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PharmEasy Blog

4 Best Home Remedies for Back Pain

Our fast-paced and busy life sometimes surprises us in the form of health issues! Many times, we take our health for granted and land up with some health issues. 

Backache is a common health problem experienced by the middle-aged or elderly population. Improper diet, lack of physical activity, muscle tension, poor posture, arthritis, and vertebral disc problem can trigger this health problem. Backache can be so severe that it can restrict your day to day activities also.

Severe back pain needs immediate attention from your doctor. But, you can treat nagging pain and discomfort on your own. There are wide varieties of home remedies to treat back pain.

If you are interested in using a home remedy for back pain relief, you might consider one of the following popular options.

1. Try oils and homemade ointments

Our kitchen is rich with various spices and oils that are useful to make oil and ointments. 

• Apply some ginger paste over the affected area, followed by eucalyptus oil massage. Ginger contains anti-inflammatory compounds that give instant relief from back pain.
• Massage your affected part with warm herbal oil. It helps to relax your muscles and provide instant relief. You can use a mixture of several herbal oils like coconut, eucalyptus, almond, sesame, mustard, etc. Heat the oil until warm and massage it gently on the painful area of your back.
• We know honey is beneficial in various problems. Manuka (honey type) is useful to treat back pain. Massage this honey gently on the lower back for a period of 2 to 3 weeks to get the desired results. 
• Combine camphor and coconut oil and boil it for 5-10 minutes. Let it be cool, and then store it in a clean bottle. Use this oil twice a week before going to sleep to get rid of backache.
• Massage your back with mustard oil an hour before going for a shower with warm water.
• Heat coconut oil with mustard or sesame oil on low flame. Add 8-10 cloves of garlic to it and fry the garlic until it turns brown. Now strain the oil and allow it to reach room temperature. Massage your back gently with this oil, leave it on for some time and bathe in warm water.
• Turmeric is a superfood useful almost in every condition. For back pain, make a paste by mixing two tablespoons of turmeric with a tablespoon of honey and two tablespoons of milk. Rub this paste gently on the lower back area for 5 to 8 minutes for 1-2 weeks until the pain subsides.
• Surprisingly, Aloe Vera is also beneficial in back pain. Rub the fresh Aloe Vera gel on the lower back for instant relief from the pain.
• Take a tube sock and fill it with the rice. Tie it properly and keep it in the microwave for 3-5 minutes. Then lay it wherever you have the pain. It works wonders for lower back pain.

2. Anti-inflammatory homemade drinks

When you consume anti-inflammatory foods, your body builds several anti-inflammatory, antioxidants, and anti-cancerous properties. Consuming this food is always beneficial for your health. Here are a few anti-inflammatory drinks that are effective to treat your back pain-

• Turmeric milk – Your mum’s all-time favorite drink! This magic shot contains a lot of anti-inflammatory properties, antioxidants, and anti-arthritic properties. Add a half teaspoon of turmeric powder in a glass of warm milk and consume it regularly. Drink it before bedtime to allow the anti-inflammatory process to work while in sleep. 
• Ginger-Green tea – This herbal drink contains anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It lowers the chances of getting backache.
• Tart cherry juice – Tart cherries are full of antioxidants, vitamin C, and anti-inflammatory agents. Tart cherry juice can relieve muscle pain, joint pain, and back pains. For the best result, try to drink tart cherry juice daily.
• Basil syrup – Boil 10 to 12 basil leaves in a cup of water until the water evaporates to half. Allow it to cool down to room temperature, then add a pinch of salt to it. Drink this syrup once or twice a day if you have mild or severe back pain.

3. Try ice and warm application  

You may have heard about this. As per your comfort zone, use the cold or warm application on your affected area. Usually, ice/cold application immediately following a back injury can alleviate pain by numbing the area and preventing or reducing swelling. After 48 hours of the onset of back pain applying heating pads or a hot-water bottle to your back may be helpful.

Also Read: Dolo Medicine

4. Keep a good posture  

Your back pain may arise from a sedentary lifestyle or poor pasture. Maintaining a good posture can ease the pressure on your lower back. 

Apart from these home remedies for back pain, there are a couple of other tips you can do to alleviate the pain. It might sound contradictory, but constantly moving is a good way to combat back pain. Being idle for too long may result in the weakening of the spine and surrounding bones. Hence doctors suggest patients continue with their regular schedule or try to incorporate short walks.

Another way is to get in some light stretching and strengthening exercises daily. If you do this, your abdominal core and muscles will be able to support your back. Yoga and Pilates are some types of exercise you can undertake to strengthen your muscles around the hip region.

Another thing to remember is to not take much bed rest. Yes, it is contrary to the popular belief that you should take as much rest as you can when suffering from a bout of back pain. The truth is, elongated periods of bed rest can result in the muscles losing their tone and even digestive issues like constipation. Hence bed rest in small doses can help you catch a break from the horrid backache. 

In back pain, these home remedies work wonderfully in both acute and chronic situations. But if they are recurrent and aggravating, then consult your doctor immediately. It’s important to note that self-treating with alternative medicine and avoiding or delaying standard care may be harmful to your health.

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