first aid

LUMBAR DISC TEAR or HERNIATION, SCIATICA

FIRST AID IN ACUTE STAGE OF BACK PAIN

These is my advice related to the experience with my clients. Remember this is not medical advice and ALWAYS check out your condition with medical professionals first.

In ACUTE stage of your back pain, when you can't really walk, work and pain radiates to your leg you should:

Stop working for few days as work can aggravate pain.
Avoid sitting as this position aggravates pressure on the disc of your spine. Check the picture below. Sitting position means 140kg of pressure is on your spine compared to the lying position with only 25kg.
Try to rest and sleep on your back with a pillow under your knees. When the worst pain is gone try exercises presented in the YouTube videos below.
Self massage, very gently in the area of pain with an ice cup, apply cold gel packs, cold gels.
In the very acute stage, treatments like massage and spine manipulation are not recommended however acupuncture, lymphatic drainage or bloodletting can be beneficial.

Avoid sitting as this position aggravates pressure on the disc of your spine

3 Top Spinal Decompression Techniques For Sciatica , Disc Bulges & Back Pain

It stretches out the lower back by increasing the space between your vertebrae and pressure in the lower back.

How to Treat a Lumbar Disc Tear or Disc Herniation, by Dr. Mike Hsu

These exercises lead to slow healing lumbar disc tears. You have to be aware that the healing process sometimes lasts a few months.

Supine Posterior Pelvic Tilt

Some information which can be very beneficial to relieve your back pain

Cold - Hot therapy. There are many controversies when to use hot and cold therapy. This is an explanation for when it is good to use for your condition

COLD Ice is the recommended treatment for acute injuries. It is especially helpful to reduce swelling and control pain. Ice is most effective when it is applied early and often for the first 48 hours. Apply for your back pain for short periods of time, several times a day. 10 to 15 minutes is fine, and no more than 20 minutes of cold therapy should be used at a time to prevent nerve, tissue, and skin damage.

HEAT Once the inflammation has subsided, use heat therapy. When you apply heat, it improves the flexibility of soft tissues, movement of muscles, and overall functioning of the back. The local warmth stimulates blood circulation in your lower back, which in turn brings healing nutrients to the injured tissues.

cold therapy

acute stage

FROZEN BAG

Use any bag of frozen vegetables from the fridge. Sometimes the easiest methods are the best. Wrap bag in piece of clothing to avoid frost bites. Ten to 15 minutes is fine, and no more than 20 minutes, few times per day.

ICE CUBE

Massage with an ice cube. Ten to 15 minutes is fine, and no more than 20 minutes, few times per day.

ICE CUP

Use ice freezing in a coffee cup for easy application. It is good to keep for any light ankle, knee sprains or swelling. Ten to 15 minutes is fine, and no more than 20 minutes, few times per day.

cold gel pack

The best are reusable gel cold packs which you can keep in the fridge. These packs you can use in headache, occipital area pain, light sprains.