Low back pain, or lumbago, is a very common ailment. It is estimated that 8 out of 10 people will suffer from lower back pain at least once in their lives, and it is the leading cause of sick leave in the Western world.
Therefore, taking preventative measures and knowing how to relieve low back pain is essential, especially because in some cases it can seriously limit daily life.
Lumbago is a type of back pain caused by disorders in the various structures that make up the lower spine. This can be caused by problems with the ligaments, muscles, intervertebral discs, and vertebrae in that area.
Sometimes it is a single-point pain ( acute low back pain ) and can last from a few hours to several days. If it lasts more than three months, it is considered chronic low back pain.
It is not always possible to find the cause of lumbago, and it often has a multifactorial origin.
It is usually attributed to poor physical fitness, a sedentary lifestyle, jobs or sports that overload the lower back, long periods of sitting or standing, poor posture, and emotional stress.
Avoiding or minimizing these risk factors is key to preventing and relieving low back pain once the acute episode of pain has passed.
Above all, it’s essential to have strong muscles and always include exercises that tone the deep muscles of the spine, pelvis, and lower extremities in your physical activity. This is known as core training .
In this sense, practicing Pilates and yoga includes some of the most recommended exercises for relieving lumbago because they focus precisely on strengthening the core.
Low back pain can also be caused by a dysfunction of the sciatic nerve ( sciatica ), a herniated disc, or an injury or degeneration of the cartilage in the lumbar joints ( lumbar osteoarthritis ).
This type of lumbago is more common as we age, and is a common cause of chronic pain in the elderly.
That’s why identifying the origin of the pain, especially when it’s chronic, should be the first step in relieving low back pain.
However, there are several measures you can take at home during the peak of pain to minimize discomfort and promote faster recovery.
How to treat lumbago
When pain in the lower back suddenly appears – what is popularly known as a ‘ lumbago attack ‘ – there are measures you can take at home to relieve the discomfort.
The following are guidelines that are best followed initially for acute low back pain and should help you experience rapid improvement.
- Get relative rest . It may be necessary to take a few days of rest for low back pain , especially when the pain is moderate or severe.
However, it should not be a complete rest. Generally, staying in bed for more than 48 hours is not recommended, even if the discomfort improves significantly when lying down.
Staying active speeds recovery, reduces lower back pain and its after-effects, and prevents loss of muscle strength.
The recommendation is to try to continue with your normal routine as much as possible and gradually increase your activity until you return to normal.
- Stop exercising. If you experience pain, rest for a few days and gradually resume exercise.
Stretches and exercises for low back pain can be started 12-14 days after symptoms cease. Doing them earlier can exacerbate the pain.
- Avoid jobs that overload the lower back. To relieve low back pain, people whose jobs require heavy lifting or frequent torso rotation (e.g., transport workers, stockers, etc.) should rest.
It also concerns those who must remain standing or sitting for long periods.
- Applying heat for lumbago . There is often a question about whether cold or heat is better for low back pain .
Unlike other injuries (e.g., after a blow), it is not necessary to resort to cold in the acute phase of pain.
Heat should be applied to lower back pain from the outset, as it helps relax muscle contractures and improves joint stiffness.
So, heat is indeed good for lumbago, and it can be applied using an electric heating pad, compresses, or heat patches.
Rest, heat, anti-inflammatory creams, and painkillers are effective measures for relieving acute low back pain.
- Use creams for lumbago. Another effective measure to relieve lower back pain is to use topical medications.
These anti-inflammatory creams for low back pain also have an analgesic and rubefacient (warming) effect and usually include active ingredients such as methyl salicylate, menthol, salicylic acid, camphor, and methyl nicotinate.
Other topical anti-inflammatory drugs that may be indicated for lower back pain, without a heat effect, are piroxicam, etofenamate, diclofenac, and ibuprofen.
These lumbago creams can also be available in gel or spray form.
In the case of neuropathic pain, capsaicin is usually a recommended topical drug.
- Take painkillers. Low-dose medications such as paracetamol or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac, dexketoprofen, etc.) help relieve low back pain quickly.
If these drugs are insufficient, the doctor may prescribe other types of painkillers or combine them with corticosteroids (prednisone), muscle relaxants (diazepam), and even opioids (codeine).
- Use belts for lower back pain. Wearing belts or corsets can relieve lower back pain because they stabilize the spine, limit movement to some extent, reduce pressure on the intervertebral discs, and provide warmth and a massage effect.
If you use lumbago belts , you should remove them for a few hours a day to allow the skin to breathe, during digestion and while resting.
With these measures to relieve low back pain, the discomfort should improve and subside within a few days. If not, you should see a doctor.
Also, whenever symptoms are severe, fever appears, there is trouble controlling urine or stool, or marked weakness in one leg.