Lower back pain can be one of the most physically debilitating things that can affect you and limit your mobility. Even if the pain isn t that acute, it could still signal something deteriorating in your lower back. While oral medications, topical creams or sprays can help in reducing pain, there are other effective remedies you can try on your own. These will be handy when you have no medications at hand. One of these is the hot and cold therapy.

Heat therapy for lower back pain

Heat works well with lower back pain as it can dilate blood vessels and improve circulation within the tissue. This will help in circulation and also result in lowering the pain. Heat therapy will also loosen up other muscles in the area and help soothe sore areas which have been taking the burden along with the lower back muscles. Some of the techniques that can be applied are:

1. All day heat wraps: These are specially manufactured belts or wraps which wrap around your abdomen and keep tightness and pressure on your lower back as well as supplying heat.

2. Electric heating pads: These are mechanized heating pads which generate heat with electricity. You can place them under you back and then either sit or sleep with it positioned behind you. However, ensure that you don t keep these for too long as they could burn your skin.

3. Hot Compress with towels or hot water bags: Use a clean towel and heat it over a conductive surface and apply it on your lower back. You can also use hot water bags for the same purpose.

Cold therapy for lower back pain

Cold therapy uses the principle of constriction of blood vessels as well as slowing circulation. This will help numb the area and thus help relieve the pain. Some of the ways these can be administered are mentioned below.

1. Ice towel: In this method, soak a towel in ice cold water, wring it to dry it and then apply on your lower back. This will numb the pain without transferring the sting of the cold or damaging your skin.

2. Ice packs: Put about half a kg of ice in a plastic Ziploc bag and pour water over the ice to just about cover it. Push out the air out of the bag and then lock it. Use this ice pack with a towel to ensure that you back doesn't get wet.

3. Ice gel packs: These are ready made packs, which can be bought from medical stores and kept frozen to be used whenever you need it in order to relieve lower back pain.

Treating Lower Back Pain Using Hot and Cold Therapy

It is very challenging to find operative treatments for chronic pain that offer improved daily functioning. Spinal Cord Stimulation is an excellent pain management method that can be used for patients when their neck or back pain cannot be treated by surgery or other options.

Each year more than 14,000 patients undergo the spinal cord stimulator transplant. The procedure comprises of mild electrical stimulations to the spinal cord. This modifies the nerve activity reducing the pain sensation or sensitivity that reaches the brain.

Neurostimulation therapy recommended by doctors is very effective, especially for chronic pain sufferers. The benefit of this proven therapy is that the pain experienced by the brain is minimized to a great extent. The therapy was designed only after observing how pain is managed by the brain. The therapy approved by the FDA is used to treat the pain caused due to nerve damage in the legs, arms and in the trunk. Spinal cord stimulation for chronic back and neck pain is provided to patients in pain management centers. The staff taking care of patients in these centers are specialized and trained in pain relief -how it occurs and best ways to treat it. Injections are also used to ease the pain.

How to treat back Pain?
Probably the worst pain an individual can experience is back pain, in some cases so severe that it hampers daily life. The treatment options that are used for treating back pain include electrical stimulation to the back and medication to the spine. The most common reason for spinal cord stimulation is failed back surgery. The pain related to the following conditions can also be alleviated through this therapy, scarring of the protective layers of the spinal nerves, painful inflammation and arachnoiditis.

Devices Used for Spinal Cord Stimulation
The devices used for spinal cord stimulation are available in several types but they comprise mainly of three parts. The pulse generator with a battery, a lead wire with 8-32 electrodes and a hand-held remote control that is useful in adjusting the settings of the device, and to switch it on and off. Electrical pulses are delivered to the spinal cord through the electrodes. It is very important that the procedure is carried out by doctors who specialize in pain management or by neurosurgeons.


Spinal Cord Stimulation For Chronic Back And Neck Pain!

When is your pain chronic?

Your pain is chronic if it last for more than a period of six months. Chronic pain is a long-term pain whose nature can vary from mild to excruciating, and it may trouble you either continuously or at short and regular intervals. Chronic pain is so dangerous that it does not only cause discomfort and inconvenience but also robs you entirely of your capacity to work for a long time.

