Please provide some do's and don'ts about dealing with back pain.

Back: Back braces can weaken core muscles. It is not wise to use them all the time.

Be: Be cautious about getting an x-ray if your pain has been there for less than 6 weeks.

Do: When lifting objects, lift close to your body.

Do: Back pain is complex; talk to your doctor instead of treating it yourself.

Do: Refrain from smoking if you have a bad back or have had back surgery in the past.

Do: Do walk frequently and don't sit for long periods of time.

Don't: See a provider if pain is present for longer than four weeks and spreads into the legs.

Don't: Don't lift too much, too fast! simple advice that is not always followed.

If: If you have no control over your bladder or bowel movements, see a doctor immediately.

Don't: Don't avoid seeing a physician because you think there is little they can offer.

Relieve: Relieve pain: stretch well each morning and take frequent walks.

Remember: Remember to lift with your legs and not by bending at your hips.

Rest: Rest and anti-inflammatories will fix most back pain.

Take: Take advantage of any classes your workplace offers on safe lifting skills.

Avoid: Avoid back pain by always watching your posture, and being active.

Avoid: Avoid smoking if you have chronic pain, as it may lead to increased pain.

Back: Back pain doesn't have to be progressive or debilitating. Also, surgery can be avoided.

Do: Do ask questions. Do get second opinions. Do ask for options & alternatives.

Do: Be sure to work your back and paraspinal muscles at the gym.

Don't: Don't rely on pain injections and oral medications to treat your back pain.

Epidural: Epidural steroid injections may help improve pain associated with inflammation from vertebral discs.

Exercise: Exercise is the easiest way to prevent back pain. Pain injections can help you become active again.

Lift: Lift with your legs; keep heavy objects close to your body as you lift. Get help lifting.

Many: Lower back pain is often the result of tight hamstrings. Be sure to do hamstring stretches!

Regular: Regular exercise, healthy diet, weight control, and no tobacco use all help with spinal health.

Spinal: Spinal cord stimulation may offer pain relief for chronic radicular pain from spinal stenosis.

Try: Use ice at the onset of a strain, then apply heat and rest.

Using: Using support pads and adjusting chair, keyboard & monitor height can reduce spine pain.

Warmup: Warm up and stretch to protect your back.

Watching: Watching your posture, keeping active and flexible, and sleeping on your back will all help.

If: If you take pain pills, use artificial tears four times a day.

Special: Special glasses may help your posture while on the computer for prolonged periods of time.

Most: Most patients with back pain due to a herniated disc do not require or benefit from surgery.

Physical: Physical therapy is highly effective for most kids with back pain--usually due to muscle strain.

Back: Back pain is best improved with daily exercise and activity, not rest!

If: If you feel depressed, back pain feels worse. Ask your doctor about anti-depressants.

Maintain: Maintain flexibility with daily stretching and exercise.

Many: Many of the most effective treatments for back pain do not involve narcotics or other painkillers.

Most: Most people will have back pain at some point of their life, you are not alone.

90%: 90% of people with lower back strains and pain get better within 4-6 weeks.

A: A smoker's cough can sometimes lead to chronic low back pain.

Avoid: Avoid lying in bed or on the couch all day when you have back pain. It can make the pain worse!

Back: Back pain associated with fever and trouble urinating is never a good sign. See your doctor!

Being: Being overweight is a common cause of lower back pain.

Bend: Bend at the knees to pick up something. Don't bend at the waist.

Build: Build up your core muscles with abdominal crunches to help prevent back strains!

Don't: Don't 'slouch' in a chair while sitting down. Sit up straight.

Force: Force your head up and your shoulders back when walking or standing.

Inversion: Inversion tables are an effective form of traction for daily use.

Pilates: Pilates therapy can be very effective for many back ailments.

Practice: Practice traction methods daily. Lie on the floor, put lower legs on chair, and relax back muscles.

Take: Take care of your back! work in a 5 minute back stretch & workout every night before you go to bed.

