Does it work? Back pain relief
Experts go over the most common treatments so you can bend again.
About one in six Aussies report having back problems, and four out of five will experience it at some time in their life. The most frequent ‘ouch’ spot? The lower back. Because it moves the most, its risk of injury or pain from overuse is greater. Happily, most back pain usually goes away without treatment. Pain that persists or interferes with daily life, which could signal a serious injury or illness, should be checked by your GP. For minor aches, though, over-the-counter products may offer relief. Here are some popular ones.
TOPICAL TREATMENTS
WHAT THEY ARE: Creams, ointments and gels contain active ingredients that numb the area or trigger skin sensations (warm or cold) to ease pain-inducing inflammation. Common ingredients include camphor, menthol, lidocaine, aspirin and arnica.
WHAT WE KNOW: The ingredients override back-to-brain pain signals. In a Japanese study, camphor and menthol increased blood flow to muscles, helping to reduce pain.
And a Cochrane research review concluded that arnica (which works like an antiinflammatory) diminished lower back pain.
SHOULD YOU TRY THEM? For minor aches, sure. But they’re probably useless for deep-muscle or disc pain, as they can’t penetrate dense ligaments and deep muscle or tissue, says chiropractor Dr Scott Bautch.
BACK WRAPS
WHAT THEY ARE: Wraps primarily target lower back pain and claim to bring relief via heat, cold, compression or a combo. Choose disposable or reusable (these can be warmed in a microwave or chilled in a freezer).
WHAT WE KNOW: Compression stabilises and helps with swelling, as seen in a small European Journal of Pain study, which found that compression wraps dulled lower back pain. Cold wraps help calm exercise-related soreness by taming inflammation, while heat wraps help with stiffness and spasms.
SHOULD YOU TRY THEM? For moderate pain, try a simple elastic compression wrap, advises Dr Bautch. Hot or cold wraps can help, but a heating pad or bag of ice is cheaper and also as effective, says orthopaedic surgeon Dr Thomas Dowling.
CHAIR SUPPORTS
WHAT THEY ARE: Lumbar pillows, propped at the base of your seat, support your lower back. Plastic posture helpers, which are placed on your chair, help keep your spine in its proper position. And foam wedges you sit on may relieve spinal disk pressure to lessen lower back or tailbone pain.
WHAT WE KNOW: A Journal of Physical Therapy Science study found physiotherapy and lumbar pillow use decreased lower back pain better than physiotherapy alone. Gel or memory foam pillows take pressure off the tailbone, and chair supports may help but won’t eliminate pain, says Dr Dowling.
SHOULD YOU TRY THEM? Sitting less and moving more trumps any product, says Dr Dowling. He likes lumbar rolls, if they fit perfectly in the small of your back.