Cite This!
Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this How Stuff Works article:

"How to Relieve Back Pain."  25 July 2006.  HowStuffWorks.com. <http://health.howstuffworks.com/how-to-relieve-back-pain.htm>  08 August 2008.
Health Videos
Health Videos

Emergency Back Pain Relief

The following remedies are appropriate for anyone who is suffering from back pain due to tight, aching back muscles or a strain. However, if you are experiencing pain, weakness, or numbness in the legs, or a loss of bowel or bladder control, see a doctor without delay.

The best cure for an aching back is a little rest.

The best cure for an aching
back is a little rest.

Rest Your Back

It is almost impossible to do anything without using your back. Even activities that do not seem very stressful on your back usually require some effort on its part. The activity need not be very demanding in terms of muscle strength to cause a problem; maybe the activity is one that your back just isn't used to. Often your back muscles simply overdo it. The end result may be a muscle pull or strain. In fact, most back pain and the majority of back injuries are probably related to muscle pulls and strains.

When strained, your muscles need a chance to turn off, rest, and begin to heal themselves. Continuing to be too active can further aggravate a sore back. Find a comfortable position to allow your back to rest. The best position for an injured or achy back is lying down on either your back or side, with the curves of your spine aligned in their natural position. Try lying down on a firm surface like a padded, carpeted floor. You can relax your back by placing a couple of pillows under your knees. If on your side, place the pillows between the knees instead of under them. For your neck's comfort, roll up a small hand towel and place it under your neck to give it a break, too.

Apply Ice to Reduce Swelling

Immediately after your back is injured, blood rushes into the damaged area. Even though swelling is part of the body's normal healing process, too much inflammation can increase pain and lengthen your recovery time. Applying ice immediately after a strain reduces the amount of inflammation, speeds up the healing process, and can numb some of the pain.

Generally, unless otherwise instructed by a physician, ice should be used instead of heat for the first 48 hours after a back strain. Heat from a hot shower, heating pad, or some popular topical lotion may feel better than using ice, but heat treatments increase blood flow, causing greater inflammation, more pain, and usually a slower recovery. At least for the first two days, stick with ice.

You do have to be careful with ice also, though. Incorrect application of ice can damage the skin. To apply ice correctly, warm a towel or pillowcase in slightly hot water, wring out the water, and quickly place an ice pack, ice cubes, or crushed ice in it. Immediately place the towel or pillowcase over the strained area of the back for no longer than 12 to 15 minutes.

If you do not have a towel or pillowcase handy, freeze water in a small paper cup. Peel the cup back so that the ice can go directly on the skin. Make sure that you continually move the ice around in circular motions, not allowing the ice to sit in one place. Another method is to place the ice in a plastic bag or some plastic wrap before applying it to the skin. For additional benefits, use repeated ice treatments approximately once every hour for the first 24 to 48 hours after the strain. This should help to keep swelling to a minimum and reduce the related pain.

Compress the Area

Gently compressing an injured area can assist ice in reducing inflammation and pain, while speeding recovery. Compressing the muscles can provide some temporary support for the area, which may allow you to move around more easily while making you more comfortable. Try using an elastic bandage; wrap it around your midsection over the strained area of the back. Make sure you do not wrap it too tightly. (The wrap can be used over an ice pack providing the ice is applied as described in remedy 2 and for no more than 15 minutes.) An alternative to the elastic bandage is a back support, which acts like a corset to compress and support the back and stomach muscles.

Take Two Aspirin

An over-the-counter analgesic my help relieve your pain.

An over-the-counter analgesic
my help relieve your pain.

Taking an over-the-counter analgesic such as aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen may help relieve your pain. However, be aware that not all medications, not even nonprescription ones, are for everyone. Pregnant women, for example, should not take any medication without first checking with their doctor. And people with ulcers should stay away from analgesics containing aspirin. Don't take any medicine for a bad back without first learning about its potential side effects and talking to your doctor. For a list of precautions to take when using over-the-counter analgesics, click here.

