24/07/2025
Back Pain Sufferers: What To Do When You Have an Acute Back Pain Flare-Up
✅ 1. Stay Calm
Your Body Is Protecting You!!
Most flare-ups feel scary.......sharp, stiff, or like something is “out of place."
This is usually a protective spasm, and NOT serious damage.
🧠 This is usully your brain's response trigger to stress, poor posture, or overuse.
✅ 2. Avoid Complete Bed Rest
While rest is important, lying flat for days can slow healing🤔
What to do instead:👩🏻🏫🧑🏻🏫
*Rest for a few hours (if needed).
*Gently change positions every 30–60 mins
*Try short, slow walks to keep blood flowing
*Use a pillow between your knees when lying down
✅ 3. Use Ice or Heat (Depending on the Pain Type)
If pain is sharp or if you feel swollen ....
🧊 Use ice for the first 24–48 hrs
If you feel tight stiff or muscles feel tight...
🔥 Use heat for muscle release...
A warm application for 10–15 min every few hours...
🟡 If unsure — alternate them and see what gives more relief.
✅ 4. Take Medication if needed...
... but Not Forever
Paracetamol (panado) can reduce the pain.
Anti-inflammatories (like ibuprofen, votaren) can help reduce pain and swelling
Only use short-term!!
Avoid!!
Heavy muscle relaxants unless it is prescribed by your doctor
🟢 At Medipain, we believe that medication is a vital component for healing...
..but it is not a long-term solution🙏
✅ 5. Gentle Movement Is Your Friend
Even during a flare-up, gentle movement helps:
*Perform mild pelvic tilts while lying down
*Knee-to-chest stretch
*Walking slowly indoors
*Breathing exercises to reduce muscle guarding.
🙅 Avoid bending, lifting, or twisting!!..but don’t become completely still.
✅ 6. Support the Healing Process Naturally
*Drink lots of water
*Eat anti-inflammatory foods (e.g. ginger tea, cooked veggies, fish)
*Sleep with support (under knees or between legs)
✅ 7. Get Assessed... Don’t Guess!!
If it’s your first flare-up or your fifth...
Have a proper pain assessment:
At Medipain, we look for:
*What triggered the flare (inflammation, compression, tension?)
*The root cause (disc issue, nerve stress, poor posture, or systemic inflammation)
*What’s feeding the pain (stress, sugar, poor sleep, weakness, etc.)
We can treat all three because we have the skill and access to various treatments.
❌ What to Avoid:
*Total bed rest for more than 2 days
*Stretching aggressively through the pain
*Waiting weeks before doing anything
*Relying only on painkillers
*Assuming surgery is the only solution
🩺 When to See a Professional Immediately:
*You have numbness or weakness in your legs
*You lose bladder or bowel control
*The pain doesn’t ease after 3–5 days
*You’ve had multiple flare-ups in the last 6 months
💡 Takeaway:
Acute back pain can feel intense..... but it’s often temporary.
The best thing you can do is stay gently mobile, reduce inflammation, and get support from a team that looks at your whole pain system...
..And not just one part.
Take care
