5 Tips to Relieve Back Pain at Home

It may be possible to relieve your back pain at home, and these five remedies are often effective.

1. Use Heat

There are different ways that you can apply heat to reduce back pain. While there are heating pads that are designed to relieve back pain, a hot shower may be effective as well. Often times, hot baths and hot tubs are even more effective since the water is applied to your back consistently.

Another way to apply heat is to fill a water bottle with hot water and apply it to the affected area of your back. If you are interested in purchasing a heating pad, it’s possible to get one that is either electric or heated in a microwave and applied to the back.

2. Attempt To Exercise Control Over The Brain’s Perception Of Pain

In some cases, perception can have a significant influence over the amount of pain that you perceive. One way to train your brain to reduce your pain levels is to use biofeedback techniques. Biofeedback can be challenging to learn at home without a specialized machine, but biofeedback machines can be purchased for home use.

In addition to biofeedback, you can use other relaxation techniques. One of the most common techniques is slow, deep breathing. There are numerous tapes and online videos that guide you through relaxation techniques for pain reduction. Some relaxation techniques include the use of mental imagery to distract yourself from the pain.

3. Stretch Your Hamstrings

Tight hamstrings are a common cause of back pain. It’s important to stretch your hamstrings at least twice a day if you are suffering from back pain. Always be sure to stretch the hamstrings of both legs. There are many stretches for the hamstrings, but the following are some of the most common ones:

• The Hurdler Stretch: Sit on the floor with one leg extended. Then, bend the other leg and place your foot on the thigh of the extended leg. Extend your arms over the extended leg. Remain in this position for ten seconds.
• The Standing Hamstring Stretch: Stand and place one leg on an elevated surface, such as a curb. Keep the knee of the extended leg straight. Reach upwards. Keep your back straight during the stretch.
• The Towel Hamstring Stretch: Lie down. Place a towel around one of your feet. Grab the towel and sit up. Repeat this three to five times on both legs.

4. Apply Cold To The Area Of Back Pain

One way to apply cold to the area of back pain is to use ice wrapped in a paper towel. However, it’s also possible to use ice packs. It’s important to never keep ice on the area of back pain for longer than ten minutes.

Another way to apply cold to an area of back pain is to purchase a specialized cooling spray for pain relief. Regardless of how you are applying cold to the area of back pain, it should be applied several times a day.

5. Make Sure That You Get A Good Sleep

Most adults require at least 8 hours of sleep each night, but back pain can make it difficult to get to sleep. The lack of sleep often worsens the pain, and this creates a vicious cycle. Your sleeping position can have a significant influence of how well you are able to sleep with back pain. One technique is to add a pillow underneath your legs while you sleep. If you are sleeping on your side, the pillow should be placed between the knees. If you sleep on your back, the pillow should be underneath the knees. If you sleep on your stomach, the pillow should be placed underneath the hips.