Back pain is a highly common condition primarily because it can be caused by a great number of conditions. While back pain can be a sign of a serious medical condition, serious conditions are not usually the cause of most back pain. Back pain does not usually require or initiate immediate medical intervention as the majority of back pain episodes are self-induced and also treatable with over-the-counter medicines, rest, and natural remedies such as the application of heat or cold for relief.
Back pain can arise from a relatively high number of common causes, including:
muscle strains or muscle spasms
trauma, such as a car accident or fall
osteoarthritis or other inflammatory diseases
Of course, a number of medications, including light muscle relaxants, non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as NSAIDs and acetaminophen are also found to relieve back pain, but many people prefer to try natural relief before resorting to medicinal relief.
Relieving Back Pain Naturally
Depending on the type of back pain a patient is experiencing, he or she can achieve pain relief through a variety of natural methods. The application of heat or cold on an ache is an often misunderstood remedy. When to apply heat or cold to your pain is simple, however, when you remember that heat is likely to increase inflammation even as it relaxes muscles.
For short-term relief, heat therapy has proven effective and useful for treating muscular spasms in the back. Muscular spasms are the muscle’s way of telling you something is wrong and they will contract rhythmically to get your attention. Some patients have found that moist heat works best, such as that gained by a hot bath or whirlpool, and many patients have found relief in continuous low-level heat, such as a heated wrap that can retain temperatures for several hours. Heat applied to muscular spasms typically has the effect of relaxing the muscle, which then causes it to stop contracting and pulling.
Cold therapy has helped a number of patients that are experiencing back pain as a result of muscle strain, such as that caused by lifting an object incorrectly or a particularly strenuous workout. Muscle strains are often followed by swelling and inflammation. Cold temperatures applied with gentle pressure is one of the recommended methods for treating strained muscles as it decreases the swelling and inflammation in the strained muscle.
Patients who regularly experience back pain can also find relief in regular massage therapy, which can ease the muscle strain in the back and allow the patient greater freedom of movement – if only temporarily.
Depending on the particular cause of the back pain, posture training exercises and increased, regular physical exercise can also help to re-train the muscles that support the back and eliminate future back pain. Physical therapists will often work with a patient who experiences regular back pain by training their abdominal and core muscles to ensure that the patient’s back is stronger and more able to support the patient’s spine and skeletal structure.

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