The vast majority of people who experience lower back pain are left to manage it on their own, as in 85% of the cases, the cause of the condition is medically labeled as ‘non-specific’, meaning that it cannot be traced back to one medical issue. On top of that, for most people, lower back pain is a frequent issue, which can be very discouraging and stress-provoking on its own. The underlying causes of the condition, such as inflammation, stress and sitting for long periods of time are often too general or are impossible to change, but you can avoid this vicious circle of ongoing pain and suffering by learning to manage your lower back pain.
The 7 remedies and tricks we list in this article all take very little of your time, can be easily done at home and all work together to prevent and decrease lower back pain.
1. Stretch When You Just Get Up
This may sound silly, we know, but it really works. Lean in your morning stretches and spend a few minutes raising your arms over your head, bending forward and flexing and extending your arms and legs. This takes only a few minutes, but has several benefits for your aching back:
- Increases flexibility in the muscles and joints, making them ready to face the challenges of daily life.
- Decompresses the joins and removes tension from your spine.
- Improves blood circulation.
- Has a stress-reducing effect.
All four of these aspects are essential for your back’s health and will ensure you recover and prevent future episodes of lower back pain.
2. Try Arnica
These yellow flowers are called arnica, and they have been used as a homeopathic remedy to treat muscle pain, swelling, minor injuries, and bruising for millennia. Creams and gels containing arnica are widely available, and these can be applied directly onto the skin.
Arnica has been proven to reduce pain and stiffness in osteoarthritis patients, but it has also been suggested to be as effective as ibuprofen in reducing joint and muscle pain, especially when combined with massage.
3. Don’t Rest For More Than a Few Days
Many people make the mistake of lying in bed for a week or even more when they experience lower back pain, but that’s not the best strategy for the vast majority of cases, as you need to exercise and stretch your muscles and tendons to get them working as normal.
If you experience a lot of pain, you can absolutely stay in bed for the first 3 days, but after that, try to gradually return to a more active lifestyle: take short walks, go swimming or try to do some stretching, for example. Physical activity will help you recover faster and if you do it regularly, it can even prevent future pain. Core-strengthening exercises are especially beneficial for lower back pain, as a strong core can relieve the pressure in the lower back.
4. Use Pain Relieving Patches
Sometimes, what you need is a quick fix, a method that will alleviate the pain quickly and effectively. For those cases, we recommend to literally patch yourself up using pain-relieving patches like the Luminas patches. The benefit of patches like these is that you can apply them directly over the painful area, which ensures that they start working where you need them fast. Unlike pills, you can put it exactly where it hurts the most, achieving the best pain relief for a specific area instead of trying to chemically change the body.
Another advantage of these patches is that they’re derived from trusty naturally sourced pain killers like turmeric, ginger, and magnesium, as well as over 200 other natural ingredients, all of which work together in synergy to alleviate pain and fight inflammation on any area of your body for 24 hours.
