Back Pain Relief If You Just Got Injured in Vacaville

One of the scariest experiences you will ever witness is seeing someone hurt their back. That moment upon seeing someone go from full mobility to practical paralysis can make you ask yourself several questions: Should I rush them to the ER? Should I use ice or heat? What is the best position for back pain relief? How long will it take for them to recover? These are the common questions that talks about concern when there is a back injury in Vacaville.

When is emergency care warranted in Vacaville?

Most cases of back pain do not require an emergency room just to get relief. There is no need for emergency care unless the person no longer feels their legs or have severe numbness going down their legs. Another instance where a hospital visit is warranted is if there is a stinging nerve pain running down the leg. That type of injury may require the person to undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to rule out serious injury. A severe case may involve a disc bulging out of place, thereby pressing on the spinal cord and will require an emergency surgery. However, this is a very rare case so there is no need to think too deep about it.

First steps to back pain relief

Everyone has a different pain threshold and some people would feel like they need to visit the hospital just to get prescription pain medications. But most people would only require home treatments like using a generous dose of ice and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen or naproxen. The best thing to do right away after someone throws out their back is to let them lie down on a firm surface and apply some ice to the painful area. Keep in mind that ice is always the key!

For those who can move without further injuring themselves, then it is okay to do so. However, avoid forcing it because pain can get worse if it is not addressed properly in the initial days after injury. After a couple of days of rest and ice, the pain should start feeling better. If the back pain has not changed even after three to five days, then you should take that person to the doctor.

Initial exercises

Assuming the person is on the mend, it is recommended to start applying heat instead of ice so that they can start performing some slow pelvic-tilt exercises. However, before starting any exercise regimen, it is ideal that the person will do a self-assessment first. They should stand up and evaluate their pain. Let them perform a couple of bending movements to see if there are any areas that still hurts. If the extension feels better, the person should sit down and lean backward then do several sets of six repetitions. If moving forward provides back pain relief, the person should lie on their back and pull their knees to the chest. These are great techniques for stretching the back.

On top of these exercises, those who are still recovering from a recent injury can hasten their road to recovery by sleeping on a firm surface and do the "log rolling" when getting out of bed. Log rolling is when you move your body as one unit as opposed to bending or twisting. It is worth noting that twisting motions are bad, and heavy lifting of any kind is discouraged.

Hopefully, you have learned a thing or two about back pain relief and if you need more advice like this, just head on to Absolute Integrative Physical Medicine. We can also help you with your back pain or any other type of pain so just hit us up by dialing (707) 474-5688 and schedule an appointment today.