One of the things that most people will not tell you about back pain is that there are things you can do in the comfort of your own home to alleviate the pain. While lifestyle changes are the best long-term solution, there are some natural home remedies that will help.

Do be careful of promises for quick healing. If you are experiencing back pain, odds are that it took a long time to get to this point. These home remedies help, but you need to do more than just treat the pain. There is no quick fix, just a few things to help while you adjust your habits.

Who Can Use These Back Pain Remedies?

Anyone can use these home remedies. Back pain is one of the primary reasons why people missed work, so you will probably be looking for effective home remedies once or twice as an adult.

When It’s Time for a Physician for your Back Pain

It is always a good idea to visit a doctor if you experience recurring or chronic pain. These home remedies will help you if you experience pain regularly. Just be aware that you should seek a professional’s help to solve the root problem.

If you experience back pain with any of the following issues, get to the doctor as quickly as possible:

• Numbness in the legs
• Tingling in the legs
• Stomach issues
• Loss of bladder control
• Loss of bowel control

Back pain with these other problems could be symptoms for something more serious.

Traditional Holistic Treatments for Back Pain

Massages

Often back pain is related to tense muscles. If you have a significant other, ask for a massage to see if that helps to alleviate the pain. This can not only reduce the pain, but it also gives you a little extra time with your significant other.

For the best results, you can watch some videos on how to reduce the pain. The focus for lower back pain is different from the focus of upper back pain. Headaches are usually caused by upper back pain.

 

If you don’t have a significant other or if they are not home when your back hurts, you can get mechanical messages or hire a masseuse. They typically aren’t as effective as a personal massage, but they do relax the muscles.

Hot and Cold Compresses

Depending on the kind of pain you are experiencing, you can apply either a cold or hot compress to the part of your back that hurts.

When to Use a Cold Compress

Cold compresses are a traditional treatment for injuries. The body will rush blood to the location of any injury you sustain. By applying cold to the area shrinks the blood vessels in the area, making it difficult for as much blood to reach the area. This reduces swelling and pain.

You can purchase a wide range of cold compresses that are effective. You can also use a towel and ice, but you will need to be careful not to let the ice touch your skin. Dedicated cold compresses can be worth the costs. They work on any injured site, not just your back.

It is recommended that you leave the cold on for at least 20 minutes. You should not leave it on longer than 40 minutes.

Only use the cold compress within the first 24 hours of sustaining an injury. After that, it will not be effective because the body is no longer sending blood to that area.

When to Use a Hot Compress

Hot compresses do the exact opposite of the cold ones. By warming up an area, you increase the size of the blood vessels. This allows more blood to go to the area, which relieves the tension and the muscles.

Heating pads are incredibly effective for this. However, you do need to be careful when you use them. Never fall asleep on a heating pad. Your skin can be damaged by the excess heat and it can make you feel sore (although relaxing the muscles can also make the area a bit sore).

The recommended length of time for using a heating pad is up to you, but should not exceed one hour. Also, make sure that you do not use something that is too hot.

Topical Remedies

If your instinct is to reach for an over-the-counter pain killer, reconsider these options. When it comes to back pain, applying certain oils directly to your back can be just as effective.

Different oils are effective for different types of pain as well. If you would like to apply oils to the painful areas, it is best to know a bit about what caused your pain. Oils are largely effective against sore muscles. If the source of your pain is something else, these will not be very effective to treat the pain.

The following are the types of oils and when there is a mix of tension and swelling they will be most effective. *Be sure to use proper dilution techniques when applying oils.

• Peppermint oil works to cool aching muscles.
• Helichrysum and marjoram oils can help you reduce muscle spasms and inflammation.
• Lavender, rosemary, yarrow/pomegranate, and eucalyptus oils are great for many things, but both work well to relax muscles, alleviate discomfort, and reduce inflammation.
• Cypress and Sandalwood oils are best for soothing inflammation and reducing muscle spasms.
• Ginger, black pepper, and clove oils are among the most effective oils to relieve discomfort and help you feel more comfortable faster.
• Clary sage and juniper can be used with a massage to help further reduce tension.

Rest, Stretch, and Relax Your Back

Along with massages, this is probably going to be one of your favorite remedies. With as much as we use our backs on a daily basis, they pretty much only get a rest when we sleep. If you get down on the floor and gently stretch out your back, it can help to move the muscles in a way that they don’t over the course of a day.

You should definitely avoid any extra activities, particularly things that will strain your back. Be careful not to overstretch, and do not twist when you stretch your back. This can cause more pain.

There are several yoga poses that can help you stretch your back in ways that will help strengthen your back. This can both reduce pain now and help you avoid it in the future.

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GUEST POST BY:

Dr. Brent Wells

Dr. Wells earned his Bachelors of Science at the University of Nevada and his doctorate from Western States Chiropractic College. In 1998, he founded the Better Health Chiropractic & Physical Rehab to better serve his patients. Dr. Wells is passionate about making sure that patients not only know how to manage the pain but to reduce or eliminate it.

Knowing how impersonal the experience can be, Dr. Wells strives to make a difference in the lives of his patients. As one of the best Anchorage chiropractors, he knows just how important it is to help patients live healthier and to be aware of their habits.

 

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Works Cited

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Low Back Pain Fact Sheet (December 2014). Retrieved April 9, 2019 from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Low-Back-Pain-Fact-Sheet.

Try This: 18 Essential Oils for Sore Muscles. Retrieved on April 11, 2019 from Health Line: https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/essential-oils-for-sore-muscles