A: "I have personally battled low back issues about 8 years and my recipe for success for my body is as follows: ice, stretch, hot bath with Epson salt, rolly ball, heating pad, Aleve, lots of water and of course, MASSAGE.
Starting with ice will help calm down the inflammation and that sore, achy pain. 15 mins is all it takes, but you can do it as many times as you can throughout the day. Stretching helps to relax tight muscles and relieves the pressure on the joints. I always thought my mom was weird when she took a bath every night and added Epson salt, but it really does help the muscles to relax and eases inflammation. (Hint: Really want to relax, just add a little bit of lavender oil).
Rolly ball? You don't own a rolly ball? Try a tennis ball instead. There is nothing better to release those deep tight muscles then laying on the floor with a tennis or rolly ball digging into those trigger points. (Hint: can't take the pressure on the floor? try it lying in bed or up against the wall). It can be used on any muscle or muscle group and it works really well after using the heating pad to help ease the pain. :-) What is it about a heating pad that always feels good? Try to use the heating pad on the tight muscles and not on the joints (i.e. spine, hip, or knee) because it can increase inflammation causing more sore/achy pain.
Massage is great always, but if you like deep tissue like I do just beware that it can cause increased inflammation from the release of toxins so you might feel a little sore right after or a day after. Drink plenty of water and take some Aleve or Advil may help with the soreness. If you are experiencing shooting or burning pain or numbness, you may have some nerve involvement and you can try the above treatments, but if pain persists, you might want to go to the doctor and/or chiropractor. Physical therapy as well as yoga and acupuncture can also be very helpful in tackling many problems."
