7 Ways to Naturally Treat Back Pain at Home

 7 Ways to Naturally Treat Back Pain at Home

Back pain can be incapacitating, especially if you don’t treat it right away. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to alleviate back pain without expensive doctor’s visits or surgeries. You can reduce your back pain at home by eating better, sleeping more comfortably, and staying active. Check out the following seven ways to naturally treat back pain at home.

1) Exercise

There are two major types of exercises you can do for back pain: stretching and strengthening. Stretching helps promote blood flow and increases the space in your joints. It's also important to avoid any exercises that may cause strain on your back (i.e., sit-ups, squats). To strengthen your core muscles, do yoga poses such as the Cobra and Boat Pose or experiment with one of these six yoga poses for a healthy spine. Yoga is a great form of exercise because it strengthens and stretches both your body and mind. Lastly, take care not to push yourself too hard when exercising; while they may be helpful in treating back pain, strenuous workouts could lead to an exacerbation.

2) Moist Heat

The first thing you can do to help relieve back pain is using moist heat. Fill a sink with warm water and add a towel or bathrobe. Soak the towel in the water, wring it out, and wrap it around your waist. Hold the towel on your lower back for 10 minutes. You can also try heating up a rice bag and placing it against your lower back (remember that with any heat treatment you should never leave on for more than 20 minutes). If you don't have a rice bag available, use a hot washcloth instead. Another way to use moist heat is by filling a large pot of water and setting it on the stove top over high heat. When the water begins to boil, turn off the stove and take off from burner- if not boiling, put back on high heat until boiling again. Take one part salt for every four parts of boiling water and stir until dissolved completely.

3) Cold Pack

If your back pain is throbbing and intense, ice will be the best type of cold pack for you. Simply fill a bag with about two cups of water and put it in the freezer for about an hour before applying it to your back or placing it against your bed sheets. When the ice begins to melt and become warm, you can place another batch in the freezer. This can be done over and over again until you feel relief from your pain. To prevent the cold pack from getting too messy, some people recommend filling a zip-lock bag with water and then freezing it. You can also use peas or corn kernels instead of cubes.

4) Stretching/Strengthening Exercises

One of the most effective ways you can relieve back pain is by working out regularly and stretching. Too many people think that they are too old, don't have time, or have other excuses. All those reasons are just that - excuses! It's never too late to get your body in shape and take care of yourself. This post will outline exercises for both stretching and strengthening so you can start making positive changes in your life today.

5) Rest

-get plenty of sleep 

-watch your diet 

-drink plenty of water 

-avoid sedentary lifestyles 

-add exercise into your daily routine

6) TENS Machine/EMS Unit

 Electrodes placed on the surface of the skin send electricity through a painful area to block pain signals from being sent to the brain. It's effective because it doesn't rely on drugs or surgery. TENS units come in many shapes and sizes and can be used by most anyone who has suffered from chronic back pain.

7) Acupuncture (Safer than taking pain meds!)

Acupuncture involves the insertion of a needle through the skin and in between muscle fibers or other structures. Contrary to popular belief, acupuncture needles do not cause pain. The needle is removed after five minutes and no lasting damage is caused. Recent studies have shown that acupuncture can reduce low back pain by as much as 50%. If you're suffering from back pain at home, you may want to consider consulting an acupuncturist for some relief.