Ice, rest, and pain medication are the reliable trio for managing acute back pain symptoms. When pain strikes, here is how to help yourself at home — and when you should call your doctor.

It’s a bad back pain day — shoveling snow or moving heavy boxes in the morning has caused nasty back pain symptoms in the afternoon. Back pain symptoms can be sharp, stabbing, or cramping pains — but whatever they are, you’ll need to decide on effective back pain treatment. Rest assured, there are some steps you can take at home to manage acute back pain.

The term “acute” means the pain has started suddenly and has not been there for very long. Most cases of acute back pain go away within a few weeks, and are caused by over-activity of some kind.

Back Pain Treatments You Can Do at Home

“The best thing for patients to do is apply ice to it, rest it, and take an anti-inflammatory medicine like an aspirin, ibuprofen, [Motrin, Advil] or naproxen [Aleve],” emphasizes orthopedic surgeon Warner Louis Pinchback Jr., MD, who has a private practice in Montgomery, Ala.

Get a cold compress on the area as soon as possible after the injury. Ice is helpful because it will stop any bleeding inside the pulled or torn muscle. You can use a cold pack, a bag of ice, or a bag of frozen vegetables to provide the cold you need. Make sure to wrap these in a towel to protect your skin. Do this for up to 20 minutes at a time, several times a day.

Then, switch temperature gears: Within a day or two, start taking warm showers or soaks in the tub, as they could help ease muscle spasms.

And while you’re resting, it’s okay to get up and move around as needed, but avoid strenuous activities — especially those that might have caused your back pain in the first place. Most people with acute back pain feel better when they are lying down or reclining — for some, walking and sitting can worsen back pain.

Also, bear in mind that if you stay in bed or on the couch for too long — say, more than one or two days — it may be difficult to get moving again as your back gets stiff without use. In fact, studies suggest that people who try to stay active even while working on back pain treatment have less pain overall.

When to Get Help

Yes, take it easy for a few days, but don’t wait too long to find a resolution. Many cases of acute back pain will respond well to this treatment, but others may have deeper causes that require medical attention.

“If the pain is not gone in two or three days, patients should seek medical attention from their primary care physician first,” advises Dr. Pinchback.

Back pain is not a rare event. Most people, at some point in their lives, are going to feel enough back pain that it will stop them in their tracks. Home-based back pain treatment is an option for short-term pain — just take it easy!