Putting an ice pack or a hot compress on the affected area every 10 to 15 minutes is one of the pain management tips that you can do in almost any pain or injury. You can experiment on hot and cold compress to identify which one works better for your back pain. Take note that applying ice first would be better since heat might aggravate any swelling or inflammation that comes with your back pain. You can apply heat after about 48 hours, once the swelling has subsided.
Stretch your back
Stretching is another pain management tip that you can do not only for your back but for overall body relaxation. Try stretching your back after applying a hot or cold compress so that you won't feel so much pain while you stretch. In order not to strain your back too much, hold a stretch position for 10 seconds only. Stretching can also strengthen your back and improve your flexibility in order to prevent another injury.
Don't strain your back
Doing strenuous activities like carrying heavy load, bending, shovelling, raking, vacuuming, and other twisting and rotating movements may impede your back's recovery from pain. For a successful pain management for your back, avoid these strenuous activities until your back has completely healed or after the pain has gone away. It is also important that you avoid doing too much of these activities even after your back pain has healed in order to avoid straining your back again.
Go for a massage
Back pain is usually caused by constricted blood vessels and tight muscles. Having a massage can relax these tight muscles and improve blood circulation. Try massage lotions that provide heat agents to soothe your muscles.
Take a breathing exercise
Proper breathing helps our muscles to relax. Try to combine taking deep breaths while stretching or having a massage in order supply your blood with more oxygen. Take a deep breath every now and then even when you're not doing anything else. Back pain is sometimes caused by muscle stiffness due to not moving for a long time.
Move a little even when it hurts
Movement is important for our back to receive its supply of blood and oxygen. When you're suffering from a back pain, try to move even when you feel pain. It doesn't mean that you have to do a set of hard tasks and exercises. Just try to do some gentle movements that can let enough blood to circulate to your back but refrain from bending, twisting, and rotating movements. Take a rest after a short period of movement so you also don't strain yourself.
There are a lot other pain management tips that you can do for back pain. When the pain is so severe or you really couldn't stand it, your doctor can also prescribe that you take pain relievers. Back pain cannot be avoided sometimes, but at least there are pain management tips that you can follow to ease it.
