Low Back Pain - Patient Guide

What is it?

Most low back pain comes from strained muscles and ligaments or normal wear in the discs — not from anything broken or dangerous. Pain can be severe even when nothing serious is wrong. X-rays and MRIs usually are not needed: they do not speed up recovery, and they often show harmless age changes that worry people for no reason.

What can I do?

• Keep moving. Take short walks several times a day. Staying in bed more than a day actually slows healing.
• Use heat — a heating pad or warm shower for 15–20 minutes at a time.
• Pain relievers: ibuprofen or naproxen with food, or acetaminophen (Tylenol). Take them on a schedule for a few days rather than waiting for bad pain.
• Return to normal activity as the pain allows. Sore is okay; sharp, worsening pain means ease up.
• Lift with your legs, keep the load close to your body, and avoid twisting while lifting during a flare.

What can I expect?

Most flares improve a lot in 1–2 weeks and are largely gone by 4–6 weeks. Back pain often comes back from time to time — that is common and does not mean something is being missed. Regular exercise and a strong core are the best prevention.

When should I call?

• The pain is not improving after 2–4 weeks, or it keeps waking you from sleep.
• Pain shoots down the leg past the knee, or you have numbness or tingling in the leg or foot.
• You need something stronger for pain — do not borrow anyone else's pills.