You have a sharp, searing pain on your right back side. Do you buy medication? Back pain relief can be gained from medications, but it can also be had without medication.

Natural Remedies

Effective back pain relief is often found in something as simple as an herbal formula or a daily household item. Below are a few natural remedies you may want to try for your aching back.

* Epsom Salt Bath
Primarily natural magnesium sulfate, Epsom salt in a hot bath increases your circulation. It also causes your skin to absorb the salt’s magnesium, which reduces inflammation.

Fill your bathtub with water as hot as you can tolerate. Add 2 cups of Epsom salts. Soak in the bath for 30 minutes.

* Garlic
Garlic is a popular natural remedy for back pain relief. Most people recommend 2 to 3 cloves of fresh garlic each morning. Crush the cloves, and let them stand for 10 minutes before using them.

Avoid offensive”garlic breath” by opting for garlic capsules or tablets instead.

To avoid the risks of a garlic overdose, be sure you choose only one method of taking garlic. For example, do not combine both fresh garlic and capsules. Do not use both tablets and the garlic oil below.

* Garlic Oil
Apply garlic oil to the back for pain relief. To make it, heat 3 Tablespoons of oil over low heat and add 10 garlic cloves. Choose sesame, mustard, or coconut oil. Fry over low heat until your garlic cloves turn light brown. Remove from heat, and let the oil cool completely. Gently rub it into your back, and leave it for 3 hours. At the end of the 3 hours, take a warm bath. Use of the garlic oil once or twice daily for 2 weeks will bring lasting back pain relief.

* Ginger
Fresh ginger root contains 12 different aromatic anti-inflammatory compounds. Choose a piece of ginger root about the size of your thumb. Peel and cut it into thin slices. Immerse the slices in 1 quart of water, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to the lowest simmer possible, and leave for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and allow it to cool, still covered, for 30 minutes more. Strain, and drink ½ to 1 cup of the tea. May be sweetened with honey.

* Lemon Juice
Lemons provide a simple and safe back pain relief remedy. Squeeze the juice from a lemon, mix it with a pinch of table salt, and drink it. Use lemon juice twice a day for back pain relief.

* Mattress
Consider changing your mattress, especially if you have chronic back pain. The unique material of a Tempur mattress reduces the pressure on your back. It molds to the exact shape and position of your body, giving lasting back pain relief. If you try it and don’t get relief, Tempur’s 6-month guarantee will allow you to return the mattress.

Importance of a Back Pain Mattress

Changing your sleeping position may involve purchase of a new mattress. A specially designed back pain mattress can give you the support your back needs, which in turn can improve your sleeping position.

Characteristics of a Back Pain Mattress

A good back pain mattress will have different characteristics, depending on you – the sleeper. Although many people have heard that a hard (firm) back pain mattress is best, a Spanish study suggests that a medium-firm back pain mattress may provide better back support and relief from back pain. Published in The Lancet, the 2005 study evaluated 313 adults with chronic low-back pain that unassociated with other medical conditions. It found that people who slept on the medium-firm mattress for 90 days had less pain in bed, less pain when they got out of bed, and less disability than those sleeping on the firm mattresses.

Personal preferences should ultimately determine which back pain mattress to choose, and you will want to consider its characteristics.

1. Coils and Innersprings – The degree of firmness in your back pain mattress depends on the number of coils or innersprings. A mattress that is too firm exerts additional pressure on the back.

2. Padding – Padding provides comfort in a back pain mattress. It can range from 7 to 18 inches deep. A well-padded mattress can add comfort to medium-firm support.

3. Foam Overlay – Therapeutic memory foam (slow-recovery foam) is sometimes layered over firmer foam. Made for NASA by Tempur-Pedic, therapeutic memory foam relieves the take-off pressure on astronauts’ backs by molding to the body, supporting the back. The right back pain mattress for you may have this therapeutic foam on top.

4. Latex Foam - Unlike innerspring mattresses, latex foam never loses its ability to bounce back and give correct support. As a back pain mattress, it seems to last longer than all but the therapeutic foam.

