The High Cost of Back Pain:
Back pain is an ever-present drain on your energy, outlook and mental health. It interferes with work, social and personal relationships. Sometimes it causes financial distress – and all these can compound your back pain.
In this article, we’ll discuss the best low back pain (LBP) treatments as well as home remedies, methods and movements. Many of the best low back pain remedies and home treatments are time-tested to work AND are no cost, or very low cost.
Many methods are proven to relieve back and body pain by stretching, re-balancing and strengthening your structural alignment and/or muscular support.
Back Pain – Impact on Activities of Daily Living
Researchers report that “probably the most important health outcomes associated with LBP are those that affect everyday performance. Such outcomes include reduction in ‘activities of daily living’ (ADL):
“Furthermore, common mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety, and stress-related disorders, which also often co-occur with LBP can lead to adverse effects on everyday performance and vice versa, can be the consequence of such problems and aggravate LBP…
“…functional independence, work ability and sexual function are essential and probably the most important health outcomes of people with LBP.” (26)
Incidence of Back Pain
Back pain is one of the most common physical ailments. The number of people with chronic back pain has been increasing fast. According to the US National Institutes of Health (NIH): (25)
Between 12 to 33 percent of people experience back pain at any one time.
Think about that for a moment. When you’re at the mall or in a restaurant, between one in every eight (1:8) and one in every three (1:3) people you see around you are actually suffering with a screaming back!
Healing – Best Low Back Pain Remedies
Remember, your body is built to heal itself. It automatically starts to re-balance and return to optimal health. That goes for back pain, too. So it’s crucial that you stop exposing your body to whatever is causing the imbalance and illness, and give your body exactly what it needs to do its healing job.
Sometimes you need to adopt a different lifestyle in order to reduce inflammation. Or you may find relief by practicing any of a variety of alternative treatment methods.
Anna’s Back Pain Story
Anna is a 36 year old accountant who works at a desk all day. Seven months past her 36th birthday, she started to feel a constant ache in her lower back. Anna thought that it was due to sitting in the same chair and in the same position all day. She thought it would eventually go away by itself after a while.
Basically, she just tried to ignore it. But 4 months after the initial onset of her back pain, it started to feel worse.
After not getting much comfort by using over-the-counter pills and even taking a vacation for a week, Anna finally visited her primary care physician. She was referred to a spine specialist for further testing. When no evidence of any structural cause was found in Imaging results, she was happy to exclude those potential causes.
Anna was extremely wary of pharmaceutical drugs and surgical procedures. She wanted to explore non-invasive, less toxic methods first.
How Can I Relieve Lower Back Pain at Home?
Many home remedies and products are proven to provide relief from inflammation that causes back pain. But in reality, there usually is no quick fix long term. No magic potion or pill solves everything.
Pain means that your body is telling you something is wrong – something is out of balance. For you to resolve the pain for the long term, it takes time and attention to healing.
The key to gaining maximum relief is to try several things, find one or more that work, then be consistent – and patient.
Many times, people start one or more pain relieving methods, but they just don’t make it a consistent part of their daily routine. As a result, they miss out on the long term healing benefits.
Home Remedies for Back Pain
Age is often a major culprit in chronic back pain. Over time, the bones and joints in your lower back begin to change and lose elasticity. Sometimes this type of back pain cannot be relieved with medication. In such cases, lifestyle changes are essential to heal your aching back.
A variety of effective low back pain remedies will provide at least some measure of back pain relief. Many of the easiest and most reliable methods of achieving that relief are discussed below. (19)
IMPORTANT NOTE: Be careful. And be sure to try only one at a time, in order to gauge the results from any new method. You want to pinpoint exactly which method delivers which results!
Following are some of the most important and helpful methods to get rid of throbbing, chronic and acute back pain at home.
Better Sleep
With chronic pain, sleeping well for healing and repair can become very challenging. Lack of sleep or low quality sleep often causes more inflammation and more back pain. This vicious cycle continues to add to your misery. According to clinical studies, your sleep position has a significant impact on sleep quality.
