Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Finding the Best Decision in Back Pain Treatment

There are many things that you can do at home to treat your back pain. If you have strained your back in some way and the pain is severe, you can begin with bed rest that will take the pressure off of your back and allow the injured area to heal. If you decide that bed rest is the best course of action, lie on your back in bed with your knees and feet elevated with a pillow or two. If you prefer to lie on your side, bend your knees and place a pillow between them. Do not spend more than a day or two in bed, since too much bed rest can actually be counterproductive to the healing process.

For pain that is more chronic in nature, you can try some exercises at home to treat your back pain by strengthening the muscles in the back, as well as the abdominal and hip muscles that support your back. These exercises should be done every other day without fail for maximum benefit. For pain that interferes with your daily activities you can try an over-the-counter medication for pain, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Do not have any medication over an prolonged period of time without examining with your professional, since long term manage of many of these medicines can result unsafe side effects in some patients.

Another home treatment for back pain that is effective for many is the use of ice or heat on the area where the pain originates from. Never use a heating pad on the highest setting or place ice directly on your skin. You can also try a topical ointment that may soothe aching muscles, although the effectiveness of these creams has never been proven. Activity is usually the best medicine, so try to get up and going as much as you can and as soon as you are able.

The author of this article is a web hosting and web design expert. His latest ecommerce site is about Kitchen Cabinet Maker and Interior Design Ideas.