Know When to See a Doctor

Muscle pulls and strains, although quite common, can be severe. Other spinal tissues can also experience injuries. Ligaments can be sprained or torn, joints can become irritated, and of course, spinal disks can bulge and tear. It is important for you to know when a back injury goes beyond your ability to treat yourself.

After a strain or injury to the back, the body can have a variety of natural reactions causing numerous symptoms, such as back pain. If, after two or three days of bed rest, your severe back pain has not subsided, you should see your physician. Sometimes, when many of the tissues in the back are seriously injured, the muscles can tighten up, or spasm, and clamp down around blood vessels. Muscle spasms can cause pain, sometimes severe, that makes it difficult to sit, stand, or do virtually anything. Many times, the only way to relax intense spasms is with the assistance of a physician.

Other signs to watch for are the loss of bowel or bladder control or pain, numbness, tingling, or other similar sensations that run down an arm or leg or around the chest. This type of symptom can make your hands, fingers, feet, and toes feel like they are burning, cold, asleep, or being poked with pins and needles. Finally, it's time to see your physician when it takes larger and larger amounts of medication to reduce your back pain.

If you experience any of these symptoms, get a professional opinion. Serious injuries that go untreated or are treated incorrectly can be dangerous, leading to further impairment and possibly irreparable damage. Just having one of these symptoms does not automatically mean that you will require major therapy. However, it's best to let your physician rule out serious spinal problems so that you can put your mind at ease and get on with the business of healing.

If you follow these steps you should be able to reduce some of your discomfort and reduce the swelling in your back. If, however, you are experiencing a long-term problem, the next section will offer you some solutions to relieve your backaches.

This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.

Symptom Checker:

