What Can I Do to Relieve My Lower Back Pain?

Lower back pain can often be relieved with home treatment such as cold and hot compresses, gentle stretching, bed rest, over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers, topical capsaicin and lidocaine, physical therapy, and acupuncture.

Lower back pain is a common problem and it can often affect a person’s ability to perform everyday tasks. Most acute lower back pain is caused by injury or a disorder such as arthritis. Fortunately, lower back pain can often be relieved with home treatment. 

Home treatment to relieve lower back pain may include:  

• Cold and hot compresses 
• Gentle stretching
• Bed rest for 1 to 2 days at most — activities should be resumed as soon as possible
• Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers to reduce pain and discomfort 
  • Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve)
  • Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
  • Aspirin (do not give aspirin to children under 18 due to the risk of a serious illness called Reye’s syndrome) 
  • Topical capsaicin and lidocaine
• Physical therapy
• Acupuncture

Movement can be effective for relieving lower back pain, and strengthening back, abdominal, and leg muscles may help prevent lower back pain from recurring. 

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recommends the following back exercises. Consult your doctor or physical therapist before performing any of these exercises for lower back pain. Depending on the cause of your lower back pain, some exercises may not be recommended.  If any exercises worsen the pain or cause new pain, stop and contact your doctor. 

Beginning Exercise Program

Ankle Pumps

• Lie on your back
• Move ankles up and down
• Repeat 10 times

Heel Slides

• Lie on your back
• Slowly bend and straighten knee
• Repeat 10 times

Abdominal Contraction

• Lie on your back with knees bent and hands resting below ribs
• Tighten abdominal muscles to squeeze ribs down toward back
• Do not hold your breath
• Hold 5 seconds, then relax
• Repeat 10 times

Wall Squat

• Stand with your back leaning against the wall.
• Walk feet 12 inches in front of body
• Keep abdominal muscles tight while slowly bending both knees to 45 degrees
• Hold 5 seconds, then slowly return to upright position
• Repeat 10 times

Heel Raises

• Stand with your weight evenly distributed on both feet
• Slowly raise your heels off the floor
• Hold 5 seconds, then slowly lower your heels to the floor
• Repeat 10 times

Straight Leg Raises

• Lie on your back with one leg straight and one knee bent
• Tighten abdominal muscles to stabilize the lower back
• Slowly lift leg straight up about 6 to 12 inches and hold for 1 to 5 seconds
• Lower leg slowly
• Repeat 10 times

Intermediate Exercise Program

Single Knee to Chest Stretch

• Lie on your back with both knees bent
• Hold thigh behind knee and bring one knee up to chest
• Hold 20 seconds, then relax
• Repeat 5 times on each side

Hamstring Stretch

• Lie on your back with legs bent
• Hold one thigh behind knee
• Slowly straighten knee until a stretch is felt in back of thigh
• Hold 20 seconds, then relax
• Repeat 5 times on each side.

Advanced Exercise Program

Hip Flexor Stretch

• Lie on your back near edge of bed, holding knees to chest
• Slowly lower one leg down, keeping knee bent, until a stretch is felt across top of the hip/thigh
• Hold 20 seconds, then relax
• Repeat 5 times on each side

Piriformis Stretch

• Lie on your back with both knees bent
• Cross one leg on top of the other
• Pull your opposite knee to your chest until a stretch is felt in the buttock/hip area
• Hold 20 seconds, then relax
• Repeat 5 times on each side

If conservative home treatments and exercises are not effective in relieving lower back pain, medical treatments may include: 

• Prescription medicines
  • Muscle relaxants
  • Opioids (for short-term use only) 
  • Anticonvulsants (may be helpful for sciatica)
  • Tricyclics and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor antidepressants (SNRIs)
• Spinal manipulation and spinal mobilization such as chiropractic 
• Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)
• Spinal injections
• Implanted nerve stimulators 
• Surgery in severe cases