What can you take for your lower back pain?

Answer 1

well on my second pregnancy i would get headaches here and there i talked to my doctor and he said that the only thing he could recommend is regular Tylenol not extra strength or anything like that just the regular, and only one pill it worked for me and that would get rid of my head ached

Answer 2

Whatever you can get away with that takes care of the pain effectively. You should only consider opiates if the pain is interfering with quality of life (i.e., it's a serious problem).

I often use a lot of OTC meds these days as I'm not using opiates as much - here's a list of what I normally take, along with some tips to help get the pressure off your spine. It's pretty standard treatment for most Back pain, even serious pain.

There are some things you can do to help yourself heal faster and make you more comfortable:

1. The first thing to do is get pressure off your hips and spine. The easiest way to do that is to lay on your side, and put a large pillow or cushion between your knees (preferably one large enough to make your legs parallel to each other). The idea is to get pressure off the hips and the lower vertebrae. I still have to do it regularly, as I have permanent nerve damage in my own back. The other thing is to put a pillow behind your back, and one in front of you in a position that you can "hug it". That will keep you from rolling over onto your back when you're sleeping.

If you can't lie on your side, then lie on your back with a cushion large enough under your legs to flatten out the small of your back. It's not ideal, but if the key is to get your legs high enough so that the pressure is off the lower spine. Back when I could still lie on my back, I used to actually lie on the floor with my legs on a couch - think being in a sitting position, only your back is on the floor. You'd be surprised how comfortable it can be.

2. Muscle spasms - One thing that makes nerve problems more painful in the back is muscle spasms. They're like a vicious circle; the nerve pain makes the muscles contract, which makes the back tighter, irritating the nerve more, and so on. I've used heat for years, but the key is using the right kind of heat.

If you can find one at a local pharmacy, get a Thermophore pad - I've used one for 20 years, long before Chiro's started using them. They're an instant moist heat pad; it uses a flannel cover that draws moisture from the air, and it heats up within a minute or two. If they don't have one locally, you can get one at the link below. Get the standard size (14"x27") with the switch you need to hold - the timer switch doesn't work very well.

You need to find a way to relax the muscles further if you can. Heat will help, and getting pressure off the spine, but if it's bad enough you might consider asking your doctor for some Flexeril, which is a prescription muscle relaxer. These days it's the only thing that will still knock me out for more than a couple of hours, but you can just take half if you need to.

3. OTC Meds - Though I've long been a high-dose opiate patient, I still use a lot of OTC meds to reduce my dependence on them. 3 meds I take regularly are:

a. Tylenol Extra-Strength Rapid Release Gel-Tabs - They work fast and extremely well. Just make sure you drink a lot of water / cranberry juice to keep your kidneys flushed. I take mine about every 6 - 8 hours, and even with my level of pain it helps make it tolerable.

b. Bayer Back & Body Aspirin - It also works fast and does a really good job of easing the pain. You can't take as much of it as you can Tylenol, but I still use it in combination with it.

c. Naproxen - Though I use prescription strength Naproxen, you can get it in a pharmacy as Aleve. Prescription strength is 500mg - Aleve tabs come in 220mg. Make sure you only take them every 12 hours.

It's important to note that with myself, my pain tolerance is extremely high, and though the med combination above works, it's only good enough to keep me comfortable as long as my activity is really low.

If the pain doesn't start getting better after a couple of days, then you'll need to see a doctor, but you should see one anyway, if for nothing else to get a note to allow you to stay at home and rest. School isn't conducive to proper spine healing. Usually it takes 2-3 days before you start really feeling the difference if the nerve has been irritated or compressed.

Answer 3

Tylenol and a heating pad set on low heat but not for too long. You don't want you body temp to get to high. She can also take a WARM bath and that helps relieve the tension.

Answer 4

go to the hospital and ask them to do a check up

i did and know im 100 percent better

Answer 5

Consult your physician or chiropractor, but in general, there are no drugs that work well to relieve back pain. Over-the-counter Advil did as well as anything stronger, for me.

Answer 6

Tylenol, a warm bath and a massage

Answer 7

Still i buprofen or paracetamol.