Chronic pain can occur in a number of organs of the human body like head, joints, back, shoulders, neck etc. In fact, pain in any part of your body can turn into chronic pain. Here are a few symptoms that can help you identify if what you are going through is, in fact, chronic pain:

- persistent and severe body pain

- burning sensation accompanied by the body pain

- fatigue and sleeplessness

- weak immune system

- stiff and sore joints

The 4 types of chronic pain disorders that you should be aware of are:

1. Nociceptive pain

The pain that affects the soft tissues of the body such as the skin and the muscles or the organs that have sensory nerves present in them is called nociceptive pain. The sensory nerves, known as nociceptors can detect the stimuli of pain and send information to the brain and the spinal cord for interpretation. The pain could be either somatic (originating in the outer body) or visceral (originating in the internal organs).

2. Neuropathic pain

This pain is caused when the nerves stop functioning normally. It is caused due to nerve disturbances that result in pain stimuli being spontaneously transmitted to the brain and spinal cord. If you are suffering from this type of chronic pain disorder, you will feel a sharp, shooting and stabbing pain. Neuropathic pain can also be caused due to the formation of neuroma (abnormal growth of the nerve tissue).

3. Psychogenic pain

The pain that is caused by psychological disorders like depression and anxiety is known as psychogenic pain. Sometimes this pain can be accompanied by physical complications like fatigue, body pain and muscle weakness.

4. Idiopathic pain

The pain that exists even though there is no physical or psychological cause for it is known as idiopathic pain. This pain is more common in people who have suffered from a pre-existing painful disorder. Some common examples of idiopathic pain are fibromyalgia (intense pain all over the body) and tmj disorders (pain in the jaw area).

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'consult'.
Related Tip: Why does PAIN occur? Understand the Mechanism of Pain

Your Pain is Chronic if it Falls Under These 4 Types of Chronic Pain Disorders!

The most common cause of neck pain can be cervical disc disease. It is generally caused by the abnormality of the disc that is the cushion present between the vertebrae. The disc can get damaged because of arthritis or any unknown cause. When damaged, it usually leads to inflammation or spasm of the muscles leading to neck pain. There are a number of pain medications, traction exercises, and physical therapy for minimizing the neck pain. However, these home based remedies help in relieving pain along with a speedy recovery:

*  Take it easy: If you have a busy and hectic life, then take it easy. Living with cervical disc diseases can lead to an increase in the neck pain; thus cutting down on activities helps. A comfortable position should be observed while resting. If need be then a pillow can be placed under the neck.

*   Apply Cold/Heat Pack: There is always a confusion regarding whether a cold or a hot pack is to be used. The recommendation is to use ice or cold pack for the first 24 to 48 hours of the injury, so that the swelling subsides. This should then be followed by hot fermentation in order to improve the muscle stiffness and also loosen them. But in case of a cervical disc disease neither cold nor heat penetrates the tissue to relieve inflammation, so it is best to use the one which feels better. Whichever, pack is chosen it should only be used for 20 minutes and then left for 40 minutes. Take care and do not use ice or heat directly against the skin. 

*  Stretch: Stretching exercises should be done in order to improve the flexibility and relieve pain in the neck. Exercises can be performed after warming up of the muscles by a warm towel or bath. Here are a few simple stretches for cervical disc disease that you can do at home:

* Move the neck: As per the study by the American Medical Association, women who had neck pain got relief when they did exercises using light weight and resistance bands. This increased their endurance and strength of the neck muscles. Also, 30 minutes of exercise in the form of biking, walking, swimming, and biking is recommended to improve the blood flow.

*  Maintain the posture of the neck: A bad posture can cause a neck pain. Every time while standing, sitting, walking, lifting the posture should be kept in mind. The head and neck should be kept straight and the back should be supported in order to avoid neck pains.

