Apply ice as necessary. In one study, two-thirds of people with lower back pain reported significant relief after using an ice pack. "Wrap some ice cubes or an ice pack in a very towel and lay it within the sore area for 25 minutes," advises Anne Simons, M.D. "Remove the ice for 10 minutes, then repeat." Continue until your pain subsides.

Home remedies for back pain

Take a stand against sitting. Sitting puts pressure about the shock-absorbing disks in the spine. This is why truck drivers, office workers, and folks whose jobs require sitting for longer periods are at highest risk for lower-back pain. "The human back isn't made for 6-hour stints in a chair," says James Zucherman, M.D., medical director of St. Mary's Spine Center in San francisco bay area. "A sedentary job can be a setup for back trouble."

His advice: Sit less and stand more. Take frequent breaks. Get up and walk around at least an hour. When you do sit, fidget with your chair. Cross and uncross your legs, or twist this way and that. It changes the load load on your lower back.

Check out your chair. A good desk chair usually supplies comfortable lower­back support. If yours doesn't, make use of a curved pillow (termed as a lumbar pillow) to obtain the support you need. Also, the chair back should lean backward slightly. Hold your back against it as opposed to leaning forward. Maintain your feet flat on the ground.

If you work at some type of computer, adjust your chair and keyboard height which means your arms and thighs are parallel on the floor and your eyes are level with the top of your monitor. This helps ensure proper posture. Redesign your vehicle seat. Many newer­model cars have seats with built-in adjustable lumbar supports for that lower back. If your car doesn't need this feature, use a lumbar pillow once you drive, says Steven Subotnick, D.P.M., a sports-medicine specialist in San Leandro, California, and author of Sports and workout Injuries. As an alternative, try positioning a rolled-up towel between your lower back and the car seat.

Practice perfect posture. Once you stand, keep your weight distributed between both legs, Dr. Simons says. The knees should be slightly bent, your shoulders down and back, along with your buttocks tucked in. Never slouch.

Lift as being a pro. It doesn't matter how heavy-or light-an object is. Always lift with your legs, making your thigh muscles do the work. Rise directly, holding the object as near to your body as you possibly can. Don't twist as you lift. Be sure of your footing. And when you set the object down, lower it with your legs.

Make your bed better. Your mattress must be neither too firm nor too soft, Dr. Subotnick says. To make your mattress firmer, place a sheet of plywood beneath it. You might also consider investing in a waterbed, which can provide the best support for a bad back.

Purchase a new bra. Wearing the wrong-size bra can aggravate lower back pain, Dr. Simons says. A high level woman who has never been measured for any bra, or if your bra size has now changed, call your local department stores to find out whether they offer professional fittings. Also, seek out bras that have wider back and connectors. This design is a bit more back-sparing because it distributes breast weight more than a larger area.

Home remedies for back pain

Ditch the top heels. High-heeled shoes were first conceived in an effort to accentuate a woman's breasts and buttocks, making her more desirable to men. Thankfully, more sensible styles have become fashionable. Wearing high heels places tremendous force on the lower back.

Conserve a healthy weight. If you are only a few pounds overweight, shedding that extra baggage brings dramatic relief from lower back pain.

Home remedies for back pain