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Living with Low Back Pain

Almost everyone has low back pain at some time. The good news is that most low back pain will go away in a few days or weeks with some basic self-care. This includes first aid, self-massage and using heat or ice.

First Aid for Low Back Pain

Self-Massage

Use Heat or Ice to Relieve Low Back Pain

Basic self-care can also help prevent back problems from coming back.

One Man’s Story:

“Some people get better fast, but others take a lot of time. That was my case. If you have back pain, do what you can for it, but don’t be in a hurry. It usually gets better.”—Jack

Ease back into your daily activities

Some people are afraid that doing too much may make their pain worse. In the past, people stayed in bed, thinking this would help their backs. Now experts think that, in most cases, getting back to your normal activities is good for your back, as long as you avoid things that make your pain worse.

For the first day or two of pain, take it easy. But as soon as possible, get back to your normal daily life and activities.

Movement helps your muscles stay strong. Lying down for too long can make your problem worse.

If you are an athlete, return to your activity carefully. Choose a low-impact option until your pain is under control.

Avoid or change activities that cause pain

Try to avoid bending, lifting, or reaching. These movements put extra stress on your back.

When you sit, place a small pillow, a rolled-up towel, or a lumbar roll in the curve of your back for extra support.

When you brush your teeth, put one foot on a stool.

Don’t wear shoes with high heels. Wear low-heeled shoes.

Try different sleeping positions.

If you sleep on your side, try putting a pillow between your knees.

If you sleep on your back, use a pillow under your knees.

You can also try rolling up a small towel and using it to support your lower back.

Pay attention to your body mechanics and posture

Body mechanics are the way you use your body. Posture is the way you sit or stand.

To prevent a return of low back pain, you will need to take extra care when you lift. When you must lift, bend your knees and flex from your hips. Don’t let your spine slump.

Think about your posture, whether you are sitting or standing. Slumping or slouching alone may not cause low back pain. But after the back has been strained or injured, bad posture can make pain worse. “Good posture” generally means your ears, shoulders, and hips are in a straight line. If this posture causes pain, you may have another condition such as a problem with a disc or bones in your back.

Stretch and strengthen your back

When you no longer have acute pain, you may be ready for gentle strengthening exercises for your stomach, back, and legs, and perhaps for some stretching exercises. Exercise may not only help decrease low back pain but also may help you recover faster, prevent reinjury to your back, and reduce the risk of disability from back pain.

Walking is the simplest and perhaps the best exercise for the low back. Your doctor or a physiotherapist can recommend more specific exercises to help your back muscles get stronger. These may include a series of simple exercises called core stabilization. The muscles of your trunk, or core, support your spine. Strengthening these muscles can improve your posture, keep your body in better balance, and decrease your chance of injury.

One Man’s Story:

“I discovered that what you have to do is this: You do as much as you can.”—Robert

Take care of stress

Stress and low back pain can create a vicious circle. You have back pain, and you begin to worry about it. This causes stress, and your back muscles begin to tense. Tense muscles make your back pain worse, and you worry more … which makes your back worse … and so on.

There are lots of ways to teach yourself to relax.

One Woman’s Story:

“I had too much to do and too little time. That means stress. And when I start stressing, my back starts aching. Before I knew it, my back was screaming at me.”—Cathy

Manage your weight

Extra body weight, especially around the waist, may put strain on your back.

If you want to get to a healthy weight and stay there, lifestyle changes will work better than dieting.

Here are the three steps to reaching a healthy weight:

Eat a healthy diet .

You may be tempted to do a diet overhaul and change everything about the way you eat. But you will be more successful at staying with the changes you make if you pick just one eating habit at a time to work on.

Getting plenty of calcium and vitamin D may help prevent osteoporosis, which can lead to compression fractures and low back pain.

Get moving. Try to make physical activity a regular part of your day, just like brushing your teeth. Start small, and build up over time. Moderate activity is safe for most people, but it’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor before you start an exercise program.

Change your thinking. Our thoughts have a lot to do with how we feel and what we do. If you can stop your brain from telling you discouraging things and have it start encouraging you instead, you may be surprised at how much healthier you’ll be—in mind and body.

Quit smoking

People who smoke take longer to heal—from any injury, not just back pain. If you stop smoking, you may feel better sooner. People who smoke are also much more likely to have back pain than people who don’t smoke. This is because the nicotine and other toxins from smoking can keep spinal discs from getting all the nutrients they need from the blood, making disc injury more likely. These discs cushion the bones in your spine. An injured disc can cause low back pain.

Smoking also increases your risk of bone loss (osteoporosis).

For 24/7 nurse advice and general health information call health Link at 8-1-1.

Source: www. myhealth.alberta.ca

Content is authored by Healthwise, Inc. © and is not intended to replace the advice of care you get from your provider or other healthcare professional. Always consult your health professional for medical diagnosis and treatment.

Alberta Health Services offer Alberta Healthy Living Program, which include patient education, disease specific and healthy lifestyle education, supervised exercise programs and self-management workshops in English, Cantonese, Mandarin, Hindi and Punjabi. For more information please go to www.albertahealthservices.ca/cdmcalgaryzone.asp or call 403-943-2584 (English), 403-955-6857 (Cantonese and Mandarin) and 403-955-6856 (Hindi and Punjabi).

Living with Low Back Pain

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