A poor sleeping position can easily aggravate your back pain. Make sure your sleeping posture fully supports your spine, neck and head.
With good posture, a good night’s sleep can help you rest and heal, and much needed relief from your back pain. When your sleeping position supports your spine, you are more likely to relieve back pain and get deep, restorative rest.
For the following sleep positions, test pillows with different sizes, contents and firmness. You’ll find that the pillow you need between your knees is much different than the pillow you need under your head – or anywhere else. It all depends on what’s right for YOUR BODY…
Spine Support for Back Sleeping
If you normally sleep on your back, place a pillow under your knees for additional support and a straight spine. A firm (but not too firm) mattress is a very important part of restorative sleep when dealing with back pain issues. (See Left image above.)
Spine Support for Side Sleeping
Lay on your side and place a pillow in between your knees. Be sure that the height of the pillow under your head keeps your spine straight. This supports your spine in a neutral position that alleviates unnatural pressure, a common cause of imbalance and pain. Note: It may be helpful to hug a fluffy pillow to your chest in order to keep your shoulders straight and perpendicular to the bed – not shown in image above. (See Middle image above.)
Spine Support for Stomach Sleeping
Spine support for stomach sleepers involves placing a pillow beneath your stomach and pelvis. (See Right image above.)
Office Chair Ergonomics – Good Posture at Work
Remember when Mother or Grandmother scolded us for slouching? Well, turns out they were right.
Slouching may become a habit that causes back pain, especially if you sit in the same position for hours on end.
- Make sure you set up your desk, computer and office chair with healthy ergonomic angles, as illustrated.
- Sit upright and relax your shoulders.
- Support your lower back (lumbar) against the back of your chair.
- If more lumber support is needed, place a rolled towel or a small pillow between your lower back and your chair.
- Adjust your chair height in order to place your feet comfortably flat on the floor.
- Adjust your desk height so that your arms extend at 45 degrees to the keyboard or desktop.
- And adjust your computer screen height so that your head and neck maintain a straight line with your spine, and your eyes view the screen as shown in the illustration.
NOTE: If you can’t read the screen well after adjusting all angles described above, then you may need glasses or a larger computer screen.
By establishing this optimal chair and desktop ergonomic posture, you may get complete relief from your back pain!
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Product
Aeris Swopper New Edition Ergonomic Stool – Dynamic Office Chair for a Healthy Back
The Aeris Swopper active office chair is ideal for long and concentrated sitting in the office or home office because this active platform never stands still. It finally gives the human body’s natural desire for movement the respect it’s due, even when sitting. It strengthens the back and promotes an upright posture. The grey matter starts firing, and you feel fit and satisfied. All this happens by itself, simply from sitting.
A special upholstery design for extra soft sitting – the Aeris Swopper (Air) provides feather-soft and pressure-relieving sitting comfort thanks to its high-tech upholstery with five finely tuned functional layers and a breathable cover.
Customer Review:
The Germans have done it again, embarrassing Steelcase. This ‘chair’ is an absolute must for any desk worker who wants core strength. I converted from a yoga ball. It’s a must for any knowledge worker with autism, even high functioning folks. Or anyone who craves sensation while stuck at a desk all day. I bounce most of the day. It is so incredibly well built, it feels like a Porsche. The price seems insane, but trust me, you owe it to them. – Dr. James F. Richardson
FAQs – Best Low Back Pain Remedies
What relieves lower back pain?
To relieve lower pack pain, maintain good posture, keep moving, stretch and strengthen, and maintain a healthy weight. Additionally, maintaining good posture with a straight spine, both at work and during sleep, go a long way to healing an aching back.
How can I relieve lower back pain at home?
To relieve lower back pain at home, stay active, be careful with your sleep posture, maintain healthy spine ergonomics when sitting at a computer or desk for long periods, use cold and heat therapies.
What is the fastest way to recover from lower back pain?
