Back pain is a serious discomfort to so many people, with seemingly little relief to be found. Even the most ergonomic office chairs and automobile seats do not alleviate this nagging condition. Read on to discover some very useful ideas on how to finally get some help for your back pain.

Utilize sources of heat for comfort against back pain. In most cases, back pain is caused by some sort of inflammation and applying heat will reduce this inflammation, offering more comfort against the pain. This is a very safe and effective method of relieving pack pain and is very cost efficient as well.

Make sure you're drinking enough water every day. With seventy percent of our bodies being water, it's important that we keep hydrated. Water can keep your body loose and fluid rather than stiff. Staying hydrated will also keep your intervertebral disks functioning as shock absorbers to take a lot of the pressure off the rest of the body.

Many times taking an over the counter pain medicine will help ease back pain. You may have to take it for a couple days, and then you will notice the pain is gone. Make sure you read the directions to the pills very carefully, and don't take to much thinking it will work faster.

If you suffer from problems with back pain, heat and ice your back. In the first two to three days of back pain, you want to put ice on it to reduce the inflammation. After the first three days of icing your back you want to apply heat to loosen and relax your muscles.

Massage therapy has been proven a very effective method for alleviating lower back pain as well as helping with other problems. It can help improve sleep and lessen anxiety and depression which may also be causing the back problems. Overall massage therapy has many positive benefits and is great to use in combination with heat or ice therapy.

If you are deficient in vitamin B-12, you may be at risk for back pain. Studies show that this vitamin can alleviate low back pain. People who receive vitamin B-12 injections, show a statistically significant reduction in pain and disability. Meat and dairy products are some other good ways to get vitamin B-12.

One of the absolute best ways to strengthen your back is to keep it flexible. Yoga, Pilates or Tai Chi are some methods that will help you. Two to four times a week, alternated with strength training will put you in tip top shape. Give it some time and soon you will hopefully forget the pain that had you lying on the couch.

Injured Back

To aid your body in healing from painful back injuries, invest in a firm mattress. Many people mistakenly believe that a soft mattress will be more comforting to their injured back. In truth, a soft mattress will not help you to maintain your posture through the night while a firm mattress gives your back the support it needs to repair itself.

To help relieve back pain resulting from strained or injured back muscles, give your back plenty of rest. Strained back muscles need rest and recovery, which speeds up the healing process. Try lying on your back or on your side, whichever is most comfortable for you. Keep your spine properly aligned in its normal position. Some people find that lying on firm surfaces, like a firm mattress or a carpeted floor, helps immensely.

Hopefully this article has provided you with some much needed advice on solving the problems presented by your back pain. From the dull ache to the excruciating pinching, back pain can really interfere with your ability to perform the most basic daily activities, work, and even sleeping right. Take the tips from this article, and put them to good use in alleviating your back pain today.