If you’re looking to learn how to relieve low back pain, you’ve come to the right place.
From the daily ache to the serious “uh oh” version, dealing with low back pain can leave you in a constant state of fatigue and worry. It can zap your motivation and rob you of your energy.
For low back pain sufferers, trying to find a comfortable sitting position feels like a Cirque du Soleil performance. The simple task of picking something up becomes an Everest-like challenge. The daily physical and emotional exhaustion impacts your work performance and social life..
Wouldn’t it be great to rid yourself of the constant fatigue and anxiety, and reclaim the quality of life you deserve? Imagine how it will feel to get back to doing the activities you love, without pain?
If you want to learn how to rid yourself of that pain, then let’s get started!
What are the most common lower back pain causes?
According to a Georgetown University report, nearly 65 million Americans have recently experienced back pain. Studies have found that nearly 80% of Americans will encounter back pain, while certain sedentary professions see rates as high as 85%.
The two categories of back pain are chronic and acute pain. Acute, with its rapid onset and magnified intensity, is often the result of an injury. Chronic low back pain takes time to develop. Frequently, this is due to excessive wear and tear or structural imbalances over time.
It is the complexity of the low back structure that leaves it susceptible to injury. You have 5 lumbar vertebrae, the pelvis, 5 main spinal ligaments, 5 lumbar and 5 sacral spinal nerves, several layers of fascial tissue, and over 30 spinal muscles. These must all work together to help you lift, move, and remain upright. When breakdowns in this synergism occur, injuries can happen.
Common causes of low back pain include:
- Prolonged sitting
- Improper lifting mechanics
- Obesity
- Low back weakness
- Acute injury
- Excessive wear and tear
- Muscular imbalances
- Vitamin D deficiency
- Sitting combined with vibration
Relieving lower back pain at home: 7 strategies
Strategy 1: Find quick relief and comfort From the Floor
From NFL stars and military personnel, to golf legends and celebrities, the Egoscue Static Back has become an essential tool in the battle against back pain. Created by fascial tissue and posture expert Pete Egoscue, this exercise allows gravity to passively realign your pelvis and spine.
Lie flat on your back on a hard surface, mat or carpet. Position your feet and calves up on a chair, couch, or automan. Bend your knees and hips to ninety degrees. Keeping your arms down by your sides, rotate your hands outward with your palms up and thumbs facing away. Keeping your head down and back flat, lay there for 20-30 minutes. A quick word of caution; make sure to get up slowly. Click here for the free tutorial video.
Strategy 2: Gravity-proof your posture
Have you ever noticed how you are often injured more on one side of your body vs the other? Or, did you notice that you didn’t recover 100% from an injury?
This stems from a disruption in the signals from the brain to the body, and vice versa. When these signals are inhibited, your body compensates. One way your body compensates is by altering your posture.
Think of upright posture in terms of how you fight gravity. If one of your hips is rotated or shifted upward, your torso compensates by shifting or twisting. Combine this with rounded shoulders or forward head tilt, and you are now using more energy to stand upright.
When you use more energy fighting gravity at rest, you are robbing your brain of the energy it needs for daily function. Forward head, hunched posture is also linked to higher stress hormone levels, poor breathing mechanics, and elevated blood pressure.
Eye training exercises called pursuits and saccades are an effective method for restoring brain-body connections. Providing frequency stimulation through the bottom of your feet is another method. Specialty insoles stimulate receptors on the bottoms of the feet. These then communicate with the brain to restore and readjust posture. For the best resource on this fascinating topic, check out the free videos on PosturePro here.
Strategy 3: Heal your back while you sleep
If you aren’t sleeping well, chances are you aren’t recovering well either. Understanding how to relieve low back pain is critical to your healing process.
Studies have shown that sleep plays a major role in the regeneration of damaged tissue. Growth hormone, one of your body’s major repair and recovery hormones, is secreted during deep sleep. The building hormone testosterone and the inflammation-regulating hormone prolactin are also influenced by sleep.
While in the deepest stages of sleep, your muscles are relaxed. This allows for increased nutrient-rich blood flow to the damaged areas.
Some good tips on restoring sleep include:
- Turn off your phone, computer, or tablet an hour before to going to bed
- Do not eat within 3 hours of bedtime
- Abstain from alcohol and caffeine
- Take Magnesium before bed
- Drink chamomile and lavender tea before bed
- Turn down the temp in your room
Strategy 4: Strengthen your with these lower back pain relief exercises
Dr. Stuart McGill is regarded as one of the foremost experts in the world on low back pain. Years ago, he did some research to determine the best low back pain exercises. He found three exercises that target the weakest links. These are now referred to as the “McGill Big 3”.
Start on your hands and knees. Your hands should be directly below your shoulders and knees directly below your hips. Tighten your abdomen as if bracing for a punch.
While holding your stomach in this position, extend one arm in the air in front of you and the opposite leg in the air behind you. Hold for 1-2 seconds and return to the start position. Perform the same movement with the other arm and leg. Dr. Mcgill recommends 6 repetitions per side.
Start by laying on your back. Position your hands under your low back with one leg straight and the other leg bent. The foot of the bent leg should be flat on the ground.
Similar to the bird dog, tighten your abdomen as if bracing for a punch. While flexing your abdomen, raise your head and shoulders blades a half inch to an inch off the ground. Hold this position for 1-2 seconds then return to start. Perform 2-6 reps per leg.
Lay on your side with your same side elbow, forearm, knee, and hip touching the ground. Keeping both knees stacked on top of each other, raise your hips off the ground. Raise until you have a straight line from shoulder to hip to knee.
Hold this position for 1-3 seconds and return to start. Make sure to perform the same amount of reps on both sides.
