Self-treatment

Back relaxation exercises--which involve gentle stretching to relax back muscles, lengthen the spine, and relieve compression of the vertebrae--are useful for alleviating stress and strain on the back. Ask your doctor for instructions or a referral to a physical therapist.

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In addition, several steps can be taken at home to help ease a backache.

Lying down takes pressure off the spine and usually lessens the pain. Most experts advise limiting bed rest to one or two days. The inactivity associated with longer periods of bed rest may do more harm than good by weakening muscles and prolonging the time to recovery. It is better to get out of bed and move around as soon as you can do so with reasonable comfort, even if some pain persists.

Immediate application of ice can alleviate pain after a sudden back injury that causes localized pain. In addition to relieving pain, ice reduces internal bleeding and swelling by decreasing blood flow. An ice bag, commercial cold pack, or even a package of frozen vegetables should be used for 10 to 20 minutes every two waking hours for 48 hours.

It is best to wait for 48 hours after an acute back injury before applying heat. However, chronic back pain or a more widespread backache that starts sometime after a back injury may be eased by relaxing muscles with a hot bath or shower, heating pad, heat lamp, or hot, moist compresses.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)--such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), or ketoprofen (Orudis)--or the pain reliever acetaminophen (Tylenol) may help alleviate discomfort, reduce inflammation, or both.

Little evidence supports the use of traction or corsets, although temporary use of a corset with built-in supports may be helpful when recovering from surgery or for allowing essential activities despite continued symptoms. Whether back braces help in treating back pain is unclear, and seemingly contradictory findings continue to be published.