Lumbar injuries usually happen because of stretch injuries to your ligaments, tendons, and/or muscles of your lower back, resulting in microscopic tears. These injuries typically occur because of overuse or trauma.
Acute lumbar pain is that which is present for days to weeks – if it lasts longer than 3 months, it is referred to as chronic pain. Lumbar injuries mainly happen to people in their 40s, and is characterized by localized mild to severe discomfort in their lower back area.
Lumbar pain treatment is based on the history of the injury, its location, and exclusion of nervous system injury.
If you suffer from lower back pain, the first thing to do is to find a competent doctor you can trust to rule out a herniated disc, etc. Back pain is never going to be an easy fix, and lumbar pain treatment usually requires a dedicated approach to personalized physical therapy and exercises.
The first step in the treatment of lumbar pain is to rest your back, since most instances of back pain happen because of muscle strain in that area. So it’s important to rest it to avoid further irritation.
However, bed rest should only last for 2 or 3 days as prolonged bed rest can lead to more persistent back pain. Once acute lumbar pain eases, avoid lifting, twisting, and physical exertion.
Applying ice within the first 48 hours reduces painful local inflammation, speeds up healing and is effective for short-term lumbar pain treatment. After 48 hours, a heating pad or a warm shower can be very effective in increasing local circulation and clearing away inflammation from the injured area.
Over-the-counter pain relievers such as aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen may be helpful in the short term. If over-used, they can have dangerous side-effects, especially if you’re pregnant or have ulcers. We recommend all natural anti-inflammatory supplements such as Heal-n-Soothe, which combats inflammation with proteolytic enzymes.
Click the link below to learn more about ALL NATURAL PAIN RELIEVERS that you can take instead of over-the-counter- or prescription drugs.
Walking is a good way to get the blood flowing and to help lumbar pain treatment. Your doctor or physiotherapist may additionally recommend a series of simple core stabilization exercises. Strengthening the muscles of your trunk, or core, support your spine and improve your posture, keep your body in better balance, and decrease your chance of future lumbar injury. Severe lumbar injuries may be caused by sprained ligaments, injured joints or spinal disc injuries.
Remember – education is power. There is always something that can be done for your situation. Keep looking until you find a treatment program that’s right for you.
To learn more about ways to treat back pain, click here.