Pillows

In addition to a good back pain mattress, you may need a different pillow. Many people with back pain find it difficult to sleep flat on their backs. Although there is no one sleep position that fits all, you may want to lie on your side, with your legs bent. A therapeutic memory foam pillow, contoured to the neck, should be placed under the head, not the shoulders. Avoid over-stuffed or very soft pillows that place the head in a forced position.

Time for a New Mattress?

Some experts say back pain can be a simple matter of a worn-out mattress. Your body will likely tell you when it’s time for a new back pain mattress, but here are some clues. You regularly wake up feeling stiff and sore. You aren’t sleeping as well as you did a year ago, and there is no apparent physical cause. You haven’t checked your mattress in 6 months for visible signs of wear and tear. You suspect a new mattress would improve your sleep.

Choosing a Back Pain Mattress

According to the Better Sleep Council, the best way to try a mattress is to take the “SLEEP Test”:

* Select a possible back pain mattress
* Lie on it in your favorite sleep position
* Evaluate how much support and comfort it gives you
* Educate yourself and compare options
* Partners who sleep together should try mattresses together

Test drive mattresses as freely as you test drive cars. Lie down on them for several minutes. It’s the only way to tell if a given back pain mattress is right for you.

Simple lower back pain, the most common type, is often caused by things that can be avoided. This kind of back pain is due to strained muscles, tendons, or ligaments in the lower back. The strains are the result of heavy or awkward activity – especially unaccustomed activity.

We offer below 7 back pain prevention steps you can take to avoid having back pain in the future. You may need to practice several or all of them.

Back Pain Prevention #1

The most effective back pain prevention is regular exercise to strengthen the body’s core muscles. On this website, we offer exercises that will help prevent back pain. Stretching and flexibility exercises should be done at least three times a week to prevent back pain.

Back Pain Prevention #2

The simple act of lifting heavy objects properly is easy back pain prevention. Never bend over the object to lift. Stand beside the object and bend your knees. Lift by straightening your legs, letting them do the lifting as you return to a standing position. Do not twist you body as you lift. Such action is the most common cause of a slipped disc in the spinal column.

Back Pain Prevention #3

When moving heavy objects, push instead of pulling. Pushing is less stressful than pulling and can often avoid back pain. If possible, get help when moving heavy objects. Be sure anyone lifting an object to be moved does so as described above. When carrying or replacing a heavy object, avoid twisting the back and you will prevent back pain.

Back Pain Prevention #4

Prevent back pain when doing routine activities. If you are standing bent over even slightly, place one foot on a slightly higher object. If gardening, place a small brick or rock under one foot. If filing in an office, or washing dishes at home, place a book or small stool under one foot. This will relieve back strain and avoid back pain. When vacuuming or raking, try to move your whole body. Use your legs to push or pull.

Back Pain Prevention #5

Preventing or overcoming obesity is another step toward back pain prevention. Extra weight strains the back. Diet, if necessary, and exercise to strengthen muscles while losing excess weight. Ask your physician about adding calcium and vitamin D supplements to your diet to build healthy and strong bones. Prevention of osteoporosis will prevent bone fractures and back pain.

Back Pain Prevention #6

Prevent back pain at work or when driving by avoiding prolonged sitting. Get up and move around. Stand and work for short parts of every hour. When traveling, take time to stop and walk around for a few minutes. Stretching your muscles and improving blood flow to your lower body will be good for back pain prevention and will make you more alert.

Back Pain Prevention #7

Back pain prevention may require changing your sleeping position. Just two sleeping positions are thought to be best for the back. Sleep on your side with our legs bent. Or sleep on your back with a pillow under your knees. A firm mattress is usually considered best for back pain prevention.

CAUTION: The writer is not a licensed professional, and offers the above information for educational purposes only. Please see your physician for advice regarding back pain.

Back pain not only attacks while preparing to move, but is also aggravated if you then drive for several hours. You may feel it as you drive. You may sense it when you stop. You are sure to know about back pain the following morning.

Relief While You Heal

You back will likely heal without a surgeon’s intervention. While it heals, you can relieve back pain with a variety of techniques.

