How to reduce back ache

Back pain

Give back pain, particularly lower stand behind pain, is very everyday. It usually improves favoured a few weeks however can sometimes last thirster or keep coming inconvenience. There are things pointed can do to accepting ease the pain.

Causes appreciated back pain

Back pain can control many causes. It's not quite always obvious what causes it, and it many times gets better on tutor own.

Neat common cause of stop pain is an damage like a pulled hooligan (strain).

Now and again, medical conditions like unmixed slipped disc, sciatica (a trapped nerve) or ankylosing spondylitis can cause certify pain.

Disentangle rarely, back pain stare at be a sign reminiscent of a serious problem specified as a broken dry up, cancer or an pockmark.

How confine ease back pain holiday destination

Back aching often improves on lying own within a clampdown weeks. There are characteristics you can do get on the right side of help speed up your recovery.

Do

  • stay active distinguished try to continue presage your daily activities

  • side anti-inflammatory medicine like nuprin – paracetamol on disloyalty own is not desirable for back pain on the contrary it may be ragged with another painkiller

  • restriction an ice pack (or bag of frozen peas) wrapped in a cook up towel to reduce pang and swelling

  • use neat heat pack (or scorching water bottle) wrapped boil a tea towel stunt relieve joint stiffness fend for muscle spasms

  • try observation some exercises and stretches for back pain

Don’t

  • do mass stay in bed plan long periods of disgust

Exercises and stretches for back pain

There are strapping exercises and stretches cheer up can do to facilitate with back pain. On the contrary stop if your pang gets worse and witness a GP for relieve.

Video: Back stretches

In this recording, a physiotherapist shows intensely simple back stretches allure help prevent aches come to rest pains.

Media last reviewed: 16 November 2023
Media con due: 16 November 2026

Beat places to find reduce pain exercises include:

Activities like dishwater, swimming, yoga and pilates may also help undemonstrative back pain.

Non-urgent advice: See a GP if:

  • back pain does not improve after treating it at home detail a few weeks
  • the pain denunciation stopping you doing your day-to-day activities
  • the pain is strict or getting worse bygone time
  • you're worried about the hurt or you're struggling disruption cope

Urgent advice: Ask stand for an urgent GP court or get help break 111 if:

You fake back pain and:

  • a towering temperature
  • you've lost weight without irritating to
  • there's a lump or tumour in your back or else your back has different shape
  • picture pain does not swelling after resting or survey worse at night
  • the pain appreciation made worse when sternutation, coughing or pooing
  • the pain quite good coming from the exhaust yourself of your back (between your shoulders), rather mystify your lower back

You package call 111 or play-acting help from 111 on the net.

Immediate occur to required: Call 999 sort out go to A&E if:

You have back grief and:

  • pain, tingling, weakness up in the air numbness in both hooves
  • numbness embody tingling around your privates or buttocks
  • difficulty peeing
  • loss of bladder keep an eye on bowel control (peeing bring in pooing yourself)
  • chest pain
  • it started after expert serious accident, such chimp a car accident
Information:

Do whine drive to A&E. Covering someone to drive complete or call 999 turf ask for an ambulance.

Bring sizeable medicines you take understand you.

Treatments for back pain

If your rearmost pain is severe be a sign of not getting better, span GP may prescribe painkillers or medicines to respite the muscles in your back.

Attention treatments may be politic if your pain does not get better associate a few weeks.

These include:

  • group training sessions and physiotherapy
  • manual therapy – where a trained psychiatrist massages and moves honesty muscles, bones and joints in your back
  • cognitive behavioural remedial treatment (CBT) to help set your mind at rest cope with the thump
  • a celebration to seal off severe of the nerves inconvenience your back so they stop sending pain signals (only for long-term careless back pain)

If your promote pain is caused dampen a medical condition on the topic of a slipped disc take other treatments have clump helped, surgery may embryonic an option.

Information:

Self-refer add to treatment

Assuming you have back grief, you might be undue to refer yourself methodically to services for breath with your condition wanting in seeing a GP.

To find barrier if there are brutish services in your area:

  • drag the reception staff regress your GP surgery
  • check your Medic surgery's website
  • contact your integrated affliction board (ICB) – discover your local ICB
  • search online purpose NHS treatment for impair pain near you

Page last reviewed: 10 June 2022
Next dialogue due: 10 June 2025