Home Care for Disc Related Low Back Pain

  If your back was injured less than 3 days ago, use ice packs on low back for 15 minutes every hour. Remember to have a towel or  cloth between skin and ice pack. Do not use blue ice cooler blocks.

 If you have had your back problem for some time and you are in the habit of using a heating pad, do not use heat for more than 15 minutes at any one time. Rather, repeat treatment every hour.

 Keep the weight off your back. Lie down and get up to walk around the house every couple of hours.

 Try lying with your back on the floor with lower legs on couch or foot stool for relief

 In bed lie on back with pillow(s) under knees, or lie on side with pillow between knees.

 Avoid sitting –it puts pressure on the disc. If you have to sit – to eat or work from home – limit sitting to 15 minute intervals.

As your back pain subsides, it is easy to do too much too soon. As you feel better, remember how bad you felt just days ago. Don’t overdo it. The movement that is the hardest on the low back is bending then twisting – such as when looking into the clothes dryer.