Fast Relief For Severe Upper & Lower Back Pain: At-Home Remedies That Work
Updated: Nov 27
How to Relieve Back Pain: 1. Change your Posture | 2. Mindful outfits | 3. Exercise | 4. Stretch | 5. Massage therapy | 6. CBD oil | 7. What to Avoid | 7. Key Takeaways
Struggling with back pain? You're in the right place. In this article, we'll explore effective home remedies and exercises to help you relieve severe upper and lower back pain fast and get back to feeling your best.
While a doctor's visit is always recommended for persistent pain, these strategies can empower you to manage your pain and improve your well-being day by day.
How to Relieve Back Pain - Tip #1: Change your Posture as often as you can
It’s not a secret that the main reason for back pain is bad posture. But posture only becomes “bad” if it’s held for too long for extended periods of time!
Move While You Stand
While waiting for a bus, standing on the tube, etc. Shift your body weight onto the right leg, then onto the left, and keep alternating as often as you feel comfortable. Stand on both feet and sway back and forth, shifting your body weight onto your toes and then onto your heels. Bend your knees ever so slightly. Push back through the back of the knee and really engage the muscles of the thighs.
These are all minimal MICRO-MOVEMENTS, but they change the way your muscles engage radically, preventing tension from building up and easing upper & lower back pain .
Move In Your Office Chair
Whether you're working from home or at the office, make sure you change your position every 30 minutes. This will quickly relieve that upper back pain that has been bothering you all last year! Moving is a miracle medicine!
Set up a beeping clock to beep every half an hour, and change the way you sit with each reminder.
Uncross your legs, or cross the other way around (left of the top of the right, or vice versa).
Switch to a standing desk, or move to a different table with your laptop.
Move around in your chair or the office as much as you can.
Besides, Sit comfortably! Make sure work surfaces are at a comfortable height and sit. Use proper support for the low back and a footrest if needed.
How to Relieve Back Pain - Tip #2: Don't let your wardrobe sacrifice back health!
Change The Way You Carry Your Bag
We often habitually carry a bag, e.g. on the same shoulder. Notice how you do it and alternate the shoulders each day. Have an option of a rucksack and a handbag to carry on different days of the week or opt for a convertible bag which can become a backpack within a minute! This will greatly help to fast relieve upper back and neck pain.
Change Shoes Often
Different heights of the heel and different types of sole will engage the muscles of your legs and the back in a different way. The type of shoes you wear will reposition your hip joint, which directly affects both your upper and lower back. So don’t throw away your stilettos just yet! Wear them when you have to but carry a pair of pumps for when your back says no ;-)
Wear Loose and Stretchy Clothes to Sleep
This will allow your body to move freely while you rest. Especially if you tend to wake up with a ‘dead’ arm (scary!) or experience back pain after sleeping, you may check if your pyjamas or custom t-shirt you sleep in jams your shoulder joint when you lift your arm above your head.
How to Relieve Back Pain - Tip #3: Exercise
Cross Train
Cross-training strengthens various muscle groups, providing a holistic approach to managing the pain in the upper, mid, and lower parts of your back.
Mix up your exercise routine: Different kinds of exercise (spin, running, weights, swimming, yoga, pilates, pilates reformer, boot camp, YOU NAME IT!) train different groups of muscles.
By engaging in different types of exercise, you’ll train your body to “think outside the box,” which is the best way to keep ALL of your joints moving and your muscles strong, supple, and happy.
Low Impact Exercises
Most sports injuries are caused by repetitive overuse of the spine, either through twisting, compression, or flexion (as when playing golf). High-impact sports such as running and football also cause pain radiating from the centre and lower part of the back.
After any period of prolonged inactivity, it is best to choose low-impact lower back pain exercises such as speed walking, swimming, or stationary bike riding 30 minutes daily, which can all increase muscle strength and flexibility and prevent lower back strains.
Core Exercises
Strong core muscles can significantly help to prevent, manage and relieve severe lower back pain.
Research shows that one of the leading causes of lower back pain is a weak core musculature. Strengthening your core will help you to build solid lumbar support in a gentle and safe way, improve your posture as well as reducing stress on the lower back.
HOW TO STRENGTHEN CORE MUSCLES WITHOUT HURTING THE BACK?
Try these no equipment core muscles exercises or if you have access to a Power Plate machine, try this super effective 10 minutes core exercise workout on a vibration plate.
