Lower Back Pain Treatment – How to Have Pain-Free Sleep

In order to discuss how to relieve pain, we need to know what's causing it first. And, as we've mentioned, we can generally point out two groups in this department.

First off, we have lifestyle choices. While we're all vaguely aware that we should be working out, eating healthy, and sitting up straight, we're not always aware of all the ways these habits can impact our health. So, yes, being overweight can even cause back pain!

However, in terms of back pain relief, these issues are relatively easy to deal with. After all, you just have to break a few nasty habits and your back pain should resolve itself. Plus, these kinds of changes will likely benefit you in other areas of your life as well!

The other group on the other hand isn't as easy to deal with. Medical conditions can cause severe pain throughout your back, can require long treatment plans, and can rely on pain relievers in the absence of a “cure”. But we'll cross that bridge when we get here. First, let's talk about things you can change right now.

Be it at the gym or at work, proper form is crucial when lifting anything slightly heavier off the ground.

And the older you are, the easier it can be to hurt your lower back if you're not careful.

However, this should be an easy fix. Just lift with your legs and not your back, as demonstrated below.

It can feel a bit awkward at first but you'll get used to it at some point and won't have to worry about throwing your back out.

With that being said, proper form doesn't make you invincible.

So, don't try to lift something that your body can't handle. Not only can this cause back pain but you might get a side helping of leg pain as well.

Of course, some people suffer from chronic back pain due to medical conditions or recent injuries.

And depending on the condition/injury, pain relief can be more or less difficult to come by.

For example, a strain in your back and abdominal muscles can be dealt with with an ice pack or some nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

However, conditions such as spinal stenosis or scoliosis can be more difficult to treat. This is why it's so important to talk to your GP if your lower back pain persists for multiple days and/or if you have a family history of similar issues.

It's also worth noting that certain conditions, such as disc degeneration, are a lot more likely in older individuals, especially if they also have a more physically taxing job.

The most broadly applicable lower back pain treatment we can suggest is finding a way to relax your back muscles.

This could mean anything from getting a massage to increase blood flow and break up any knots you may have to taking muscle relaxants for more severe back pain.

Muscle, ligament and tendon strains are among the most common stressors for lower back pain so, allowing those muscles to relax a bit can help out significantly. Plus, this can help you relax in general!

And yes, even mental stress can cause lower back pain in some cases.

So, if you can schedule some massage therapy or take some pain relief medication, it can help – at least in the short term.

As we've already established, moderate exercise can help out with both back pain and your general health.

It can help lose any excess weight, keep you from sitting down all day, and in the case of aerobic exercise, help loosen up those tight muscles.

However, working out also has the benefit of strengthening your back! And this can prevent lower back pain in the future as you'll be better prepared to lift heavier objects.

Plus, if you do weighted exercises and focus on form (as you should), you'll be more likely to properly lift things off the ground as well.

In other words, as long as you don't overexert yourself, it's all positives here! But, as we've mentioned, you don't have to go to the gym or use weights.

If you're more comfortable doing stretches or playing sports, that's absolutely fine. As long as you don't overdo it, any type of physical exercise should help out in the long run.

As we've briefly mentioned, there is a method to the madness when it comes to picking out the right mattress. Side sleepers generally want softer mattresses while stomach sleepers want firmer mattresses. And back sleepers fall somewhat in the middle.

Things such as zoned support and pressure relief are also important features to look for, especially if you suffer from back pain somewhat frequently.

And you'll know that it's your mattress' fault if you only have back pain in the morning.

However, if you can't quite afford a fancy new mattress, don't worry. For one, there are plenty of cheaper mattresses that can still help keep your spine healthy. Plus, a good mattress topper can “correct” your current mattress a bit.

In other words, if your mattress is too soft (which is common if you're a front sleeper), get a firm mattress topper! And if your mattress is too firm, get a soft and light topper instead.

If your lower back pain is caused by an underlying medical condition or an injury, you'll likely need medical treatment. And depending on what exactly is causing pain and how severe it is, different treatment plans can be put into practice.

For muscle pains or spasms, muscle relaxants, narcotics, pain relievers, or even antidepressants can be prescribed. And for cases such as sciatica, your GP might recommend certain lifestyle changes alongside prescribed medication.

However, in cases of chronic pain or chronic conditions, surgery might be the only long-term solution. For example, Cortisone injections for some types of nerve damage or creating more space in your spine in some cases of disc degeneration.

And we're being rather vague here as treatment options can vary quite greatly. After all, depending on whether the issue is caused by your lower spine, the surrounding nerves, the lower back muscles, or a combination of the three, different procedures might be more or less effective.