HOW
TO MANAGE SIMPLE ACUTE LOW BACK PAIN
80% of people at some point in there life
will experience back pain. Most people
will experience low back in isolation, worse with certain movements and
postures. It is hard to determine the
exact cause however usually it is a “straw that broke the camels back”
scenario. An accumulation of overuse or
underuse of your back can lead to stiffness within the low back joints and
tightness within the muscles. With the
back not moving efficiently the joints can become irritated and occasionally
inflamed, leading to pain. For protection
your back muscles will often spasm and tighten and so the cycle continues. This blog will give you advice on how to
break that cycle and get you back to your day-to-day activities and function.
Low back pain can take 6-8 weeks to settle
however with the correct management techniques you can keep it within the time
frame or even shorter.
INITIAL
PAIN MANAGEMENT
In order to restore movement as quickly as
possible find a way to reduce your pain.
·
Pain Relief
By reducing the pain you will be able to
return to movement much quicker braking the stiffness cycle. Take the fully recommended dose regularly
(normally every 4-6 hours) to stop the pain from getting out of control. Most people find over the counter painkillers
most effective.
When taking medication you may wish to seek
advice from your GP or pharmacist especially if you are already taking other
medications or have medical conditions.
·
Postures
Find positions of comfort. Use pillows behind your back while sitting
and between your knees when lying in bed, walk regularly or simply lying on the
floor. Whatever works for you.
·
Movement
The idea here is to reduce episodes of low
back stiffness. This could be as simple
as walking to the toilet and back. Move
little and often and change position regularly as your pain allows.
·
Use of ice or heat.
Try either over your lower back what ever
gives you the most relief.
Ice can be in the form of frozen vegetables
or an ice pack, make sure you wrap it in a damp towel and don’t use for any
more than 10 minutes every 2 hours. Ice
can burn your skin so be careful.
Hot water bottles or wheat bags covered in
a towel over your low back. Ensure your
skin is protected and place on your back for no more than 20 minutes. Warm baths and showers can also be useful
·
Physiotherapy/Osteopathy
To help guide you further with these
pain-relieving strategies and provide you with exercises and treatment to gain
optimum movement make an appointment with your Physiotherapist or
Osteopath. At Framework we provide
treatment in the form of soft tissue massage, joint mobilizations and home
exercises for mobility. Don’t delay
making that call the sooner we can help to get you moving and back to function
the better!
Do
you need further investigations?
Only in very few cases are x-rays or MRI scans required for
people with low back pain. They don’t
usually help with the management of ordinary low back pain and are therefore
not carried out regularly. Discuss this
with your Physiotherapist or Osteopath if you are concerned.
Experiencing
other types of low back pain?
Our blog content will be expanding. If you are experiencing leg pain related to
your lower back or your low back pain has been around for a long period of time
we will give you advice on how to help manage these. In the meantime contact your Physiotherapist
or Osteopath to ensure we get you on the right path.
Framework Clinics: Bridge of Allan 01786 831100
Tillicoultry
01259 750960
Livingston 01506 202526