  Abdominal Bloating   Abdominal Fullness Prematurely Afte...   Abdominal Lumps   Abdominal Mass   Abdominal Pain   Abdominal Rigidity   Abdominal Sounds   Abdominal Swelling   Abnormal Posturing   Abnormal Tooth Shape   Abnormally Dark Or Light Skin   Absent Menstruation   Absent Thirst   Agitation   Ambiguous Genitalia   Ankle Pain   Appetite Decrease   Appetite Increase   Apraxia   Arachnodactyly   Armpit Lump   Autistic Behavior   Babinski's Reflex   Bed Wetting   Belching   Binge Eating   Blackheads   Bleeding Gums   Bleeding Into The Skin   Blindness   Blockage Of Leg Arteries   Blood In The Semen   Blood in Urine   Bloody Or Tarry Stools   Bone Pain Or Tenderness   Bounding Pulse   Bowel Incontinence   Breast Lump   Breast Pain   Breath Odor   Breath Sounds   Breathing - Slowed Or Stopped   Breathing Difficulty   Breathing Difficulty When Lying Dow...   Breathing That Sounds Abnormal   Broad Nasal Bridge   Bulging Fontanelles   Bullae   Chemosis   Chest Pain   Chills   Clammy Skin   Claw Foot   Claw Hand   Cloudy Cornea   Clubbing Of The Fingers Or Toes   Cold Intolerance   Coloboma Of The Iris   Comedones   Confusion   Constipation   Contracture Deformity   Coughing   Coughing Up Blood   Crying Excessively in Infants   Cyst   Decerebrate Posture   Decorticate Posture   Decreased Consciousness   Decreased Urine Output   Delayed Growth   Delayed or Absent Tooth Formation   Depression   Diarrhea   Difficulty with Urination   Dizziness   Drooling   Drowsiness   Dry Eyes   Dry Hair   Dry Skin   Ear Discharge   Earache   Earlobe Creases   Elbow Pain   Epicanthal Folds   Erection Problems   Erosion   Excessive Or Unwanted Hair In Women   Excessive Thirst   Excessive Urination   Excessive Urination at Night   Excessively Large Fontanelles   Eye Burning, Itching and Discharge   Eye Pain   Eye Redness   Eye Slant   Eyelid Drooping   Eyes That Bulge   Face Pain   Facial Paralysis   Facial Swelling   Fainting   Fatigue   Female Sexual Dysfunction   Fever   Finger Pain   Fingers That Change Color   Flank Pain   Floating Stools   Focal Neurological Deficits   Foot Pain   Foot, Leg, And Ankle Swelling   Foul Smelling Stools   Frequent Or Urgent Urination   Frontal Bossing   Gas (Flatulence)   Gastrointestinal Bleeding   Genital Sores (Female)   Genital Sores (Male)   Groin Lumps   Groin Pain   Gynecomastia   Hair Loss   Hallucinations   Hand Or Foot Spasms   Hand Tremors   Hearing Loss   Heart Murmurs And Other Sounds   Heart Palpitations   Heartburn   Heat Intolerance   Heavy, Prolonged, or Irregular Mens...   Heel Pain   Hemolytic Crisis   Hepatomegaly   Heterochromia   Hiccups   Hip Pain   Hoarseness Or Changing Voice   Hump Behind The Shoulders   Hyperactivity   Hyperelastic Skin   Hypermobile Joints   Hyperventilation   Hypotonia   Impaired Smell   Increased Head Circumference   Indigestion   Infantile Reflexes   Insect Bites And Stings   Intercostal Retractions   Intertrigo   Irritability   Itching   Jaundice (Yellow Skin)   Joint Pain   Joint Swelling   Knee Pain   Leg Pain   Lichenified   Limited Range Of Motion   Lordosis   Low Nasal Bridge   Lower Back Pain   Macule   Malaise   Memory Loss   Metopic Ridge   Microcephaly   Micrognathia   Morbid Obesity   Morning Sickness   Moro Reflex   Motormental Retardation   Mouth Sores   Muscle Aches   Muscle Atrophy   Muscle Cramps   Muscle Function Loss   Muscle Twitching   Nail Abnormalities   Nasal Congestion   Nasal Discharge   Nasal Flaring   Natal Teeth   Nausea And Vomiting   Neck Lumps   Neck Pain   Night Blindness   Nightmares   Nikolsky’s Sign   Nipple Discharge   Nodules   Nosebleed   Numbness And Tingling   Obesity   Opisthotonos   Pain During Sexual Intercourse   Painful Menstrual Periods   Painful Urination   Pale or Clay-Colored Stools   Paleness   Papule   Patches   Patchy Skin Color   Pectus Carinatum   Pectus Excavatum   Penis Pain   Photophobia   Pilonidal Dimple   Pinna Abnormalities And Low-set Ear...   Point Tenderness   Polydactyly   Polyhydramnios   Poor Feeding In Infants   Preauricular Tag Or Pit   Premenstrual Breast Tenderness and ...   Prognathism   Pupils That Are Different Sizes   Purpura   Pustules   Rapid Shallow Breathing   Rash in a Child Under 2 Years   Rashes   Rib Cage Pain   Ridged Sutures   Scales   Scrotal Swelling   Seizures   Sensorineural Deafness   Separated Sutures   Shin Splints   Short Philtrum   Short Stature   Shoulder Pain   Simian Crease   Skeletal Limb Abnormalities   Skin Blushing/flushing   Skin Discoloration   Skin Lumps   Skin Turgor   Sleeping Difficulty   Sneezing   Snoring   Sore Throat   Spasticity   Speech Impairment (adult)   Splenomegaly   Splinter Hemorrhages   Strange Behavior   Stress And Anxiety   Striae   Subcutaneous Emphysema   Sunburn   Sunken Fontanelles   Supernumerary Nipples   Swallowing Difficulty   Swallowing Pain Or Burning   Sweating   Sweating Decrease   Swelling   Swollen Glands   Swollen Gums   Taste Impairment   Telangiectasia   Tenesmus   Testicle Lump   Testicle Pain   Tinnitus   Tongue Problems   Tooth Discoloration   Toothaches   Ulcers   Uncontrollable Eye Movements   Uncontrollable Movement   Uncontrolled Or Slow Movement   Uncoordinated Movement   Unpredictable Or Jerky Movement   Urinary Incontinence   Urine Discoloration   Vaginal Bleeding Between Periods   Vaginal Bleeding In Pregnancy   Vaginal Discharge   Vaginal Itching   Vesicles   Vision Problems   Vomiting Blood   Walking Abnormalities   Watery Eyes   Weak or Absent Pulse   Weakness   Webbing Of The Fingers Or Toes   Weight Gain   Weight Loss   Wheezing   White Spots in the Pupil   Whitehead   Widely Spaced Teeth   Wrinkles   Wrist Pain   Yawning

