Lower back pain...Heat or ice?

[slickdadd]

I have lower back pain, and if i leave it alone, aka dont do any lifting that involves it, it gets better throughout the week. I lately have been icing it and just now am heating it also, but i dont really know which is better for it. It is a pain when i have to bend over, or lift something up , which i suppose is the standard low back pain. Im 20 and i would guess its some kinda strain or something, but i havent gone to the doc yet. Will be soon. So whats best, if anyone knows, heat or ice?

 

[bignate73]

ice is only to either numb the pain or prevent inflammation. you need heat now to encourage bloodflow. take some anti inflammatories if you want and keep it warm.

 

[vinylgroover]

See a doctor. You shouldn't be messing around when it comes to back pain

 

[Night Fly]

I would have to suggest heat, also. I have had really bad lower back problems...sometimes just soreness and sometimes pain. I have found that heating it and taking anti-inflammatories actually helps me out a lot. I have to be careful with it when I am lifting, though, because I don't want to irritate...and it is very easily irritated, too.

If that doesn't help...try stretching and doing some active recovery exercises. I went to a chiropractor for about a month for 3 times a week and it helped a bit, but I will never go back because I don't ever want to have to depend on them.

Hope things get better for you. Good luck.

 

[needsize]

All the above is good advice, heat, anti-inflamatories, see your Dr, but I also found that after I heat mine, I stretch it out pretty thoroughly, doing that consistently really seemed to help my lower back pain.

 

[aurelius]

The exact same thing happened to me a couple of weeks ago. I realized from experience with my back that I had just slightly strained it but the muscle, to protect itself, had tightened up hard and that was the source of much of the pain. Heat over a period of hours slowly relaxed it nicely.

I took it a little easier next time and had no problems since.

 

[Y_lifter]

What works for me:

Ice after working out to prevent Inflammation
Heat at night to loosen things up and get the flow going..

Go to a Doctor and get an Xray and a checkup to make sure it is only a strain and not something else...

 

[KAYNE]

FROM MY EXPERIENCE PLAYING BALL, I ALWAYS HAD SOME TYPE OF NAGGING INJURY. I WOULD HEAT BEFORE USE AND ICE AFTER USE.

CURRENTLY, THE LOWER JOINTS IN MY BACK, WHERE THE PELVIS AND SPINE MEET, ARE JAMMED FROM GOING OUT IN A BOAT SO MUCH. I WAS GOING TO THE CHIRO AND IT HELPED BUT I STOPPED GOING. I ALSO PULLED SOMETHING ON THE RIGHT SIDE TONIGHT. I'M THINKING ITS THE RHOMBOIDS. HURTS LIKE A BITCH. ATLEAST IT FEELS THAT WAY. ICE AND HEAT FOR ME!!! VICODIN AND ANTI-INFLAMATORIES ALSO.


KAYNE

 

[FitnessFrk]

always ice the first 48 hours in 20 minutes sessions. you can apply heat after that.