BACK PAIN TREATMENT

Ow, my back hurts!' How many of us wish we never had to utter those words again?Take it easy for a couple of days while taking some ibuprofen or bed) naproxen sodium to ease swelling and relieve the pain. Also try the fast-acting solutions below — especially ice and heat — for immediate relief. Then, as soon as be, slowly get moving again. When your back is feeling moderately better, do the stretching and strengthening exercises starting  — every day without fail — and in your to six weeks your back should be back in action.

Ice first, heat later 

• As a pain reliever, ice works really well. It temporarily blocks pain signals and helps to reduce swelling. Several times a day, place an ice pack wrapped in a towel on the painful area for op to 20 minutes. Alternatively, you can use a bag of frozen peas. During the first few days of home treatment, apply the ke pack as often as necessary. Later, you may still want to use Ice after exercise or any physical activity.

• After about 48 hours, switch to moist heat to stimulate hood flow and reduce painful spasms. Dip a towel in very warm water, wring it out, then flatten and fold it. Lie on your stomach with pillows under your hips and ankles. Place the rowel across the painful area, cover the towel with cling film, then put a heating pad — set on medium — on top of the film. haze it on for up to 20 minutes.You can repeat this three or &or times a day for several days.

Rub in some relief  

• Ask a partner or close friend to massage the aching area. If you want to use a cream or ointment sold as a 'back rub', then do so, but with care — these topical creams tend to cause skin irritation after a few applications. For a simple back-massage ad, stuff several tennis balls into a long sock, tie the end of the sock, and ask your partner to roll it up and down your back.

• Rub on an old-fashioned liniment. Choose a cream containing methyl, diethylamine or glycol salicylate. All are similar and have pain relieving properties. Examples include Algesal cream, Radian B Muscle Lotion and Heat Spray, Deep Heat Maximum Strength Cream and Ralgex Heat Spray and Stick. The creams, known as counter-irritants, stimulate nerve endings in the skin, distracting you from deeper pain. When you use them, you're also giving yourself a massage — and the hands-on pressure combined with the surface action provides a double benefit. (Alert Do not use a liniment if you are also using heating pads or hot compresses on the area.)

• Your doctor may be prepared to prescribe a cream that contains capsaicin — the heat-producing substance in hot chilli peppers. Applied to your skin, capsaicin depletes nerve endings of a neurochemical called substance P. Researchers have found that substance P is essential for transmitting pain sensations to the brain, so when there's less substance P in circulation, the pain is reduced. You may have to use the cream for several weeks to feel the full effect. Stop using it if you begin to feel any skin irritation. (Note The creams — under the brand names Axsain and Zacin — are available on prescription only)

Try these herbal soothers 

• Take up to 500mg of bromelain three times a day on an empty stomach. Derived from pineapples, this enzyme promotes circulation, reduces swelling and helps your body to reabsorb the byproducts of inflammation. To achieve a strong therapeutic effect, look for a strength of at least 2000 MCU (milk-clotting units) per gram. (Alert Because bromelain is a blood thinner, it should be avoided by anyone taking anti-coagulant drugs.)

• Try taking one 250mg capsule of valerian four times a day. Some scientists claim that this herb's active ingredient interacts with receptors in the brain to cause a sedating effect. Although sedatives are not generally recommended, valerian is much milder than any pharmaceutical product. (Valerian can also be made into a tea, but the smell is so strong — reminiscent of overused gym socks — that capsules are vastly preferable.)

Perfect your posture

 

• Look for the posture that puts the least stress on your back. Stand up straight with your weight evenly balanced on both feet. Tilt your pelvis forwards, then back, exaggerating the movement. Then settle into the position that feels most comfortable. Now 'work your way up' your back, focusing on one area at a time. First concentrate on the area near your waist, then your chest area and finally your neck and shoulders. Try to feel which position is most comfortable and least stressful.This is the position to maintain when you're standing, walking and beginning or ending any exercise.

• When you're sleeping, lie on your back or your side (unless you have sciatica). If you're more comfortable on your back, place a pillow under your knees as well as under your head to relieve pressure on your lower back. If you prefer to sleep on your side, place a pillow between your legs. If you have sciatica, the recommended position is on your stomach.

• If you like to sit up in bed to read or watch television, buy a large foam wedge that supports your upper body in a comfortable position. For added comfort — and to keep your neck in the proper position — use a foam or inflatable neck support when you are sitting up.

• When you are sitting on a chair at the office or at home, keep your feet flat on the floor, with your hips slightly higher than your knees. Use a lumbar support behind your lower back. The lumbar roll is a chair's-width foam cylinder about 12cm (5in) in diameter.You can improvise with a rolled-up towel, but the foam version is lighter, easier to position and usually has straps that attach it to the back of the chair.

• Try and stay out of the car, but if you must drive, place a foam wedge behind your lower back.

• If you're accustomed to walking around with a wallet in your hip pocket, take it out whenever you're sitting. Even though it feels like a small lump, it's big enough to tilt your backside, throwing your spine ever so slightly out of alignment.

• When you're standing at the sink doing dishes, or waiting in a bus queue, raise one foot higher than the other. In the kitchen, keep a low sturdy box or a couple of old books by the sink, and put up a foot while you're standing there. Waiting in a queue, use a step or curb. (Think of the traditional brass rail in a public house, which serves the same purpose.) Periodically change position by putting up the opposite foot. This shifting of weight gives alternating back muscles a chance to relax.

Rise and shine 

• Each morning before you get out of bed, lie on your back and slowly stretch your arms overhead. Gently pull your knees to your chest, one at a time. To get up, roll to the edge of your bed, turn on your side, put your knees over the edge, and use one arm to push yourself up as you let your feet swing to the floor. Once you're on your feet, put your hands on your buttocks and lean back very slowly to stretch out your spine.