Natural Ways to Get Back Pain Relief

More than 50 million adults live with chronic pain in the U.S. That means 1 in every 5 people you pass on the street have debilitating and persistent pain that affects the quality of their lives. Sadly, a lot of that pain settles into our backs. Roughly 65 million Americans report bouts with back pain. Next to headaches, it is the most common health complaint.

Is it acute or chronic back pain?

Knowing whether you have acute or chronic back pain is the first step toward a solution. While both conditions are equally painful, healthcare practitioners consider them two different problems with separate treatments.

Acute back pain usually occurs when you suffer a mild trauma to your lower back. Minor sports injuries, heavy housework, and even gardening can cause injury. Sudden jolts to the spine from car accidents are another instigator of acute back pain. While generally short-term, acute back pain can last anywhere between a few days and several weeks. The symptoms of acute back pain include sharp, knife-life stabbing pains, loss of flexibility, impaired mobility, and difficulty standing up straight.

Chronic back pain has many of the same symptoms. The only difference is it persists. Healthcare professionals suggest if you are dealing with back pain for more than 3 months, then you have a case of chronic back pain. It is not uncommon for chronic back pain to come and go. You may think you have finally ditched it, only to have it return with a vengeance without warning and for no apparent reason.

9 Remedies for Natural Back Pain Relief

Recuperation can feel like a short-term inconvenience or a drawn-out nightmare depending on your pain tolerance. Most back pain resolves itself when you give yourself time to heal and use a little common sense when engaging in physical activity. Some people may have difficulty waiting out the pain. If you are one of those impatient pain sufferers, there are natural remedies to help ease your discomfort.

1. Keep moving
   Moving when your back already hurts feels like utter torture. Laying around is not going to help matters. Inactivity makes back pain – especially lower back pain – worse. Research supports the notion that the best way to ease your back pain is to keep moving. If you lead a sedentary lifestyle, you are more prone to back pain and injury. Even if you are active, it can be tempting to stop moving for a few days or weeks if you are in pain. Gentle movement helps ease pain by releasing natural endorphins. These are the “feel good” chemicals in your brain. They both enhance mood and ease pain.
2. Alternate between hot and cold therapy
   Heat and ice have different purposes for pain relief. Heat relaxes tight muscles, while ice reduces pain. There is no one right answer for which is best for your back pain. Switching off between them is usually the best course of action for relieving pain and promoting healing. Use a hot compress (water bottle, heating pad) for 15 minutes, followed by a cold compress or ice pack for 15 minutes. Frozen vegetables are an effective option for cold therapy because they mold to the shape of your back.
3. Watch your posture
   A typical adult sits for up to 5 hours each day. The number is even higher for kids ages 12-19. Our sedentary lifestyles already increase our risk for back pain. Sitting with poor posture can boost our odds of stressing our spine and back muscles. If you already have back pain, it can be tempting to slouch to curb the discomfort. Not only will it not help, but it will worsen matters. If you must sit for prolonged hours, use a straight-back chair to help encourage proper posture that supports spine alignment.
4. Do low-impact exercises daily
   Low-impact exercises work well for preventing back pain. If you already suffer from back pain, they can help ease the pain (see why in natural remedy #1). Some of the best low-impact exercises for improving chronic back pain include walking, aquatic exercises, yoga, and balanced strength training.
5. Try a complementary therapy
   Chiropractic care, therapeutic massage, reflexology, and acupuncture are among the complementary therapies that can ease back pain. Some insurance plans cover these services, so be sure to check with yours before scheduling.
6. Avoid smoking
   Nicotine is known to increase the risk of back pain and can cause your pain to be more intense. Smoking reduces the oxygen flow to your muscular-skeletal system, which can weaken your back and amplify pain levels.
7. Manage your weight
   Losing a few pounds can help prevent back injury and reduce chronic back pain. Obesity increases the risk of low back pain and lumbar radicular pain. When you are overweight, it also prolongs the healing process.
8. Avoid aspirin
   Over-the-counter pain relievers have their benefits when used according to design. Misusing them – which includes taking them every couple of hours for days or weeks – can cause serious health risks. Before you pop any OTC pain reliever, make sure you understand the hidden dangers.
9. Apply a topical solution
   Taking an OTC pain reliever you must ingest is not the only solution for managing back pain temporarily. All-natural topical solutions like Premiere’s Pain Spray Mist and Pain Spray Roll-On work well for one-time sports mishaps or chronic back pain from conditions like arthritis.

Get Your Life Back with Natural Back Pain Solutions

Back pain can stop you in your tracks. Luckily, there are effective all-natural solutions that work quickly without causing harmful side effects. You do not have to live in agony. Use these natural solutions to ease back pain and promote healing.