Most people experience at least one bout of back pain during their lives, but for some, back pain becomes a chronic condition. Studies have shown that most back pain goes away within a few weeks regardless of the treatment provided. However, there are things that can be done to alleviate back pain in the interim.

You should be sure to have good posture all the time, even when you are sitting down. Painful back injuries can be the result of strenuous physical activity, bad posture, trauma and a variety of other problems. In reality, just the cumulative effect of bad posture over time can cause back injuries on par with those caused by hauling boxes around.

Try not to slouch while completing your housecleaning chores. Back pain from vacuuming is a result of the constant pushing and pulling of the vacuum that causes you to slouch. Always maintain proper posture when cleaning. Make sure you’re standing straight and let the cleaning tools do the work for you. Get a proper vacuum and extended cleaning utensils if you need help.

Exercise is one of the best ways to help get rid of and prevent back pain. You might think that exercise can cause further back pain, and it obviously could if you chose the wrong type or amount of exercise. However, exercise is good for you, and too must rest can actually hurt your back even more.

In order to minimize back pain cause by injured or strained muscles, apply ice to the injured area. Although heat may feel better on the skin, it does nothing to reduce the inflammation, which is what is causing the back pain. Ice, however, will help reduce the swelling and inflammation. Reducing the inflammation relieves back pain.

Apply an ice pack to the painful area. Despite its simplicity, an ice pack is one of the most effective methods for reducing back pain. Applying ice or a cold pack to the painful area reduces swelling and blood flow, which also reduces the pain. It can also help relieve stiffness.

Make sure that your home and work environment is set up safely. You do not want to have a bunch of stuff on the floor that you could easily trip on and seriously hurt your back. Take a couple minutes each day and make sure that your house is picked-up.

Try not to stand for long periods of time. Doing this can cause a back injury because of all the strain that you are putting your body through. If you have a job that causes you to be on your feet all day, make sure to sit on your breaks, and when you get home you rest for a little.

Back pain can be nagging or excruciating, and can interfere with all aspects of a person’s life. Various treatments are available to help alleviate the pain, including lifestyle adjustments, exercises, oral and topical pain relievers, physical therapy, chiropractic adjustments and acupuncture. When back pain strikes, the aforementioned tips can help provide relief.