For most back pain, a program of rest, hot and cold compresses, exercise, therapy, and pain medication, will relieve pain while you heal.

Rest: You need rest when you have back pain to allow your body to heal. Complete rest is a mistake, however. It is important to maintain as much of your normal activity as is comfortable. When you get up and move around, you ease stiffness and relieve back pain.

Compresses: Both heat and cold can help in relieving back pain. Each can be used separately. For greater relief, alternate 20 to 30 minutes of heat with 20 to 30 minutes of cold.

* Heat relaxes back muscles by dilating blood vessels. The dilated vessels supply more oxygen to the affected area, which reduces muscle spasms and relieves the back pain. Use a heating pad on medium high setting, or a hot compress from a first aid kit. Be careful when applying heat to your lower back. Prolonged periods of constant heat to the lower back region can adversely affect organs in the abdominal area. Do not sleep with a heating pad on your back. Do not apply heat more than 20 to 30 minutes at a time.

* Cold reduces the inflammation of back pain. Injury or arthritis usually have inflammation, and cold decreases the blood vessel size, decreasing blood flow to the area. Applying cold compresses or ice packs to the back pain area is helpful. If you have no regular ice pack such as is sold in pharmacies, wrap a bag of ice, or a bag of frozen peas, in a towel and apply it to the back pain. Do not apply to bare skin, and do not apply more than 20 to 30 minutes at a time.

* Alternating heat and cold is probably the best way to relieve back pain. Each has its purpose, and you will benefit from both.

Exercise: Stretching exercises are important, even though you may feel as though you don’t want to move when you have back pain. Exercises reduce stiffness, and may relieve compression on the spine. Exercises will also strengthen core muscles to prevent further injury and back pain.

Therapy: If your back pain is severe, your doctor may recommend physical therapy. This will include exercises, and massage to relieve the back pain. Massage is used as an attempt to stimulate blood flow to the affected area, and relax back muscles.

Pain Medication: Finally, you may want to use non-prescription pain medication for back pain. Medications such as aspirin and acetaminophen are meant for general back pain relief.

CAUTION: The foregoing information is for educational purposes only. Please see your doctor if your back pain remains after a couple of weeks, or if you have other accompanying symptoms.

Back Pain Relief

Back pain relief can often be as simple as massage therapy. Massage is a good option for back pain relief for a number of reasons.

* Massage is a non-invasive treatment for back pain relief.
* It is considered a very low risk for most people.
* It can increase blood flow and circulation to the area of back pain.
* It decreases tension in the muscles, reducing back pain.
* It can improve sleep.
* It is relaxing as well as physically beneficial.
* It has psychological benefits, as it releases endorphins.

Registered Massage Therapists

Registered massage therapists are trained to assess and diagnose soft tissue and joint injuries. They treat back pain with a blend of modern science and ancient philosophies.

Massage therapy is becoming more widely accepted in the medical community as a credible treatment for many types of back pain. Studies have shown that massage therapy can benefit back pain sufferers who have arthritis, fibromyalgia, sports injuries, and carious other soft tissue sprains and strains.

Estimates indicate that 75 percent of health care providers have sent back pain patients to registered massage therapists.

Why Massage Therapy Helps

Most episodes of acute lower back pain are caused by muscle strain. The sufferer may have lifted a heavy object, or twisted in moving something. The back pain may be a result of a traumatic injury such as a fall. Back pain can be very severe, and last from several hours to several weeks.

When back muscles are strained or torn, they can become inflamed. The inflammation can then cause muscles to spasm. This triggers lower back pain, and makes movement difficult.

Massage therapy can work out the spasm and irritation that are causing back pain. It can improve range of motion also.

Spinal Arthritis

In spinal arthritis, the joints of the spine become inflamed. Cartilage may begin to break down between aligning facet joints. As the facet joints become inflamed, they create frictional back pain, bone rubbing on bone. Massage therapy can help reduce osteoarthritis pain by improving circulation and reducing stress and muscle tension.

CAUTION: Although massage therapy is relatively safe, it is always advisable to check with your physician before undergoing any back pain relief treatment. Massage may not be suitable for your back pain condition.