Diseases and Conditions Glossary:

  ABO Incompatibility   AIDS   ARDS (acute Respiratory Distress Sy...   Aarskog Syndrome   Aase Syndrome   Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm   Abortion - Complete   Abortion - Elective Or Therapeutic   Abortion - Incomplete   Abortion - Infected   Abortion - Threatened   Abscess   Acanthosis Nigricans   Achalasia   Achilles Tendinitis   Achondrogenesis   Achondroplasia   Acidosis   Acne   Acoustic Neuroma   Acoustic Trauma   Acquired Platelet Function Defect   Acrodermatitis   Acrodysostosis   Acromegaly   Actinic Keratosis   Actinomycosis   Acute Adrenal Crisis   Acute Arterial Occlusion - Kidney   Acute Bilateral Obstructive Uropath...   Acute Bronchitis   Acute Cerebellar Ataxia   Acute Cholecystitis (Gallstones)   Acute Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Infecti...   Acute Gouty Arthritis   Acute HIV Infection   Acute Interstitial Nephritis Not NS...   Acute Kidney Failure   Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL)   Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia In-Depth   Acute Mountain Sickness   Acute Myeloid Leukemia   Acute Nephritic Syndrome   Acute Pancreatitis   Acute Tubular Necrosis   Acute Unilateral Obstructive Uropat...   Acute Upper Airway Obstruction   Addison’s Disease   Adenomyosis   Adhesion   Adjustment Disorder   Adolescent Depression   Adolescent Pregnancy   Adrenocortical Carcinoma   Adrenoleukodystrophy   Adult Still's Disease   Agammaglobulinemia   Age-related Hearing Loss   Agoraphobia   Agranulocytosis   Aicardi Syndrome   Albinism   Alcohol Withdrawal   Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy   Alcoholic Ketoacidosis   Alcoholic Liver Disease   Alcoholic Neuropathy   Alcoholism   Alcoholism In-Depth   Alkalosis   Alkaptonuria   Allergic Conjunctivitis   Allergic Rhinitis   Allergic Rhinitis In-Depth   Allergic Vasculitis   Allergies   Allergy To Mold - Dander - Dust   Alopecia Areata   Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency   Alport Syndrome   Alström Syndrome   Alveolar Abnormalities   Alzheimer’s - Resources   Alzheimer’s Disease   Alzheimer's Disease Epidemic?   Alzheimer's Disease In-Depth   Amaurosis Fugax   Amblyopia   Amebiasis   Amebic Liver Abscess   Amelogenesis Imperfecta   Amenorrhea   Amniotic Constriction Bands   Amphetamine Or Sympathomimetic Into...   Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis   Anal Fissure   Analgesic Nephropathy   Anaphylaxis   Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer   Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome   Anemia   Anemia - B12 Deficiency   Anemia In-Depth   Anemia Of Chronic Disease   Anencephaly   Aneurysm   Aneurysm In The Brain   Angina   Angiodysplasia Of The Colon   Angioedema   Ankylosing Spondylitis   Annular Pancreas   Anorchia   Anorectal Abscess   Anorexia Nervosa   Anthrax   Antisocial Personality Disorder   Anxiety Disorders In-Depth   Aortic Arch Syndrome   Aortic Dissection   Aortic Insufficiency   Aortic Stenosis   Apert Syndrome   Apnea Of Prematurity   Apoplexy   Appendicitis   Arrhenoblastoma of the Ovary   Arrhythmias   Arterial Embolism   Arterial Insufficiency   Arteriosclerosis Of The Extremities   Arteriovenous Malformation - Cerebr...   