Back on Track

Have you ever bent over to pick up a fork and felt like you'd just had a knife stuck in your back? According to Evan Johnson, advanced clinician physical therapy coordinator for the New York Presbyterian Medical Center, that searing pain is a spasm, a tightening up of your lower back muscles in response to any perceived threat to your spine.

At some point, nearly 80 percent of adult Americans experience low back pain and nearly 60 percent of low back pain sufferers have chronic recurring pain. Study after study shows that movement rather than bed rest is probably the best back pain prevention going. But let's say you're having a back episode right now where even a simple stretch would put you in agony. Is there anything you can do to feel better immediately? According to Johnson, yes:

First, do no harm: Avoiding anything that makes your body feel worse is the key to feeling better faster. "Sitting in particular is hard on the spine," Johnson warns. "All of your muscles are relaxed so any pressures to the spine are free to act without any muscular support to prevent them." Being extra conscious of poor posture habits such as slouching that can throw off spinal alignment can help speed healing. Back support pillows or posture straps can also help.

Hot and cold: Because it's the deeper muscles of the back that are generally the most affected, either ice or heat can penetrate through the surface muscles enough to provide temporary relief. "Most people prefer heat when their back is stiff and ice if they experience sudden, sharp pain," says Johnson. If you're having a particularly agonizing episode, heat is usually the better choice because you won't tense up upon application.

Rest and move: "During the first 48 to 72 hours it's crucial to get plenty of rest but beyond that your probably as inflamed as you're going to get so some light movement can help relax the spasms," says Johnson. Swimming or some gentle movement in water is probably the best medicine but if you can't get to a pool walking in flat shoes as much as you can tolerate is an alternative. Once you get past the worst of it, some careful stretching can loosen up tight muscles and increase blood flow.

Seek help
Research has also shown that anti-inflammatories, gentle massage and manual manipulation of the spine by a physical therapist, osteopath, or chiropractor can be effective back pain relievers. But according to Johnson not so for ultrasound and electrical stimulation: These common treatments may give you an hour or two of relief but it's almost always temporary.

If you're still in pain and you've done everything right, Johnson says it's vitally important to get thee to a doctor. One reason so many people have lifelong back issues is because of incorrect diagnosis - or no diagnosis at all. "Most low back pain clears up on its own within six weeks and once the immediate episode is over, there's a tendency to put it out of your mind until the next time," Johnson says. By going to a doctor who specializes in treating back pain you can get to the root of the problem and resolve it rather than just treating the symptoms.