The best home remedies for back pain
The winning duo? A hot water bottle + 1 cushion under the knees! The heat brought by the famous hot water bottle of our grandmothers boosts blood circulation locale and helps deliver nutrients and oxygen to injured muscles and joints. Inflammation recedes and tensions release, all without side effects. Also practical are the packs to be heated in the microwave which slip into a belt (Actipoche, Thuasne, etc.) and make it possible to prolong these benefits during travel or physical activity. To be repeated at least three times a day, because the effect fades quickly. To get a better night’s sleep, Olivia Ferrand*, osteopath, also recommends snuggling up with a cushion. “You can place it under the knees if you sleep on your back, between your legs if you sleep on your side, or in any other position that relieves: there is no rule, everyone has to find what makes them feel better. good”.
- On the other hand, we are wary of mustard warming poultice or chilli, often irritating to the skin.
What medications are effective for back pain?
Our best allies against back pain ? Ibuprofen and paracetamol, price simultaneously! Researchers who have studied the effectiveness of these two molecules on low back pain are unanimous: taken separately, they are barely more effective than a placebo. On the other hand, together, they would relieve pain more effectively, according to a study published in 2017. In the absence of contraindications (refer to the instructions for the drug), we start with ibuprofen (3 x 400 mg / day maximum) and paracetamol is added between doses (3 x 1 g/day maximum). If you have a fragile stomach, you go to the doctor to be prescribed a gastric protector such as a proton pump inhibitor (Omeprazole/Mopral), which limits the risk of inflammation, burns and ulcers in the stomach area. digestive system. In all cases, if the pain does not yield beyond 3 to 4 days despite the medication, we consult.
- Beware of muscle relaxants, drugs that relax the muscles, whether in tablet or local gel form. Their effectiveness is low, but their many side effects : drowsiness, convulsions (if taken orally), irritation, allergies (if applied topically)…
Which plant to relieve back pain?
Prefer valerian extract and essential oils, in massage. “Valerian relaxes well in case of muscle contractures and has the advantage of not causing drowsiness, unlike muscle relaxant drugs such as benzodiazepines”, says Benjamin Dubois-Grillot, physiotherapist-osteopath with a phytotherapy IUD. To be taken in the form of standardized fresh plant extracts (EPS) sold in pharmacies: 4 to 6 tbsp. c. per day diluted in a glass of water, for three to four days. If the treatment is started early, when the tensions are still moderate, it acts in a few hours. At the same time, the painful area is massaged with essential oils (EO) called “rubéfiantes” (that is to say, which heat) and anti-inflammatory, 3 times a day. The right formula: in a bottle, mix 80 drops of vegetable oil of arnica (or, failing that, of macadamia or argan) + 6 drops of EO of turpentine or balsam fir + 6 drops of EO of lavandin + 6 drops of wintergreen essential oil. Never during pregnancy or in case of asthma or allergy to aspirin and its derivatives.
- Beware of trendy exotic plants found online, such as boswellia. They are little studied for back pain and their traceability is impossible to determine.
Back pain: is infiltration the right solution?
Yes, when you suffer from certain specific pathologies (sciatica, cruralgia, herniated disc, narrow lumbar canal…) and that painkillers and rehabilitation do not relieve us. I’injection of corticosteroids (anti-inflammatories) near the irritated nerve does not always work, but is still super-effective in half of the cases. It is often necessary to repeat the infiltration 1 to 2 times (no more) to obtain maximum relief and to be quiet for several months. I’injection d’hydrogel to “repair” the discs in case of degenerative disc disease is also very promising, but still experimental.
To relieve the pain can I take the same medicine as last time?
1 in 3 people have already taken a powerful analgesic, such as Dafalgan Codeine, Acupan or Tramadol, to treat back pain. Even if we have some left over from the last crisis, we do not swallow them without medical advice. Not only can a new pain hide something serious (vertebral compression, infection, kidney problem, etc.), but these molecules are reserved to some sharp pains (after an accident or a fracture, for example). If we take them too often, they can quickly make us dependent, with the risk of no longer being able to do without them and no longer being relieved. If we feel that our consumption escapes us, a progressive weaning can be carried out in a pain center. Ask a doctor for advice.
*Co-author with Antoine Couly of Tiens-toi droit!? 50 received ideas finally demystified!, ed. Flammarion.
Read also:
-
Which physical activity against back pain?
-
Postural T-shirt, massage gun: cure or scam for back pain?