Back pain impacts so many people in the U.S. and across the world. From bulging discs (90% of which occur in the lower back), to severe discomfort, individuals need to do a better job of taking care of their backs and dealing with pain.
If you are suffering from severe back pain or any other form of chronic pain for that matter, you need to speak with a healthcare professional. Far too many Americans neglect severe pain and their quality of life is drastically impacted by doing so. Though there are a few things you can do to help with certain back pain, your best bet to achieve a pain free life is to still consult regularly with your doctor.
If you want to at least alleviate some of your pain for the time being while you’re at home, you should try a few of these things:
Keep your back as cool as possible
Especially after an immediate injury, cooling your back is a great way to reduce intense pain. Ice is best during the first 24 to 48 hours after a major injury because you’ll reduce inflammation in your back. Warmth might feel much better at first, because it will actually mask the pain and even relax your muscles, but the heat will inflame your back, leading to even more pain down the road. So chilling your back before you can get into a doctor’s office is your best bet.
Don’t sit still and rest for too long
A common misconception with severe back pain is that rest is the best form of treatment. That’s not true at all. Clearly you don’t want to overdo it and cause even more pain to your back, but sitting down and doing nothing isn’t helping either. You should keep moving following a back injury so you can work the rest of your body and give your spine some exercise. If you just sit and let your back pain consume you, you’ll have some serious issues on hand when you do get in to see your doctor.
Don’t mask your pain with painkillers
If the pain is too unbearable to even stand up immediately following an injury, certain painkillers might be helpful. But you should never try and constantly fight any kind of pain with medicine. This will only worsen your pain as you go on and eventually the pain pills won’t even help. Try natural remedies and, again, speak with your doctor as quickly as possible.
If you want to learn more about dealing with severe back pain, contact i-Spine Institute today. And good luck on your quest to become pain free once again!