Neck Pain and How To Deal With It

An abnormal swelling in the neck can be symptom of various problems. While it can be something as non-threatening as a swollen gland due to a cold that can be cured with simple medication, a swollen neck can also turn out to be a cancerous lump in the neck. When faced with an irregular swelling in the neck, it is best to not panic or jump to conclusions until you consult with an Ear-Nose-Throat Specialist. The possible problems that a swelling in the neck can indicate are:

Swelling or enlargement of the salivary glands: The salivary glands may become enlarged due to an infection or due to foreign materials getting stuck in them. While foreign objects or formation of stones in the salivary glands might require surgical removal, they can often be dissolved with medication and other non-invasive treatments. And infection in the salivary glands is often treated with antibiotics or other medication. These treatments can be prescribed and administered by ENT Specialists.
Thyroid disease: The thyroid gland may swell up and cause a swelling of the neck. These are often called goiters in colloquial language and are a result of thyroid diseases such as hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. They usually require a series of medication and treatment and are not considered an ENT problem despite the swelling of the neck.
Benign cysts: Benign cysts can form in any part of the neck or in the glands, much like it can form in any part of the body. An ENT Specialist can prescribe a surgical removal of the cyst lest it turns cancerous later in life. It should also be removed in case it grows or relocates, going on to cause other problems.
Lumps in the muscles: Lumps in the neck muscles are formed by injury or torticollis. These usually aren t considered ENT problems and can be treated by general physicians and sometimes chiropractors.
Cancerous cysts or growths: One of the most daunting problems posed by a swelling of the neck is the possibility of cancer. While thyroid cancers as well as cancerous growths in the salivary glands are slow to develop, a swelling in the neck should immediately be investigated by an ENT Specialist in order to rule out all possibilities.

Neck Swelling - When It's An ENT Disease!!

Concentrated pain in the neck can be especially tormenting. Before you look for a cure for this pain and start treating it, it is important that you try and find out the underlying cause behind it as well. Contacting a physiotherapist in time will allow you not only to avoid any and every side effect posed by neck pain, but also assist you to get good riddance from it.

Causes of Neck Pain:
There can be multiple causes of neck pain. The treatment of the same depends wholly on the factor that is causing the pain. Some of these causes of neck pain include

Misaligned hips,
Misaligned Spine,
Misaligned shoulders,
A constantly forward-tilted head,
Lack of movement of the head from one specific position,
Tensing up of the muscles in the upper back,
Tensing up of the muscles in the neck region, etc.
It is all these factors and a few more that end up resulting in stiffening of muscles in and around the neck and causing you intermediate to unbearable pain.
Side effects of neck pain:
Neck pain also has some side effects, which includes temporary loss of consciousness, nausea, vomiting, blackouts, temporarily blurred vision, headache, spondylitis, etc.

Exercises for neck pain:
Neck exercises are a predominant part of the treatment extended by every physiotherapist, to cure neck pain. Some of the most vital and effective exercises for neck pain are listed below.

Frog: Funny as it way sounds, the frog is one of the best exercises when it comes to treating neck pain. All you have to do is lie down on the floor with your knees apart, your feet joined, your hands laid upward on the floor at a 45-degree angle to your body and just stay there in that position for two minutes. This will force your back to arch naturally, slowly giving some relief to your neck.
Sitting floor: Try sitting floor for neck pain. All you have to do is sit straight with your back rested on a wall, with your legs laid straight forward. Bring together your shoulder blades and bend to help them meet your knees while curling the toes outward to optimal. Stay in this position for a good 3 minutes, without bending the legs.
Static wall: Lie down on the floor with your bottom against a wall and your legs up it. You can always scoot back a bit if there is the slightest of discomfort. The aim here is to help the tail bone lie comfortably on the floor. Tighten your thigh muscles but curling your toes outward and pointing your feet straight out from its previous position. Maintain this position for 3 minutes for maximum effect.
Static back: The static back is the most common and most helpful exercise for neck pain. All you got to do is lie down on the floor, while placing your legs on an elevated surface, such as an ottoman or a chair at a 45-degree angle to your body. Now put your arms at an angle of 45 degrees to your body as well, only sideways on your shoulder. Follow this position by lifting your palms and staying in that position for five to ten minutes.
All these exercises are aimed to positively influence one muscle or the other in and around the neck region and to help you get rid of that pain. Consult a physiotherapist first, and he/she will advise you on the best neck pain exercises.

Neck Pain - 4 Exercises to Control Pain

Don't wait any longer, manage your Neck Pain Treatment online with a Lybrate doctor today

Consult for Neck Pain Treatment - Online and Easy!

FilterClear All

COMMON SPECIALITIES

COMMON ISSUES