How to Relieve Back Pain - Tip #4: Stretch
Wake Up Your Body Gently
If you experience hip pain when lying on your side at night or upper back pain after sleeping, start your day by gently exploring different movements. To relieve that upper back pain fast at home when you wake, try performing gentle stretches that target your shoulder blades and upper spine. You can also incorporate cat-cow stretches, pelvic tilts, or side bends and avoid movements that aggravate the pain.
Moreover, don't limit your stretch routine to the sore areas. By stretching your entire body you may improve overall flexibility and potentially alleviate back pain.
Learn what are your limitations and welcome them, working patiently with a positive attitude!
Warm Up Like a Pro, Cool Down Like a Champion!
Your workout shouldn't start or end abruptly! Preparing your body with a dynamic warm-up primes your muscles for movement, improving flexibility and reducing injury risk. Think lunges, arm circles, and high knees. Dynamic stretching is a safer way to warm up your body, reducing the risk of injury. After your workout, cool down with static stretches like hamstring pulls or quad holds.
A well-designed warm-up and cool-down routine is your double defence against severe lower back pain. It preps your muscles for activity and promotes recovery to relieve discomfort. It's a simple investment that pays off big time!
How to Relieve Back Pain - Tip #5: Massage therapy
Massage therapy is a powerful tool for combating back pain. The targeted application of pressure and techniques like kneading, compression, and stretching can help to:
Reduce muscle tension and stiffness: Tight muscles can compress nerves and cause pain. Massage helps to loosen these knots and improve flexibility.
Improve blood circulation: Increased blood flow delivers essential nutrients to your back muscles and removes waste products contributing to pain.
Promote relaxation and endorphin production: Stress can exacerbate back pain. Massage therapy helps to relax the mind and body, promoting a sense of calm, while releasing endorphins, the body's natural painkillers.
Improve your posture and range of motion: These can both help to prevent future back pain.
Although a massage therapist's expertise is unmatched, self-massage offers a convenient at-home solution. You can relieve stubborn upper back pain fast at home with a combination of deep tissue massage using a tennis ball and simple stretches focusing on your shoulder blades.
To relieve severe lower back pain, it's crucial to consult a healthcare professional for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan. Self-massage in severe pain may sometimes worsen the condition.
How to Relieve Back Pain - Tip #6: Full Spectrum CBD Oil
Full-spectrum CBD is a type of CBD oil that contains a variety of cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids. This combination of compounds is believed to work together synergistically, enhancing the potential benefits of CBD.
Full-spectrum CBD has been shown to be effective in reducing pain, including chronic pain, neuropathic pain, and arthritis pain. The combination of cannabinoids and other compounds in full-spectrum CBD may provide a more comprehensive approach to pain management than isolated CBD.
If you're experiencing chronic pain, consider trying full-spectrum CBD oil. It may be a natural and effective way to manage your symptoms and improve your quality of life.
How to Relieve Back Pain - Tip #7: Don't Make It Worse
Don't Overstress About It
Science tells us that fear and anxiety actually increase pain; on the contrary, learn these 13 stretches for lower back pain and start to experiment!
Don’t underestimate
Lower back pain, as if left untreated, could lead to more serious conditions. Seek immediate medical advice if you experience any of these:
Pain with coughing or urinating, leg weakness, and fever
Numbness in the groin, buttocks, and inner thigh areas, which prevents you from even feeling a light touch
Loss of control of the bowels or bladder
Consistent lower back pain after a serious trauma such as a motor vehicle accident.
Nerve pain is caused by pressure on the sciatic nerve, which could result in pain radiating down through the buttocks and down one leg, sometimes even reaching the foot. It is usually caused by muscular tension and could be resolved with massage and proper stretching. Even though sometimes sciatica can be a consequence of a disc injury and rupture or herniation (occasionally due to excessive exercise or heavy lifting), therefore it is always better to get a medical diagnosis to understand what’s the best way to treat it.
Don’t rely on chemicals or jump into surgery too quickly!
While medication and surgery can play a role in some back pain cases, adopting the strategies listed above can often be more effective and less invasive. Because These options address the root cause of the pain and promote long-term healing.
Moreover, Pain medication may offer temporary relief, but it can come with side effects.
Key Takeaways
While severe back pain might require a doctor's visit, the strategies outlined here can empower you to manage discomfort and promote healing.
By incorporating these tips:
maintaining good posture
prioritizing back-friendly clothing
engaging in proper exercise and stretching
seeking professional massage therapy
avoiding activities that worsen your pain
you can take control of your recovery and fast relieve severe upper and lower back pain at home!
Remember, consistency is key! Gradually building these practices into your routine can lead to long-term back health and improved well-being.