Back pain is common in most adults in the United States. An occasional sore back seems to be a normal part of life. If you pick up a heavy object the wrong way or if you spend too much time sitting, you’ll probably have a stiff and sore back for a few days.
However, there is also chronic back pain that is more intense than usual and affects you for a long time. In these cases, you’ll want to know how to treat your pain so you can resume your normal activities.
Options for back pain treatment without medicine or surgery
Medications usually come with undesirable side effects and can be addictive. Surgical procedures are risky and painful. For these reasons, many people look for solutions for their back pain that are more natural and don’t have negative impacts on the quality of their lives, including:
- Rest — When your back is sore, especially during physically demanding activities, it’s time to take a break and rest. Pushing through the pain doesn’t make you tough, it only leads to you getting more hurt. Make sure you rest in a comfortable position on your back that takes strain and pressure off your spine. If the cause of your pain was a minor tweak or strain, you should feel better after a few days of spending time to rest.
- Exercise — This might seem counterintuitive to resting, but it’s also important to exercise when you have back pain. Gentle stretches and low-demand exercises like walking engage your back and core muscles. This helps the muscles and soft tissue recover from whatever is causing pain while providing more support for your spine and upper body.
- Heating and icing — Icing helps reduce pain and swelling in your back. For the first couple of days when your back is in pain, you should apply ice to it for about 15 minutes. Do this two or three times a day with at least an hour between icing sessions. Icing for too long or too frequently can cause your blood vessels to constrict, which causes more pain.
After a couple of days of icing, you can switch to heating. This will further help to soothe your pain and it helps improve circulation, which allows your blood to deliver more oxygen and nutrients to the recovering area. - Physical therapy — Physical therapists are licensed health care professionals who are skilled in many natural treatments that empower your body to recover from painful conditions and injuries. They can guide you through exercises and stretches and use hands-on techniques to help reduce your back pain and prevent it from affecting you again in the future.
Visit Whatcom Physical Therapy for back pain treatment
Are you tired of a sore and stiff back getting in the way of the activities you want to enjoy? Our team at Whatcom Physical Therapy can help. We specialize in a variety of treatments that help reduce and prevent back pain so you can get back to doing what you love. Contact our team today for more information about back pain treatment or to schedule an initial appointment.
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