5 Ways to Manage Back Pain

R. Douglas Orr, MD

Orthopaedic Surgeon

Cleveland Clinic Spine Institute at Lutheran Hospital

Back pain is incredibly common. But what do you do once it starts? Here are 5 ways to manage occasional bouts of back pain.

1. Rest (but just a little). If your back hurts, take a rest. Lie down and avoid overusing your back muscles for a while. This doesn't mean stay in bed for a week. In fact, too much rest can make your back pain worse. After a short break, get up, move around, and stretch. You'll find it actually helps reduce that nagging backache.
2. Try medications. There are a wide variety of medications to choose from to treat back pain. Some medications relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and relax muscle spasms. Many are available over-the-counter at your local pharmacy. Prescription medications, on the other hand, require a doctor's prescription. Some medications you can try for back pain: acetaminophen (eg, Tylenol), non-steriodal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (eg, aspirin, ibuprofen), and COX-2 inhibitors (eg, Celebrex).
3. Try cold/heat therapy. Cold therapy can help reduce inflammation, muscle spasm, and pain. Cold therapy may be recommended immediately following a sprain or strain. Apply cold to your back using cold packs, ice cubes, iced towels/compresses, or take a cool bath.

   Heat can also be used to ease muscle tension. Apply heat to your aching back by using a hot compress, a dry or moist heating pad, or hydrotherapy (hot bath). Heat therapy can help decrease muscle spasms, relax tense muscles, relieve pain, and can increase range of motion.

   A good general rule if you are unsure whether heat or cold would be better: Ask yourself, "Does it make my back feel better when I apply it?" If you feel better, then it is working. Remember, never apply cold or heat/hot therapies directly onto your skin. Wrap it in a towel first.

4. Get a massage. Massage is a popular therapy that can help relieve muscle tension, spasms, inflammation, aches, stiffness, and pain. It can also help improve circulation, flexibility, and range of motion. Massage can be administered by a professional (massage therapist) or you can give yourself a mini-massage using hand-held massagers that can help increase blood flow and relieve pain.
5. See your doctor. The most important thing to remember about periodic bouts of back pain is that if they occur more  frequently, increase in duration (more than a few days), or the pain starts to interfere with your usual activities, it's time to see your doctor. It could be more than just a minor strain.

The good news is that most back problems can be treated with non-surgical treatments. Back pain that goes untreated can preogressively get worse, so it's a good idea to deal with your back pain now.