Is there any, ever any radiation of that pain into the buttock, your leg, or down into your feet? If
you see your doctor or physical therapist for low back pain, he or she will review
your medical history and ask a series of questions about your symptoms and daily activities. Often,
we find there's no single injury that causes an episode of back pain. But poor posture during
daily activities, along with fatigue of your core muscles, can lead to repetitive stress on
critical structures of your spine, making it easy for one wrong or sudden move to trigger
an episode. A basic physical exam can also help your doctor better understand your condition,
and usually this is all the information your doctor needs to help you treat your
symptoms. Imaging studies such as X-rays, CT scans, or MRIs are usually not necessary for
your doctor to make decisions about your initial treatment. The good news is that most back pain
will improve in a matter of weeks with basic self-care and exercise. But for many people,
it's hard to imagine moving much less exercising when you're in acute pain. Acute pain is the term
we use for when pain first starts and is particularly intense. Acute pain may occur
immediately after an awkward or sudden movement, like lifting a heavy object,
but it can also occur several days after you've overloaded yourself, seemingly out of nowhere.
When you're feeling acute back pain, the natural response is to protect your back by not moving.
While a brief period of rest may help with severe pain, people who are up and active
actually get better more quickly, have less pain overall, and are less likely to have the back
pain return. If you're in pain now, I encourage you to visit our back care video library. Here,
we have a series of carefully chosen positions of comfort to help you feel better. We've also
included gentle strengthening exercises that will help your back heal more quickly
and prevent re-injury. I can't stress enough how important it is for you to build these exercises
into your daily routine, even after the pain is gone. For acute back, pain most people feel that
ice applied to the back intermittently for a few days may help reduce pain. After that,
you can apply ice or heat to the area, whichever makes you feel better. You can do this several
times a day while your back still hurts. For more information on how and when to ice, check
out the pain relief section of our back care video library. Two over-the-counter anti-inflammatory
medications, ibuprofen and naproxen, can help reduce pain and inflammation. For most people,
taking these medications at the dose indicated on the label relieves their pain and allows them
to continue with their usual activities of daily living. Anti-inflammatory medications
may also allow you to engage in other activities to help with your recovery,
such as stretching and strengthening exercises. It typically takes a few days of using these
medications on a routine basis for them to have their full benefit. Not everyone should
take anti-inflammatory medications. Check with your doctor if you're allergic or pregnant,
if you take blood thinner medications or have ulcers, kidney problems, or other medical
conditions. It's important to remember that just taking pills won't solve the problem. A brief
period of rest and I should help, but you'll find the most relief as you become active and
start doing the exercises and practicing the tips we've provided for you in this program.
As soon as you've begun to manage your pain, it's really important for you to start being
physically active. People who are physically active usually recover faster from back pain
and stay pain-free longer. Now how does that feel? A lot better. Stretching and strengthening
your low back and stabilizing your core, which includes your diaphragm, abdomen, back buttock,
and leg muscles, should speed your recovery. Be sure to visit our back care video library
for some effective ways to build strength and flexibility in your back and core muscles. At
the end of the program, we've also included links to additional resources that can help
you promote healing and ease your pain. This includes information about deep breathing,
walking, and other activities that may help you feel better
Most people find that after a few weeks of self-care, their symptoms will improve and
they're able to get back to their normal activities. If you've tried this program
and your symptoms don't improve or have become worse, please contact your doctor.