To recover fast from low back pain, apply heat or ice on the pain area. Sleep in a position that supports your spine. Set up your desk and computer to maintain healthy ergonomics. Try yoga and spine-support exercises to rebalance and strengthen.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is performed by a trained and licensed practitioner who is knowledgeable about how to correct imbalances in the musculoskeletal system. Physical therapy sessions teach you what part of your body is askew and how to train your body to correct it.
A good physical therapist may offer great help in alleviating back pain. Moving major muscles groups of your body and back, with proper support and alignment, can help strengthen and rebalance your spine and surrounding muscles.
Physical therapists are specially trained to help you to learn and maintain optimal spine posture when sitting, standing and moving. Simple techniques can help you get rid of strain on your back, and teach you how to strengthen your core muscles.
By practicing a few movements for even just a few minutes every day, as prescribed for your individual pain, you can strengthen the core muscles of your abdomen, back and neck. Developing a strong core could also help you avoid future back trauma and pain.
Although it takes time and consistent effort, by enhancing your flexibility, strength and endurance, you can often achieve long lasting relief from chronic back pain.
Product
ProBody Pilates Ball
This exercise balls for working out are made to be burst resistant. Should our workout balls for exercise burst or leak we will gladly support you for the life of the fitness ball. Precaution: Consult a physician before starting an exercise program with this exercise ball. Leave off of finished wood surfaces when not using the ball for exercise.
Customer Review:
It took a little while to inflate, but this is a big ball…in fact, try to inflate it in the room that you will be using it because it’s not getting through the door. Once inflated, though, it’s a very stable, solid ball. I’m using it for exercise & stretching. I broke my back 6 months & this activated my core without angering my injury. I left the ball a little less than full, so it’s a bit squishy, which i’ll probably change. But it looks like this is going to last a while…good product! – Mr. McDonald
Rest and Gentle Movement for Severe Back Pain
For your severely painful back, doctors may prescribe bed rest. And that’s very important during the early stages of pain and inflammation. Rest allows your body to dedicate vital energy to the healing process.
But resting on your back for long periods of time may eventually exacerbate your pain. It is usually important to carefully and slowly begin to move. Movement enhances healthy circulation of blood, lymph and waste – all vital to the process of healing and recovery.
Movement is Healing
Getting up and moving around may be quite challenging when your back is painful. But starting with just a minimal effort might be enough to begin to relieve in your back pain.
When tolerated, try a short walk, yoga, or a water exercise. This will increase circulation which may alleviate the back pain along with strengthening your back muscles.
Water exercise is a great low-impact choice that can help ease muscle tension. Endorphins are released, which are the natural painkillers of the brain.
Regular and continuous exercise can help you prevent future flares of back pain.
Bed Yoga
One approach involves easy movements in bed. A short session of gentle yoga may help ease you into daily movement. Your body will tell you what you can and cannot tolerate.
Be mindful of how each movement feels, and if it causes recurring pain, it may not benefit you. In that case, it’s advisable to stop before you experience greater discomfort.
Bed Yoga: Easy, Healing, Yoga Moves You Can Do in Bed (Absolute Beginner)
Did you know that going through physical movements in your mind’s eye causes your muscles to fire?
It’s super-good for you to start or finish your day with yoga poses in your mind, then moving into a gentle series in bed. Relaxing … and healing!
Greeting the day by waking up slowly, mentally going through a few yoga moves, then engaging in them physically is meditative and mindful. It nurtures you – body, mind and spirit.
Customer Review:
Ayne’s ‘Bed Yoga‘ is a clear, easy to follow description of yoga exercises you can do in bed. Yes, in bed! What I most like about the book is the easy, comforting tone of the book and it’s colorful illustrations. – In Washougal, Washington
Swim or Walk
Increasing your daily movement is the key to increasing circulation and healing. (2)
A relaxing swim could also help you begin to stimulate circulation and provide pain relief. Swimming is considered by many to be the ideal full-body aerobic exercise with the least joint stress.
