Health & Wellness in May
Back to Health: Home Treatments for Lower Back Pain
By Susan Rapp, MD, Kaiser Permanente
If you’ve ever suffered from back pain, join the club. Almost 80 percent of adults will experience low back pain in their lives. Back injuries typically happen during everyday activities—lifting your child, taking out the garbage, or pulling weeds.
You can avoid most back problems by practicing good posture, maintaining an ideal body weight, and standing, bending, and lifting correctly. If you strain your back, follow these home treatments.
- Take over-the-counter drugs (aspirirn, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen) consistently for several days.
- Apply ice immediately; moist heat is okay after the first few days.
- Avoid sitting for more than 20 minutes at a time and bending over, twisting, or lifting.
- Use good posture and positioning.
- Stay as active as possible.
Some folks claim to get relief from alternative treatments such as massage, acupuncture, or chiropractic, although they haven’t been proven to be clinically superior over conventional medical care.
The good news is that 7 out of 10 people will start feeling better in three weeks and only 10 percent will require more serious attention. If your symptoms worsen, talk to your doctor.
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Featured Recipe by Dr. Preston Maring
Salsa Verde
Ingredients1/2 cup tightly packed, chopped flat-leafed parsley (takes about 1 cup loosely packed parsley)
3 Tbsp tightly packed, chopped fresh herbs — any combination of tarragon, chervil, chives, mint, cilantro and basil
1 Tbsp capers, rinsed, drained, dried and coarsely chopped
2 tsp lemon zest
1 Tbsp finely diced shallot or red onion
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste — it takes a little while for salt to dissolve in olive oil, so don’t add too much too fast
Directions
Mix everything together. A little goes a long way.
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