The: The majority of lower back strains do not need an MRI for evaluation. Avoid unnecessary testing!

Try: Try a naproxen-type anti-inflammatory drug, rather than regular ibuprofen.

Bend: Bend at the knees, rather than the back, to lift an object lower than the waist.

Increasing: Increasing your core strength will prevent many back injuries.

Maintain: Maintain healthy blood flow with daily excerise.

Pay: Pay attention to your body when you are exerting yourself and avoid positions that strain your back.

Smoking: Smoking will inhibit healing of damaged disc. It will make the disc and joint wear out sooner.

Strengthening: Strengthening core muscles is important. We often recommend swimming or water aerobics.

All: All in a night's sleep. Start with a good bed and try different positions to relieve back stress.

Chronic: Chronic lower back pain can lead to depression and associated decreased physical function.

Do: Do stay as active & as normal as possible. Live your life. Don't let pain paralyze you.

Don't: Don't avoid seeing a physician for back pain. Many nonsurgerical options exist to help improve pain.

If: Your body can produce natural pain relievers if you treat it right. Opiates suppress this response.

In: In most cases physical therapy will prevent the need for surgery in herniated disks.

Keep: Keep your back and tummy muscles strong and flexible.

Over: Over the counter pain meds and walking are the best cures for acute back pain.

Pain: Pain does not always mean damage. Find ways to control it rather than it control you.

Simple: Simple is usually better. Exercise & weight control are not easy, but often work.

Stretch:: Stretch: staying flexible can prevent, relieve, or minimize back pain.

Using: Using proper posture when lifting and bending may prevent disc herniation and back pain.

Be: Be patient with back pain. Try physical therapy, antiinflammatories and time before surgery.

Effect: Result of a steroid shot in the back can help a surgeon to decide whether to recommend surgery.

Epidural: Epidural steroids can be diagnostic and therapeutic.

Inversion: Inversion therapy may be helpful for disc herniation and pain.

Magnesium: Magnesium is a great muscle relaxer, can help with sleep, and softens stools.

Physical: Physical therapists are an amazing resource to help you recover from and prevent back injuries.

If: If you have back pain, you may have a "front problem" rather than a back problem. Lose the weight!

Strengthen: Strengthen your core muscles and lose weight, especially on your belly!

Losing: Losing a little weight and strengthening your abdominal and back muscles can cure you!

"If: It's a myth that: if your back hurts, bed rest is good for you. (doing so may get you immobilized!).

Sometimes: Sometimes low back pain comes from tightness in the upper legs, so always remember to stretch well.

Avoid: Avoid mris and ct scans if you have back pain only without evidence for nerve compression for 3 mo!

Heat: Heat can help relax back muscles & remove pain molecules. Consider a warm shower or heating pad.

Capsaicin: Capsaicin cream can be used topically to decrease back pain.

Amrix: Amrix is a good 24 hour muscle relaxer.

That resting in bed: Only one to two days of bed rest is ok, then mobilization with guided exercise/activities is ideal.

Good: Good posture is critical. Try walking as if you are balancing a book on your head.

Don't: Don't take nsaid's with abandon. Do exercise caution with advil, aleve, naproxen, ibuprofen, etc.

Back: Back pain is common, mostly benign. Maintain good posture. Try tylenol (acetaminophen) before using narcotics.

"It's: "it's in my back". Yes, but very often it's also in your psyche. Internal pain + unbalanced muscles.

Keep: Keep your core muscles strong and maintain your flexibility!

Strengthen: Strengthen your core: pilates, yoga, crunches, sit-ups.

Do: Do not stay at bed rest, it makes things worse. Do get up and exercise and/or stretch, stay active.

If: If you are overweight, getting down to an ideal weight may significantly help your back pain.

Don't: Don't assume your back pain is of musculoskeletal origin. Persistent /worsening symptoms need eval.

Focus: Focus on building your "core" muscles. They'll help protect and unload strain on your back.

