Low back pain will often improve with simple measures that don't
require drugs: rest, stretching, application of heat (or cold if
pain followed an injury) and massage, for example. These
measures often provide enough relief so that you can tolerate
the pain until it gets better, or at least improves, on its own.
Other options may also help relieve your pain: Change your daily
routine. Examining your daily routine may provide additional
clues that will help you find effective treatments. For example,
many people with low back pain can benefit from stretching
before and after exercise, using a chair at work that better
supports the back or placing a lumbar (lower back) support
pillow in the car. If you're overweight, losing those extra
pounds can help relieve back pain. Keep your brain busy.
Distraction, too, can be a powerful pain reliever. Many people
say their pain increases at night; this is probably because the
day's distractions fall away when they are trying to get to
sleep, and the pain can then demand