Ice and back pain

Pain in the lower back is a very common condition and 75 percent of people will suffer from a severe amount of lower back pain at least one point in their lives. The vast majority of this pain will come from injuries that have been caused to the musculoskeletal system and will gradually heal over time.

There are several effective treatments for this kind of back pain and one of the most common is pain medication that can be bought over the counter. Ice can often be used as well to reduce the amount of inflammation seen at the site of injury.

Interestingly, after ice has been applied and the swelling has been reduced, heat can actually relieve the amount of pain being suffered. It is also recommended that people return to their normal activities as soon as possible as routine will help the back muscles recover. Typically back pain after an injury will last for over a month so patients should be ready for a long healing process.

It is possible that the back pain will develop into a chronic condition and if the pain continues it is important to seek medical attention. It is possible that there is a nerve being pressed on as it leaves the spine and this can be the cause of pain. It is also possible that the cause of this might be a synovial cyst or a herniated disc.

In the lower spine there are actually many joints but the movement in these is limited. The spine is also important for protecting the spinal cord and the nerves associated with it. Between each of these joints there is a disc which is a form of shock absorber which prevents damage to the spine. Pain can occur when one of these discs comes out of place.