Tips for treating lower back pain

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Back pain. It looks like everyone has some.

I've seen somewhere that as many as 80% of Americans will experience low back pain in their lifetime.

There are actually plenty of causes of lumbar pain, as in chronic bad posture, muscle strains, pulls, and arthritis. The really big problem with back pain is that it is very difficult to treat!

Many therapists, doctors, and chiropractors will suggest a variety of methods, such as heat, exercise, back supports, back pain patches, pain reliever creams and gels, and even electricity (in the form of TENS).

In fact, I'm becoming increasingly concerned with the amount of prescription pain relievers we use. It is probably true that a lot of this pain drug use can be for lumbar pain.

Perhaps have you noticed a number of the unwanted effects?

As a result I've put together three ideas of non-prescription products that might relieve back pain. Not all will work for every individual. But they are all worth a try, specially if you have a back strain or a knot within your back.

Our first suggestion is to try lower back pain patches. These patches are loaded with pain fighting medicines which penetrate the skin and into those tight, painful back muscle groups.

There are actually essentially 2 types of pain patches.

The first variety are the capsaicin "hot" patches. Capsaicin is extracted from hot peppers. When the patch is applied to the skin, it slowly releases the "hot" capsaicin, therefore it feels very much like a heating pad.

This patch is just the thing if you sit in an uncomfortable chair most of the day. Or to give overnight relief while sleeping without taking a prescription pain killer. As a matter of fact, there is a Rx-strength capsaicin patch available. You can speak with your doctor about this. Or, just get a couple of those pain patches. They're economical, and these patches work great.

The second kind of patch has pain relievers which are similar to aspirin. You can't apply aspirin to your skin! But the form that's in these patches is able to penetrate the skin to provide pain relief right where it's needed. Of course, if you're seriously allergic to aspirin, you should stay away from these patches.

I happen to use Imbue because it includes methyl salicylate, which is a great anti-inflammatory and pain reliever. Methyl sal is like aspirin, so it works for both pain and inflammation. Plus these patches can be cut in half.

The second idea is the lumbar support for chairs.

I spend a lot of time in a chair at work. My work chair does have a lumbar support, but I can't adjust it. So it's actually very uncomfortable.

A few months ago, I bought one of these air-filled supports. It's great because you can adjust the amount of air inside the support.

I like to use both a hot back pain patch and a lumber support at the same time. Sometimes I'll apply a hot patch before leaving for work. So between the warmth of the patch and the lumbar support, I'm pain free all day!

The third idea is the Proback back belt for lower back strain and lower back pain. This belt has a special piece on the back which applies gentle pressure right where the lower back strain is.

This is very different from those huge white rubber bands that just squeeze your entire back and belly. This one focuses the support right where it's needed.

I also like that I can wear it under my shirt. So nobody notices that I'm wearing it.

I find that it's really helpful for my morning commute. I take a train every day into Boston. So I strap it on in the morning, and it helps avoid the pain I used to feel when I got off the train. Depending on how my back feels, I'll sometimes leave it on all day and pop the lumbar support off the chair. I've also used the Proback with patches without a problem.

I hope these ideas help you deal with your lower back strain like they've helped me.

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