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Low Back Pain
- Topic Overview
-
Health Tools
- Cause
- Symptoms
- What Happens
- What Increases Your Risk
- When to Call a Doctor
- Exams and Tests
- Treatment Overview
- Prevention
- Living With Low Back Pain
- Medications
- Surgery
- Other Treatment
- Coping With Chronic Back Pain
- Other Places To Get Help
- Related Information
- References
- Credits
One Man's Story: "Some people get better fast, but others take a lot of time. That was my case. If you have back pain, do what you can for it, but don’t be in a hurry. It usually gets better."—Jack Read more about how Jack learned that he didn't need surgery. |
Almost everyone has low back pain at some time. The good news is that most low back pain will go away in a few days or weeks with some basic self-care.
Some people are afraid that doing too much may make their pain worse. In the past, people stayed in bed, thinking this would help their backs. Now doctors think that, in most cases, getting back to your normal activities is good for your back, as long as you avoid things that make your pain worse.
Ease back into your daily activities
- For the first day or two of pain, take it easy. But as soon as possible, get back to your normal daily life and activities.
- Movement helps your muscles stay strong. Staying in bed for more than 1 or 2 days can make your problem worse.
- If you are an athlete, return to your activity carefully. Choose a low-impact option until your pain is under control.
Avoid or change activities that cause pain
- Try to avoid bending, lifting, or reaching. These movements put extra stress on your back.
- In bed, try lying on your side with a pillow between your knees. Or lie on your back on the floor with a pillow under your knees.
- When you sit, place a small pillow, a rolled-up towel, or a lumbar roll in the curve of your back for extra support.
- When you brush your teeth, put one foot on a stool.
- Do not bend over when you put on pants or stockings. Instead, stand with your back against a wall. Then slide your shoulders down the wall, and bring your knee up. Gently step into your pants or stockings, one leg at a time.
Pay attention to your body mechanics and posture
Body mechanics are the way you use your body. Posture is the way you sit or stand.
- To prevent a return of low back pain, you will need to take extra care when you lift. When you must lift, bend your knees and flex from your hips. Don't let your spine slump.
- Stand or sit tall without slumping or arching your back too much. Slouching and slumping increase stress on your back.
Stretch and strengthen your back
When you no longer have acute pain, you may be ready for gentle strengthening exercises for your stomach, back, and legs, and perhaps for some stretching exercises. Exercise may not only help decrease low back pain but also may help you recover faster, prevent reinjury to your back, and reduce the risk of disability from back pain.
Walking is the simplest and perhaps the best exercise for the low back. Your doctor or a physical therapist can recommend more specific exercises to help your back muscles get stronger. These may include a series of simple exercises called core stabilization. The muscles of your trunk, or core, support your spine. Strengthening these muscles can improve your posture, keep your body in better balance, and decrease your chance of injury. For more information, see:
One Man's Story: "I discovered that what you have to do is this: You do as much as you can."—Robert Read more about how Robert controls his back pain by staying active. |
Take care of stress
Stress and low back pain can create a vicious circle. You have back pain, and you begin to worry about it. This causes stress, and your back muscles begin to tense. Tense muscles make your back pain worse, and you worry more... which makes your back worse... and so on.
There are lots of ways to teach yourself to relax. Try one of these:
Stress Management: Practicing Yoga to Relax- Stress Management: Doing Guided Imagery to Relax
- Stress Management: Breathing Exercises for Relaxation
- Stress Management: Doing Progressive Muscle Relaxation
- Stress Management: Relaxing Your Mind and Body
- Stress Management: Managing Your Time
- Stress Management: Doing Meditation
One Woman's Story: "I had too much to do and too little time. That means stress. And when I start stressing, my back starts aching. Before I knew it, my back was screaming at me."—Cathy Read more about how Cathy made time to deal with her stress. |
Manage your weight
Extra body weight, especially around the waist, may put strain on your back.
If you want to get to a healthy weight and stay there, lifestyle changes will work better than dieting.
Here are the three steps to reaching a healthy weight:
- Improve your eating habits. Do it slowly. You may be tempted to do a diet overhaul and change everything about the way you eat. But you will be more successful at staying with the changes you make if you pick just one eating habit at a time to work on.
- Get moving. Try to make physical activity a regular part of your day, just like brushing your teeth. Start small, and build up over time. Moderate activity is safe for most people, but it's always a good idea to talk to your doctor before you start an exercise program.
- Change your thinking. Our thoughts have a lot to do with how we feel and what we do. If you can stop your brain from telling you discouraging things and have it start encouraging you instead, you may be surprised at how much healthier you'll be—in mind and body.
Quit smoking
People who smoke take longer to heal—from any injury, not just back pain. If you stop smoking, you may feel better sooner.
People who smoke are also much more likely to have back pain than people who don’t smoke. This is because the nicotine and other toxins from smoking can keep spinal discs from getting all the nutrients they need from the blood, making disc injury more likely. These discs cushion the bones in your spine. An injured disc can cause low back pain.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: May 5, 2011 |
| Medical Review: | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine Robert B. Keller, MD - Orthopedics | |
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
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