What can I do to ease back pain? (From Lancashire Telegraph)

What can I do to ease back pain?

5:02pm Thursday 5th February 2009 in Health By Doctor Tom Smith

Q. I’ve had a pain in my back for weeks that my doctor calls lumbago. I can’t sit and it stops me from sleeping. When I put weight on my foot I get hip pain. I’ve tried painkillers, rubs and hot water bottles. What else can I do for myself?

A. Most back pain is caused by muscle spasms, and stretching exercises that you can do yourself may help. Keeping the small of your back hollow and stretching your spine regularly often reduces pain by relaxing the affected back muscles. But go back to your doctor, who may refer you to a physiotherapist, and examine you again to ensure that there is no internal or bony cause for the pain.