What can be done against back pain?

The most important points in brief

• Back pain is nasty and unfortunately not that rare in everyday life.
• They almost always result from a lack of exercise, from an unhealthy sitting posture at work or from stress.
• Incorrect stresses and frequent looking at the smartphone are also possible causes.
• In principle, the orthopedic surgeon is the right contact person - but if the pain is acute, remedial action must be found quickly. The measures presented here promise success.

When your back really hurts, it's hard to bear. Because as a result of these complaints, other physical torments often occur, for example in the shoulder and neck area or on the hips. But what can you do to relieve back pain when going to the doctor is not an option?

No movement possible? Lying correctly can take the strain off your back

It is not always possible to move sufficiently immediately when there is pain, sometimes it just hurts too much. If you lie correctly, you can also take the strain off your back and ensure that at least the first, greatest pain is soon over and not repeated when you try to get up and move.

Lie flat on the floor (a soft blanket as a base is allowed) and form a step with the torso, thighs and lower legs by bending the thighs 90 degrees from the torso and the lower legs 90 degrees again from the thighs. To do this, slide a suitable object, such as a box, under your lower legs. This noticeably relieves the back, you can usually get up a short time later and move better.

Not sitting, not standing, but walking helps against back pain

Because movement is the best posture. While standing and sitting often help the pain return, a leisurely walk is almost always the right means to ensure that the back pain does not return anytime soon.

Because movement, you guessed it, has several positive effects on the walking apparatus and thus also on the back. On the one hand, it also moves the vertebral joints, and if this is done carefully, it is usually beneficial. Secondly, by walking you loosen up the muscles in your back, which is of course also beneficial overall. And thirdly, exercise also promotes blood circulation - and that's always a good thing for the organism.

Warmth is good for back pain

If you can make it into the tub with your ailments, a hot bath is always a good idea for those with back pain. You can relax and, in the best case scenario, quickly notice how the pain is relieved. If climbing into the bathtub is not possible for reasons of pain, you can make do with a hot water bottle. This also helps quickly and directly at the tricky point. If you don't have a hot water bottle at hand, then heating patches, heating belts or heating foils are just as good and useful.

If all of these measures do not work and instead you feel severe pain (or even paralysis) in your legs or abdomen in addition to your back or you no longer have control over your bowel or bladder, then you must see a doctor or immediately to the hospital.