For those without a pool or water access, a walk is highly recommended, if your pain allows. Start with a short walk in your daily routine – even just to the mailbox, or down the street, or around the block. For winter months in snowy regions, try an indoor treadmill or even a stationery bicycle.
Whatever exercise you choose in order to heal your back pain, make sure you practice it without strain or pain.
Hot & Cold Applications
Icing an injury early has been the traditional wisdom to reduce swelling and inflammation. Clinicians commonly advise applying ice packs several times a day for about 20 minutes per session. Apply ice by filling a plastic bag and wrapping it in a thin towel to protect your skin.
Science supports icing of muscle injuries for a short time immediately after the event:
Icing has traditionally been used to treat such injuries under the premise that it alleviates pain, reduces tissue metabolism, and modifies vascular responses to decrease swelling. – Frontiers in Physiology Journal (27)
After about 48 hours the swelling and inflammation should recede(28). However, science now also reports that:
Prolonged ice application has proven to delay the start of the healing and lengthen the recovery process. – World Journal of Clinical Cases (29)
Many people find that after the initial icing period, it is heat that provides further relief of muscle pain. Indeed, a recent clinical study compared the muscle healing effects of two groups; those treated with heat and a control group not treated with heat. They found that the body’s healing actually started…
regenerating muscle fiber of the heating group earlier than in the non-heating group – Journal of Microscopy and Ultrastructure(30)
Warm water baths can also help relax back muscles. Some folks like to use a heating pad in bed. Make sure to remove your heating pad before going to sleep, to prevent your skin from burning or any other type of tissue damage.
Product
Magic Gel Ice Pack for Back Pain Relief
Spinal therapists recommend using heat and cold packs for therapy as the best way to reduce inflammation. The Magic Gel pad and strap provides compression designed specifically for upper and low back injuries.
Medical studies have shown a cold pack boosts healing and accelerates recovery times. If you are recovering from surgery, struggling with general aches and pains or have spinal or cervical discomfort – this pack and wearable brace will speed up your recovery time and reduce pain.
Customer Review:
Recently bought around Christmas and haven’t used it until I got sick. I wrapped it around my back after warming up both packs. Put one in the pouch and one on my chest. Warmed up every hour and helped tremendously. Also put it over my ear. Yet to use it for my muscles but sciatica is next. Even if it leaks I would purchase another one. To much pressure and to much heat could cause it to leak so keep that in mind. I like the durable belt. Would be a good gift for family and friends. – Caroline Wilde
What is the Fastest Way to Recover from Lower Back Pain?
Achieving natural, long lasting relief from back pain can be a long process. Although it is possible to defeat chronic back pain for a lifetime, the process requires effort. However, physical activities can offer the fastest results in recovery if you are careful and consistent. Following are some of the most highly recommended physical activities that hold promising results for back pain relief(3).
Stretch & Strengthen
Muscles play the most important role in supporting the body. To have a firm and straight back without any lingering pain, it is important to build strong muscles in the core of your abdomen that support your entire musculoskeletal system.
Flexible and strong core and back muscles greatly increase the likelihood of back pain relief and prevention. According to a senior therapist:
A lot of times, I encourage my patients to do some kind of core physical activity the first thing in the morning.
But sometimes, pain patients may not be able to do it in the morning. If not, try to start each day with simple stretching and strengthening exercises. Then later, when your body is warmed enough to support a more rigorous exercise, try to walk briskly or exert more energy with some other type of workout.
Various stretching and strengthening activities will help achieve balance and flexibility in the core muscles around the back, hips and abdomen.
- Yoga and Pilates are among the most promising methods to develop whole-body muscle support. Slow and steady!
- Lying on your abdomen and repeatedly lifting opposite arms and legs upward can also provide relief to your entire upper and lower back.
Whichever technique you use, make sure to follow it consistently and carefully, in order to avoid injury.
Product
Retrospec Solana – Non Slip Exercise Mat
Alleviate pain and stress on joints, neck, back, and knees while finding balance on Solana’s ribbed, no-slip, thick material. BPA free and free of harsh chemicals that ruin the vibe. Solana is your go-to mat from salutations, meditations, and wherever your practice lands from sun up to sundown.