Not: Not all back pain medicines are of equal efficacy nor equally safe. Check with your doctor please.

Back: Back pain rarely needs surgery. Focus on an exercise routine with walking and flexibity training.

In: In bed, pull knees to chest to stretch back; do straight leg raises, pull w/ towel around the foot.

Ignore: Get an accurate diagnosis. Live your life...

Neutral: Neutral spine exercises such as planks can prevent low back pain.

Focus: Focus on core strength. Planks, trx bands, sit ups and stretching all will help!

3: 3 myths are: it never gets better. Surgery never helps. Physical therapy is short term.

While: While treating back pain make sure that your diagnosis is correct, second medical opinion is important.

Swimming,: Swimming, mckenzie back exercises, soaking in warm water, regular stretching can help.

Exercise: Exercise your core and stretch daily. Yoga is a good way to do both of these things.

Ignore: Work on isometric core exercise like planking and stretch your hamstrings daily.

Avoid: Avoid excessive worry about pain and focus on breathing and natural relaxation.

Most: Most back pain is muscular or arthritis. Try tylenol (acetaminophen) or Motrin initially. Avoid narcotics if possible.

Imagine: Imagine those who suffer more. Those who are abandoned, crippled & dying. Consider yourself blessed!

No: No matter the cause, losing weight and strengthening core muscles will help!

Non: Non steroidal anti inflammatories such as advil (ibuprofen) or alleve can help reduce back pain!

When: When picking up, always bend from the knees, not the back!

Surgery: Surgery is rarely needed. Using your back correctly and maintaining core strength is paramount.

Narcotic: Narcotic use chronically lowers testosterone and causes impotency in males. Don't get "hooked!".

Icy-hot: Icy-hot patch or spray while taking tylenol (acetaminophen) is very effective. Alternatively Cataflam is very useful.

Do: Do get massages & strengthen your back/belly muscles. Don't lift heavy objects with straight legs!

Do: Do maintain good seating posture. Don't ignore your workstation, it may be contributing to back pain.

Do: Do exercise regularly, don't overdo it to the point of extreme pain.

Life: Life should not revolve around pain but on living life in spite of the pain. Do as much as you can.

Concentrate: Concentrate on making sure you are functioning at your best even when pain is present.

It: It is a myth that surgery is always the best treatment for back pain.

Avoid: Avoid complete bed rest-research has shown it results in longer down time, more pain and disability.

Do: Do light routine activity such as walking-you will likely recover faster than if you rest in bed.

Always: Always be aware of risk to back under physical exertion and maintain good posture.

Don't: Don't continue narcotics past 8 weeks unless surgery or injection is planned. Get back to your life.

Avoid: Avoid prolonged sitting, especially associated with forward flexion of lumbar spine.

Avoid: Avoid sedentary positions. Stand, walk and stretch frequently.

The: The best thing for lower back pains is to do phyical therapy.

When: When lifting heavy objects, keep your back straight, bend your knees, and lift with your legs.

Sit: Sit ups are important in low back strengthening.

Transvere: Transvere abdominus strengthening and stabilization may help prevent back pain. Ask your doctor.

Use: Use good lifting mechanics and lift with the legs.

Even: Even if back pain is intense, do not stay in prolonged bed rest, as things can get worse.

Recognize: Recognize and reduce stress factors, exercise regularly and strengthen core muscles.

Keep: Keep moving and avoid overuse activities.

Pain: Pain medications are not the answer. Correct risk factors: posture, support, exercise, etc.

Myths:: Myth: sit-ups help keep core strong! fact: if done alone, may lead to imbalance of core musculature.

Wearing: Wearing a back brace is not an effective long term treatment for back pain.

If: If you are overweight, losing that extra weight is the best long term strategy to avoid back pain.

Get: Get in shape--back pain is more common among individuals who are not physically fit.

Good: Good core strength and endurance can help prevent injury.

