Back Pain? 8 Ways to Get Rid of That Nagging Or Nasty Pain in Your Back

What is the most usual cause of back pain?

Muscles. And, that is good news!

Why?

Because muscles can be "treated"--they can be helped. Muscles respond really well to certain natural treatments, such as massage, pressure, heat and ice.

Tight muscles cause back pain. There are different reasons they become "tight," but usually it involves something we do--or don't do. It could be from something we did--or didn't do.

Maybe your back pain came on suddenly. Perhaps you know exactly what you were doing when it started. Your back pain might have been so bad that you ended up on the floor or in the hospital. What was the cause? Usually a tight muscle on one side of your waist went into spasm (it became tight quickly.) That muscle caused pressure on a nerve on the other side of your waist. It caused extreme back pain.

Or, maybe your back pain came on slowly and gradually became worse and worse. Eventually your back said, "Hey! I'm tired of you doing this to me, so I'm going to remind you every chance I get to STOP IT!'

And, it does.

Here are eight ways you can get rid of your back pain.

1. Ice the area that is causing the pain in your back, especially if you have had it for fewer than 4 days. Apply a cold pack for 20 minutes on and off. Or, use ice in a circular, rubbing motion for just a few minutes and be careful not to "burn" your skin.

2. Apply heat to the area that you suspect is causing your back pain. Use a heating pad or hot towels for 20 minutes on and off. Or, soak in a hot tub or spa.

3. Lie on a tennis ball on the floor or a firm, stable surface. Place the tennis ball where you have the most back or hip pain and just lie there for 5 minutes. Then move the ball to the next place on your back that hurts, and again, just lie there for 5 minutes. This increases the circulation in the muscles the tennis ball presses into. It is similar to pressure-point massage.

4. Drink more water. A well-hydrated body heals faster.

5. Develop a strong back. With the type of work and play we do, most of us don't have a back that is as strong as it was designed to be. A weak back causes back pain.

6. Get a therapeutic massage from a massage professional who understands why backs hurt and what can be done for back pain. (They all don't. You have to ask a lot of questions first.)

7. Don't stop moving! Gentle movement keeps body fluids moving around your tight muscles. This is a good thing.

8. If you can find a comfortable position to lie in or sit in, use that position as often as you can. It will help relax your back muscles.