and standing, pay attention to good posture.
- To avoid strain on your back, lift objects using your knees and legs. Read more.
If back pain lasts more than a few weeks, people usually find relief with physical therapy (PT), chiropractic care, massage therapy, and/or acupuncture. It usually takes several weeks to see a difference.
PT helps identify the imbalances in your body and address unhealthy movement patterns that may contribute to back pain. You're most likely to see improvement if you're consistent with office visits and do your exercises every day at home.
Most people with back pain do not need imaging tests (X-rays, MRIs, etc.). Pain usually improves with home care and the other measures outlined above (physical therapy [PT], massage, chiropractic, acupuncture).
If your pain remains intolerable, let us know so we can discuss the best next steps.
To reduce your back pain, focus on home treatments, exercise, physical therapy, and other therapies.
