Back-Pain-14 Ways to Keep Back Pain at Bay

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Back-Pain-14 Ways to Keep Back Pain at Bay

Maybe you lifted something heavy or swung a golf

club a little too enthusiastically. Or maybe you've

been sitting in an uncomfortable desk chair for two

weeks, sweating over a deadline. Whatever the reason,

now you're flat on your back, wishing for something--

anything--that will put an end to the agony. Take

heart--you're not alone. Almost every American

suffers from back pain at some point in his or her life.

The bad news is that unless you have a major injury

or disc problem, your doctor may not be able to do

much for you other than prescribe some pain

medication and advise you to rest. The good news is

that by following some simple steps, you can be on

your feet again in just a few days. Even better, you

can avoid having to endure similar discomfort in the

future.

Go to bed.

"Bed rest is a way of removing the strain from the

muscles," says Daniel S. J. Choy, M.D., director of

the Laser Laboratory at St. Luke's--Roosevelt

Hospital Center and an assistant clinical professor of

medicine at Columbia University College of

Physicians and Surgeons in New York. "The back

muscles' job is to hold you erect. If you lie down, it

takes the stress off of the muscles." The best way to

lie is flat on your back with two pillows underneath

your knees. Never lie facedown, Choy says, since this

position forces you to twist your head to breathe and

may cause neck pain. Make an effort to get up and

start moving around after three days, since longer

periods of bed rest may make the muscles weaker and

more prone to strain, he adds.

Ice it.

Applying an ice pack to the painful area within 24

hours of the injury can help keep inflammation and

discomfort to a minimum, according to Willibald

Nagler, M.D., Anne and Jerome Fisher Physiatrist-in-

Chief and chairman of the Department of

Rehabilitation Medicine at The New York Hospital--

Cornell Medical Center in New York. "Ice does one

thing--it decreases the nerve's ability to conduct a

painful stimulus," he says. Nagler suggests wrapping

ice cubes in a plastic bag, then applying the bag on

top of a thin towel that has been placed on the skin.

Leave the ice pack on for 20 minutes, take it off for

30 minutes, then replace it for another 20 minutes, he

says.

Take a hot bath.

If more than 24 hours have passed since the injury

occurred, ice will not help reduce pain or

inflammation. After that time, heat may help increase

the elasticity of the muscles by about ten percent,

Nagler says. Jerold Lancourt, M.D., an orthopedic

surgeon at North Dallas Orthopedics & Rehabilitation,

P.A., in Dallas, tells his patients to soak in a hot bath

for 20 minutes or more. Pregnant women, however,

should not sit in a hot bath for too long, since raising

the body temperature over 100 degrees Fahrenheit for

long periods may cause birth defects or miscarriage.

Invest in a new mattress.

A soft, sagging mattress may contribute to the

development of back problems or worsen an existing

problem, according to Henry J. Bienert, Jr., M.D., an

orthopedic surgeon at Tulane University School of

Medicine in New Orleans. If a new mattress is not in

your budget, however, a three-quarter-inch-thick

piece of plywood placed between the mattress and

box spring may help somewhat. "The verdict's not

back yet on water beds," he adds. In any case, try to

sleep on your back with two pillows underneath your

knees.

Get a massage.

If you're lucky enough to have an accommodating

spouse, friend, or roommate, ask him or her to give

you a rubdown. "Lie face-down and have someone

knead the muscles," Choy says. Local massage

therapists may also make house calls. You can check

the yellow pages for listings or ask a friend for a

referral.

Relax.

Much back pain is the result of muscles made tight by

emotional tension, Lancourt says. He recommends

that his patients practice relaxation and deepbreathing

exercises, such as closing their eyes,

breathing deeply, and counting backward from 100.

Take two aspirin.

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, according to Lancourt.

"Any medicine should be taken with knowledge of its

side effects," he says. "Make sure to get the advice of

your doctor."

Use a cushion.

"The seats of most cars and trucks are not well

designed," Choy says. "They should support the small

of your back." If your seat doesn't, Choy suggests that

you buy a small cushion that can be fitted to provide

the missing support. He adds that the most desirable

sitting position is not one in which your back is

straight up and down. It's better to be leaning back at

an angle of about 110 degrees. If you sit for long

hours, Choy also recommends that you periodically

get up and walk around.

Put your arm behind your back.

If you have to sit for long periods in a chair that

doesn't support your lower back and you don't have a

cushion, try rolling up a towel or sweater so that it has

about the same circumference as your forearm. Then

slide the rolled-up cloth between your lower back and

the chair, recommends Billy Glisan, M.S., an exercise

physiologist and the director of injury prevention

programs for the Texas Back Institute in Dallas. In a

pinch, you can simply slide your forearm between

your lower back and the back of the chair to ease the

strain on your back. Even with the best back support,

however, sitting is still stressful on your back, so try

to make small adjustments in the curvature of your

lower back every few minutes or so, advises Glisan.

Swim.

Swimming is the best aerobic exercise for a bad back,

according to Choy. Doing laps in the pool can help

tone and tighten the muscles of the back and abdomen.

Walking is second best, he says. You can also try the

Extra! Extra! - "Back-Saving Exercises."

Lift with your knees bent.

The large muscles of your legs and buttocks are better

equipped to bear heavy weights than your back

muscles are, according to Bienert. "Pretend you have

a goldfish bowl filled with water on the top of your

head," he says. "When you squat down to pick

something up, don't spill a drop." Bienert also

recommends strengthening leg and buttock muscles to

facilitate squatting.

Carry objects close to your body.

When picking up and carrying heavy objects, pull in

your elbows and hold the object close to your body,

Choy recommends. "If you have to reach something

on a shelf, get right under it and rest it on your head,"

he says. "Then, the weight is carried by the erect

spine, and you don't ask as much of your muscles."

Stay alert.

Careless activity is the number-one cause of back

injury, according to Lancourt. "If you have had

previous back pain, be very careful," he says. "Avoid

bending and twisting and lifting. Avoid being caught

off guard. Sometimes it's better to hire somebody to

do things, such as yard work or carrying heavy

suitcases, than to hurt yourself and miss three months

of work."

Watch your weight.

Maintaining your ideal weight may help take the

strain off the back muscles, according to Bienert.

"The less you have to carry, the less load you have,"

he says. "Secondly, when you gain weight in your

abdomen, you may become sway-backed, which can

accentuate back pain.