Most of the low back pains take a few to several weeks of regular home treatment. However, there should be some amount of improvement in the first 3 to 4 days of self-care. If the back pain persists, it is advisable to contact a physician for a permanent remedy.
You should remember that the lower back is withstanding most of the body stress. It is bearing the maximum body weight. However, low back pain need not be the result of one particular cause. Invariably, several causes that had slowly accumulated over a period of time manifest as lower back pain, with one particular event bringing it to your notice through intense pain. In most cases, the cause for lower back pain could not even be pinpointed, despite the persistence of the pain for a few weeks. Such lower back pain is termed as 'chronic nonspecific lower back pain.'
Certain specific conditions could also result in lower back pain. These are disc herniation, sciatica, spinal stenosis, spondylosis, spondylolisthesis, cauda equina syndrome, spine cancer, spine infection, and grievous internal injury. These medical terms need not worry you. Suffice to know that lower back pain due to such specific conditions is quite severe and requires more than just normal home treatment.
Low back pain persisting for more than a few weeks is called 'chronic low back pain.' As mentioned above, such chronic back pain could either be 'nonspecific' or 'specific.' In both cases, a visit to the doctor is best. 'Nonspecific' chronic low back pain is much easier to cure. 'Specific' chronic low back pain might need stronger treatment methods like surgery, bone fusion, etc.
Nonspecific low back pain treatment is relatively simple. Proper rest, good sleep, medication for a fixed period and avoidance of mental and physical stress normally relieve you of such low back pain in a few weeks. Prescription medication, regular sessions with physiotherapist, and cortisone injections in certain severe cases, are more than enough for most people.
On the other hand, specific low back pain treatment depends on the cause of the back pain. Surgery methods like laminectomy, laminotomy, bone fusion, and intradiscal electrothermal therapy are some of the surgical methods used to cure chronic specific lower back pain. These medical terms need not frighten you. They are not major in nature, compared to the treatments for certain other chronic ailments.
Low back pain relief and low back pain treatment are nearly one and the same. The only difference that could be pointed out is that the low back pain relief process is customarily a do-it-yourself home treatment. On the other hand, low back pain treatment is done with the active participation of the physician and might include certain stronger measures.
Low back pain exercises include mild exercises that relieve the stress on the lower back. Mild walking is one such good exercise. Yoga is a very useful alternative. Certain yogic postures provide very fast relief from low back pain. When you are in doubt about low back pain exercises, do not experiment. Consult your physician or physiotherapist or a trained yoga master.
Proper rest, good sleep, medication for a fixed period and avoidance of mental and physical stress normally relieve you of low back pain in a few weeks