Most of us hold tension in our back, shoulder, and neck, which causes tightness. These areas are highly susceptible to stress due to even the most casual events. Pain can set in due to a chilly day outdoors, or from too much time in front of the computer without a break. (Ergonomic specialists recommend that you stand and stretch at least every hour while you are doing desk work.)

Five Tips For Back Pain Relief

1. Get some down time. Rest relieves pressure on your muscle tissue. Lie facing the ceiling, then raise your knees slowly toward your head. Stretch up to your chin, if possible, but do not raise your knees any further than is comfortable. Now hold this position for at least one minute. If you start to feel pain, lower them earlier. This stretch can help to release back muscle tissue and fiber.

2. Ice away the pain. Rub an ice cube slowly across the pain. Move the cube in a circle, keeping a steady motion to prevent freezing and injury to surface tissue. Get some help if you cannot comfortably reach the area of pain on your own.

3. Stretch slowly. Slow and gentle movement following ice therapy helps restore circulation and may relax muscle fiber back into position. Be cautious, as too much exertion may increase and prolong pain or spasm. Just move through your current range of motion, going toward comfortable rather than stressful positions.

4. Pressure point massage. Once you can discern some reduction in pain and swelling (about 24 hours, in most cases), try this trick: use direct pressure on the area. Hold the pressure while counting to five (thousand-one, thousand-two, etc.), and then release. Wait for a count of ten, then start over. Do this press-and-release sequence three times total. Use a finger, a thumb, the handle of a broom or mop; even someone else’s elbow should work. Or place a tennis ball between your back and the wall, then move your back so that the tennis ball rolls over the sore spot. If pressure point massage doesn’t bring some relief, then you may want to visit a muscle pain specialist.

5. Take a pain reliever. Try ibuprofen (e.g., Advil or Motrin), naproxen (e.g., Aleve), or aspirin. Acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol) is probably not as effective on this type of pain, since it lacks the anti-inflammatory property of the other medications.

One tip on pain relief medication: Take it just before sleep, so that it reduces the inflammation while your body rests. This way, the temporary back pain relief will not soothe you into believing that it is okay to resume your regular routine while your back is still inflamed.

One last note: Any sudden change in back or neck sensation that includes numbness, tingling, or a feeling of weakness may be a sign of a nerve injury or a ruptured disk in your back. If this is the case, please get an examination from a qualified specialist as soon as possible.