Never,: Never, in the gym, lift far more than prior limits. Work up slowly and perhaps with help.

Most: Most acute episodes of back pain will not require surgery.

McKenzie: Mckenzie back exercises result in the best long-term outcomes and ultimate stability.

Stress: Stress dramatically worsens back pain. Healing back pain by john sarno md is a classic book on this.

Some: Some back pain may be related to macromastia (large breasts) in which case - breast reduction.

You: You can wear a back brace for up to two days before muscles start to weaken.

If: If you have back pain, wait several months before expensive imaging. Will usually resolve!

Back: Back pain suffering it is a choice. Prevention is regular exercise, weight maintenance, good posture.

It's: It's recurring? Watch out for these red flags: shooting pain to legs, fever, bladder, rectal incontinence.

Wear: Wear good fitting shoes & practice yoga daily and drink plenty of milk/dairy products.

If: If not an active person, doing something out of the ordinary may cause injury. Best is to stretch prior.

Lose: Lose all the weight you can! a protruding abdomen increases lordosis and facet arthritis pain.

Think: Think positive, try to be happy, laugh more, enjoy time with friends and family, take medicines if needed.

Don't: Don't ignore the importance of a good night's sleep in managing your pain.

Remember: Remember a firm mattress will aid in maintaining a neutral spine while you sleep.

Consider: Consider appropriate ways of lifting. Bending at the waist will aggravate symptoms.

Best: Best treatment for bothersome low back pain - strengthen those core muscles! pilates is excellent.

If: If you have back pain, many treatment options available aside from medications. Ask your doctor.

You: You can use heating pads, massage, salonpas, wintergreen, or take motrin, alleve. Exercise.

Do: Do not equate any abnormality found on x-ray as the cause for your pain! i see this happen often!

Make: Make sure you have a good mattress. It can make all the difference in back pain keeping you awake!

Proper: Proper shoes make a big difference in back pain. Sometimes arch support helps.

Sitting: Sitting at a computer without moving for several hours increases disc pain.

The: The best way to prevent back pain is to keep weight down and core muscle strength up.

You: You should have a CRP test done if you are younger with back pain &/or have a family history of low back pain!

DON'T: Don't do physical therapy on your own. Only with trained professional because form is important!

Learn: Learn proper lifting techniques to minimize aggravating your back pain!

A: A weightlifter's belt is an excellent form of lumbar and back support! inexpensive.

If: If you know it's going to hurt to try to move that refrigerator right now, don't do it.

Rest,: Rest, anti-inflammatory pain medicines like ibuprofen, and a few days time resolves many backaches.

Traction: Traction is a well-recognized and traditional form of physical treatment that helps many patients.

Ice: Ice is a very effective pain reliever.

Heat: Heat therapy can provide both pain relief and healing benefits for many types of back pain.

Hamstring: Hamstring stretching exercises can help ease back pain.

Lose: Lose excess weight to take pressure off the spine.

Chiropractic: Chiropractic manipulation may reduce back pain & improve function.

Back: Back pain: acupuncture can lead to the release of natural opioids which reduce pain.

Back: Back pain: capsaicin applied to skin reduces substance p (a pain neurochemical).

Back: Back pain: some yoga poses may help to increase flexibility, strengthen muscles, and relieve pain.

Work: Work on core strengthening to give your back a break. The muscles in the front and on sides help too.

Don't: Don't convince yourself of becoming couch potato. Stay active but avoid over-doing.

Don't: Don't bend at the waist, bend your knees when lifting that toddler off the floor. Bend your knees!

Treat: Treat it before you have the pain. We don't wait for our blood pressure to get to 220/120 to treat.

Stretching: Stretching properly in the morning, and when you sit for a long time, will help dramatically.

Key: Key will involve strengthening your stomach and back muscles safely.

Don't: Don't engage in sports that pound your back. Like horseback riding. Or prepare for a life of pain.

Don't: Don't think it is only heavy items you pick up that will hurt you, the bending at hip is the problem.