Arthritis   Arthritis - Resources   Asbestos-related Pleural Effusion   Asbestosis   Ascariasis   Ascites   Aseptic Meningitis   Aseptic Necrosis   Asherman Syndrome   Asperger Syndrome   Aspergillosis   Aspiration Pneumonia   Asthma   Asthma And Allergy - Resources   Asthma In Adults In-Depth   Asthma In Children And Adolescents ...   Astigmatism   Asymptomatic Bacteriuria   Asymptomatic HIV Infection   Ataxia-telangiectasia   Atelectasis   Atheroembolic Renal Disease   Atherosclerosis   Athlete's Foot   Atrial Fibrillation/flutter   Atrial Myxoma   Atrial Septal Defect   Atrophic Vaginitis   Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Dis...   Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Dis...   Atypical Mycobacterial Infection   Atypical Pneumonia   Aural Polyps   Autism   Autism - Resources   Autoerythrocyte Sensitivity   Autoimmune Disorders   Autoimmune Hepatitis   Autonomic Hyperreflexia   Autonomic Neuropathy   Avian Influenza   Avoidant Personality Disorder   Axillary Nerve Dysfunction   Back Pain And Sciatica In-Depth   Back Strain Treatment   Backaches And Stress   Bacterial Gastroenteritis   Baker’s Cyst   Balanitis   Barbiturate Intoxication And Overdo...   Barrett’s Esophagus   Bartholin’s Abscess   Bartter Syndrome   Basal Cell Carcinoma   Basal Cell Nevus Syndrome   Basal Ganglia Dysfunction   Bassen-Kornzweig Syndrome   Bathing Trunk Nevus   Becker's Muscular Dystrophy   Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome   Bedwetting   Bell's Palsy   Benign Ear Cyst Or Tumor   Benign Positional Vertigo   Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia In-Dep...   Beriberi   Bezoar   Bilateral Hydronephrosis   Bile Duct Obstruction   Biliary Atresia   Biliary Stricture   Bipolar Disorder   Bipolar Disorder In-Depth   Birth-acquired Herpes   Birthmarks - Pigmented   Birthmarks - Red   Bladder Cancer   Bladder Outlet Obstruction   Bladder Stones   Blastomycosis   Blastomycosis Skin Lesion   Bleeding Disorders   Bleeding Esophageal Varices   Blepharitis   Blind Loop Syndrome   Blocked Tear Duct   Blood Clots   Blount's Disease   Body Lice   Bone Tumors   Borderline Personality Disorder   Botulism   Bowlegs   Brachial Palsy In Newborns   Brachial Plexopathy   Brain Abscess   Brain Herniation   Brain Tumor - Adults   Brain Tumor - Children   Brain Tumors - Primary In-Depth   Branchial Cleft Cyst   Breast Cancer   Breast Cancer In-Depth   Breast Infection   Breast Milk Jaundice   Breath Holding Spell   Brief Reactive Psychosis   Bronchial Adenoma   Bronchiectasis   Bronchiolitis   Bronchitis   Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia   Brucellosis   Bruxism   Bulimia   Bullous Pemphigoid   Bunions   Burkitt Lymphoma   Bursitis   Byssinosis   CMV - Gastroenteritis/colitis   CMV - Immunocompromised Host   CMV - Pneumonia   CMV Esophagitis   CMV Retinitis   CSF Leak   Campylobacter Enteritis   Canavan Disease   Cancer   Cancer - Penis   Cancer - Renal Pelvis Or Ureter   Cancer - Resources   Cancer - Throat Or Larynx   Cancer - Vulva   Candida Esophagitis   Canker Sore Treatment   Canker Sores   Caplan Syndrome   Caput Succedaneum   Carbunculosis   Carcinoid Syndrome   Cardiac Amyloidosis   Cardiac Tamponade   Cardiogenic Shock   Cardiomyopathy   Carpal Tunnel Syndrome   Carpal Tunnel Syndrome In-Depth   Cat Scratch Disease   Cataract   Cataracts In-Depth   Catheter-associated UTI   Cavernous Sinus Thrombosis   Celiac Disease - Sprue