Solana firm 1-inch extra thick fitness mat w/ mat strap alleviates stress on pressure points such as joints, hips, hands, and knees.
Customer Review:
I love that this mat is so thick. It really helps me stay comfortable on my hardwood floors during my at-home yoga sessions. It’s very long too so you’re not sliding off when barefoot or wearing socks. Its also easy to roll up and the strap holds it in place while being easy to carry. 10/10 recommend! – Melanie Richardson
Nutrition Plays an Important Role in Pain Management
According to recent research published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, nutrition is is vital to maintaining a healthy body and avoiding key causes of pain:
A poor nutritional status such as malnutrition, unhealthy dietary behaviors, and a suboptimal dietary intake can play a significant role in the occurrence, development, and prognosis of chronic pain.
“…The relationship between nutrition and chronic pain is complex and may involve many underlying mechanisms such as oxidative stress, inflammation, and glucose metabolism.
“…As such, pain management requires a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach that includes nutrition.” (32)
Weight loss really helps with pain because it reduces the amount of mechanical force on the spine.
Healthy eating can help you reduce and maintain a healthy weight. It also will help reduce the risk of chronic back and body pain. (31)
Avoid Smoking
Smoking can make you about 4 times more prone to disk disorder and other spine problems compared to a non-smoker. Tobacco products, especially nicotine, can cause inflammation and actually weaken the bones in your spine.
Smoke, nicotine and lower oxygen delivery all deplete vital nutrients within the spongy disks of your spine. Nutrients and oxygen provide cushion support to the spongy disks, and a deficiency can damage the whole structure. A healthy spine can keep the back muscles flexible and help avoid stiffness and pain. Spine muscle stiffness is a common cause of back pain.
As a non-smoker, you can decrease back pain by delivering more healing oxygen to all your cells and tissues.
Back Pain FAQs
How can I relieve back pain at home?
There are various home remedies and products that you can use at home to experience relief from your back pain at home. Some of the most important ways:
- Become proactive about your health
- Stretch for flexibility and increased circulation of blood and lymph
- Reduce your stress – physical and emotional
- Use hot and cold packs on pain areas
- Maintain good spine posture – especially when sitting and sleeping
- Enhance lifestyle choices with nutritious food and no alcohol
- Exercise to rebalance and strengthen muscles
- Improve sleep posture and quality
How do you relieve back pain without medicine?
Healthy lifestyle choices and easy home remedies often provide significant pain relief without medication. While the process may be slow, it should be highly effective. In summary, here are some of the best natural ways to increase circulation and reduce inflammation and back pain, without using toxic medications:
- Eat an anti-inflammatory diet with lots of water
- Achieve a healthy weight
- Practice mindfulness
- Minimize stress
- Avoid smoking, alcohol and other toxins
- Ensure good posture
- Move and exercise to stretch and strengthen
- Get plenty of restorative sleep
References
- https://www.webmd.com/back-pain/features/manage-low-back-pain-home
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322582
- https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/ss/slideshow-relieving-back-pain
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3820295/
- https://peerwell.co/blog/can-cbd-marijuana-help-with-musculoskeletal-pain/
- https://cbdfx.com/
- https://www.brainspinesurgery.com/cbd-back-pain/
- https://shop.joyorganics.com/
- https://www.health.com/condition/back-pain/back-pain-relief-nsaids
- https://chiropractorinoviedo.com/blog/what-is-the-best-otc-for-back-pain-relief/
- https://www.webmd.com/back-pain/features/manage-low-back-pain-home
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/home-remedies-for-low-back-pain
- https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/home-remedies-treatments-and-therapies-for-back-pain/
- https://www.ninds.nih.gov/low-back-pain-fact-sheet
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538173/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6851039/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5339266/
- https://medlineplus.gov/ency/imagepages/19396.htm
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8173427/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9272698/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32272032/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36233817/
- https://www.amazon.com