Don't: Don't expect medication alone to solve your pain.

May: May take time - increase your strength, flexibility, and endurance to decrease your back pain.

Exercise: Exercise is one of the most effective ways to relieve back pain quickly. Try walking, swim & yoga.

If: If you sleep on your side and place a pillow below your head, place another between your legs.

Use: Use a lumbar support when sitting at your desk. This will promote good posture and prevent pain.

Sleep: Sleep disturbances are common among back pain sufferers, but peaceful slumber helps to repair it.

Resting: Resting can cause certain types of back pain to worsen and decrease muscle strength.

Having: Having excess weight pulling on your back 24 hours a day except when you're laying down.

Practice: Practice proper posture, non-injury flaring movements, and alignment of the head, neck, and trunk.

Yoga: Yoga can be very therapeutic for back pain sufferers.

For: For short-term pain relief, over-the-counter nsaids are sometimes suggested.

Arnica: Arnica gels and creams can be very helpful and won't interfere with anything you're taking.

Glucosamine,: Glucosamine, flaxseed oil, calcium and magnesium may help.

Cold: Cold therapy (applied via an ice pack) works better for inflammation and helps to reduce swelling.

Heat: Heat (via a hot water bottle or heating pad) is ideal for reducing cramping and muscle spasms.

Physical: Physical therapists often recommend aquatic therapy for patients with back pain.

With: With home whirlpool units, try aiming the jets directly at your sore spots.

TENS: Tens machines, according to one theory, work by scrambling the message of pain to the brain.

Many: Many back pain patients have had success with tens machines.

Ice: Ice is a very effective pain reliever.

Hamstring: Hamstring stretching exercises can help.

There: There are a number of soothing, rewarding therapies available to treat back pain.

Do: Do not wait for care if fevers, weight loss, recumbency pain, or bowel or bladder incontinence.

Never: Never stoop when you can kneel. Helps your back be on even keel.

A: A warm shower a day, gets you up and away. Back pain is here to stay. Don't let it get in the way.

Kids: Kids should carry no more than 10% to 15% of their body weight in their packs to prevent back pain.

Chronic: Chronic back pain is not a sentence. You should and could master it!

Use: Use med combinations: nsaids, muscle relaxers, cymbalta, (duloxetine) neurontin, ultram, thc, and all modalities!

Always: Always work on core strength to help prevent back pain and injuries.

Laying: Laying in bed is one of the most counterproductive things to do with back pain. Get walking/moving.

Don't: Don't wait 2 long b4 u have it evaluated. Do c an orthopedic surgeon.

Is: Is there a pool at the nearby ymca or ywca? Use it to full advantage if you have back/hip/knee pain.

Stretch: Stretch before and after exercise. Do your exercise in fresh air. Stop smoking.

Sit: Sit up. Don't let your car seat recline so much.

Very: Very common for everyone to experience. Expect to have it. Exercise to prevent it.

Exercise,: Exercise, posture correction, medications, physical therapy, inversion tables may all be helpful.

Do: Do stop smoking. Your back pain will decrease.

Back: Back pain prevention: regular low- impact aerobic activity can help to maintain a healthy back.

Back: Back pain prevention: avoid straining your back by maintaining a healthy body weight.

Back: Back pain prevention: maintain neutral pelvic position when standing to avoid back pain.

Back: Back pain prevention: maintain normal spine curve by placing a rolled towel in small of your back.

Good: Good posture can prevent back pain. Focus on posture when sitting at a desk or talking on the phone.

Stretching: Stretching key to decreasing most pain. Then exercise.

Keep: Keep moving. One of the worst things to do for back pain is stay in bed.

When: When looking for someone to treat your back pain, go to an osteopath. We can do manipulations too!

Core: Core exercise is key to avoiding back injuries.

Get: Get to work on how you work. Be mindful of your posture all day long.

Never: Never count out physical therapy as a viable, beneficial treatment for back pain!