Perhaps you bent the wrong way while lifting something heavy. Or you’re dealing with a degenerative condition like arthritis. Whatever the cause, once you have low back pain, it can be hard to shake.

About one in four Americans say they’ve had a recent bout of low back pain. And almost everyone can expect to experience back pain at some point in their lives.

What You Need To Know About Back Pain

The amount of people living with lower back pain is staggering. It’s one of the most common complaints doctors deal with every day, in every doctor’s office and hospital. Everyone is looking for ways to find relief for the lower back pain they experience.

It’s no wonder they are, either. Lower back pain can affect every aspect of a person’s life. Sitting, standing, laying down, all of those things and more can be made more difficult and infinitely more uncomfortable if you have an injured back.

People wind up tired, cranky and in overall poor shape if they can’t get the rest and relaxation they need. Poor rest means poor immune systems which results in increased sickness.

Truly, lower back pain and everything it causes is a huge problem that needs to be addressed.

Where Can Someone Find Lower Back Pain Relief?

As was stated earlier, drugstores usually have a wide assortment of products that promise relief but do they work? The answer is yes and no. It really depends on the type of injury you have that is causing your lower back pain.

If you have a strain, heat tends to work very well. You can purchase disposable heat wraps that instantly activate the second the package is opened. Many of those kinds of heat wraps come with little pieces of Velcro or a cloth that can stick to itself that can be used to hold the heat wrap in place.

That is especially handy if you need to be on the go while receiving a heat treatment. If you don’t want something that is disposable, you can purchase regular heat wraps or make one yourself.

A sock, stuffed with uncooked white rice, and tied at the end makes an excellent heat wrap when placed in the microwave for several minutes first.

Medications

If you’ve ever had low back pain, you may have scanned the shelves of your local drugstore or filled a prescription from your doctor. But not all medicines are created equal.

You might want to limit taking the pain medication to just before bed if you have to be able to drive during the day or otherwise have to function.

Doctors sometimes prescribe these for low back pain. But recent research shows that they usually only provide short-term relief. And they carry a lot of risks, like hormonal changes and dependency.

For this reason, doctors don’t usually prescribe them for chronic, or long-term, pain. If yours does, he’ll also likely recommend other therapies, like exercise or lifestyle changes.

And, he’ll monitor you regularly to make sure they’re easing your pain and improving your function without causing harm.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the best relief is to avoid getting injured in the first place. Keep you back muscles strong through stretches and exercises. Use proper techniques for bending and lifting at all times.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help or use tools such as dollies or belts that offer lower back support if you’re moving something heavy.

After all, you won’t need lower back pain relief if you can avoid getting injured to begin with.