Strategy 5: Cool off, then heat up
As a general rule, use ice if your back pain is the result of an acute injury. The goal is to get the swelling and inflammation down as soon as possible.
Once the inflammation has subsided, feel free to use heat. This will increase circulation back to the area. The surge in blood flow loosens the muscles and brings nutrients needed for recovery.
If you have chronic low back pain, cold water immersion followed by a sauna can be effective. Alternating between the two improves recovery by elevating growth hormone, lowering cortisol, and increasing circulation.
Strategy 6: These lower back stretches will alleviate your pain fast
Stretching lengthens tight muscles, restores joint range of motion, and improves circulation. If you do it before bed, it also helps you relax and sleep better. Below are three quick and effective stretches you need to add to your routine today.
Stand facing a hip-height countertop or table. Place your hands on the surface. Keeping your hands anchored where they are, begin stepping backward, leaning forward until your arms are straight and torso parallel to the floor.
Maintaining a flat back, begin straightening your legs. Focus on lightly pulling your body away from the counter. You will feel a stretch in your hamstrings and low back. Hold the stretch for 30-60 seconds.
Created by Osteopath Guy Voyer, ELDOA is a stretching method that targets low back pain by decompressing specific segments of the spine.
To perform the ELDOA L5-S1 Wall Stretch, sit sideways against a wall with your butt as close to the wall as possible. Keeping your butt close to the wall, rotate your feet up onto the wall and lay on your back.
With your legs straight, feet pulled back toward you, and big toes touching, reach both arms out over your head. Focus on pressing your arms and heels away from you, while keeping your head neutral. Hold this position for 60 seconds.
This stretch has been referred to as the “one stretch that can undo a day’s worth of sitting.”
Stand facing a table or countertop. Bend your right knee. Place the outside of your right thigh on the table with calf, ankle, and foot resting on the surface. If you have knee problems, try to find a comfortable knee angle or forgo the stretch..
Once you have found a comfortable position, sink your torso forward. You will feel a stretch in the muscles on the outside of your right leg. Hold for 30-60 seconds and switch legs.
Strategy 7: Invest in tried-and-true lower back pain relief products
Walk through the pain management aisle of any large chain pharmacy store. Here you will find countless products, with many targeting low back pain. With so many choices, how do you know which ones work?
Self-experimentation can result in an empty wallet and a closet shelf filled with useless items.
A few tried and true lower back pain relief products that have worked for years include:
- Lacrosse Ball
The soft tissue that surrounds your muscles is called fascia. This can become knotted or bunched up. Think of it like lumpy pizza dough that needs to be flattened out.
When the fascia becomes knotted, you can develop painful adhesions and trigger points. Applying pressure to these adhesions with a lacrosse ball can loosen them up and decrease the pain.
- Massage Gun
Percussion therapy has been used as a method for releasing muscle tension and improving circulation since the 1800’s. Early handheld units were developed in the 1970’s, but these were reserved for chiropractors and PT’s only.
With modern technology, these are now available for consumer home use. When using the gun, find an intensity setting that feels comfortable. Apply pressure to each tension area and hold for 10 seconds.
- Supplements:
- Vitamin D: A deficiency in this fat-soluble vitamin has been linked to low back pain, including worsening of low back problems…
- Turmeric: Turmeric is a potent antioxidant spice that contains a compound called circumen. Studies have shown that circumen has significant anti-inflammatory properties, capable of reducing low back pain and aiding the healing process.
- Proteolytic Enzymes: Naturally occurring enzymes from plant and insect sources including bromelain, papain, and serrapeptase. Research has found these enzymes can decrease inflammation, significantly reduce pain scores, and improve overall quality of life.
- Omega-3 Fatty acids: Often referred to as fish oil, Omega-3 fatty acids have been linked to significant reductions in low back pain and inflammation. They have also been found to play aid in preventing disc degeneration.
- Magnesium: Supplementing with the mineral magnesium can improve low back health by relaxing muscle spasms, strengthening bones, and increasing spinal mobility..
- Portable STIM Unit
A study out of King’s College found that low frequency stimulation led to a temporary decrease in subject’s perceived low back pain ratings.
Portable STIM units can provide temporary pain relief by sending small electrical impulses to the affected areas. This can dampen the intensity of the pain signals sent from the body to the brain.
When should you seek medical help?
If the pain or discomfort is limiting your ability to move, work, or sleep and does not go away after rest and treatment, it may be time to see the doctor. Your doctor can send you for X-Rays, MRI, CT Scan, UltraSound, Bone Scan, or Discography.
For discomfort and inflammation your doctor may prescribe you physical therapy, pain relief, muscle relaxant, or anti-inflammatory medication. Consulting a spine specialist or chiropractor is another viable option.
FAQ?
What is the fastest way to cure lower back pain?
There is no single fastest way to cure low back pain. Many of the strategies in this post have been shown to be quick, safe, and effective methods for reducing pain. Finding which ones work best for you and sticking with them can pay off in the long run.
Is it better to sit or lay down with lower back pain?
Lying down on your side or back can relieve pressure on the spine, while sitting can increase this pressure by roughly 30%
Put the pain behind you and get back to the activities you love
Now that you’ve learned the causes and how to relieve lower back pain, it’s time to put your knowledge to the test. Imagine freeing yourself of the physical and emotional drain of dealing with chronic low back pain?
Starting your day off with the constant fear of the paralyzing pain will be a thing of the past. Gone will be the days of walking on eggshells to avoid activities that cause pain. No more missed work days because you couldn’t get out of bed.
Picture getting back to doing the activities in life you love, pain-free. Imagine the quality of your life when your constant worry is replaced by painless movement and boundless energy. Envision jumping out of bed each morning with renewed vigor to tackle the day.
It’s time to get back into the game of life and start moving again!
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