Can Back Pain Go Away Overnight?

Trying to sleep with back pain is no fun. If your pain is so extreme that you need immediate care during the night and/or you also have symptoms such as leg weakness, incontinence, and numbness, be sure to go to the emergency room. You could have an urgent need for chronic back pain treatment to prevent permanent disability. If your pain is not excruciating but is keeping you awake and making it difficult to get comfortable in bed, there are several treatments you can use to help you get through the night.  There may be ways you can make your back pain go away overnight.

Take an anti-inflammatory

Over-the-counter medication like Advil or Motrin can help provide quick relief from back pain by reducing inflammation. If your doctor issues you prescription medication for the treatment of back pain at some point, be sure to take it as prescribed and wean yourself off as soon as you’re able. Medications like Oxycodone and Fentanyl can be dangerously addictive, even with short-time use.

Treat the pain with temperature

Studies show that both heat and cold can provide temporary relief for back pain. If you need help and aren’t able to get treated by a doctor when the pain first comes on, try a cold pack or heating pad, depending on the type of back pain you’re dealing with.

Ice packs are typically most effective to use immediately after an injury like a sprain, strain, or disc herniation, or for sudden pain. Of course, if the pain is extreme, excruciating, or disabling, seek emergency treatment. Cold therapy can help with pain by numbing the effective area, and it also reduces inflammation, especially in combination with an anti-inflammatory like Advil or Motrin. If you don’t have an ice pack, ice cubes wrapped in a towel or even a bag of frozen vegetables can fill in.

If your back pain can be attributed more to achiness or stiff muscles, heat can help, so break out the heating pad. If you’re in the market for a new heating pad, consider one that has moist heat. This type of heat has been shown to be more effective at penetrating down to the muscle and providing more effective and more expedient relief. In a pinch, you can also microwave a clean sock filled with uncooked rice or get in the car and turn your seat heater all the way up.

Take a hot bath or shower

Immersing yourself in hot water can be soothing to your body while also helping to ease mental tension. Adding Epsom Salts to your bath can help further. The salts break down into magnesium and sulfate, which can aid in muscle relaxation and loosening stiff joints. Many people swear by Epsom Salts as a home remedy for everything from general muscle soreness to arthritis pain to fibromyalgia. A hot shower can also help, especially if you’re able to position the showerhead directly at the pain point.

Do some light exercise

It’s not recommended for you to exercise with back pain without talking to your doctor first. You may worsen the pain and endanger yourself by exercising in a way that is not advisable. With your doctor’s approval, however, certain exercises may provide temporary relief from back pain. Exercise may also trigger the body’s feel-good hormones, endorphins, to help minimize the pain.

If exercise is permitted in your condition, you can expect it to be of the low-impact variety. That likely includes specific stretches, swimming, and/or yoga.

Topical creams

There are several topical creams, lotions, and potions that can provide quick relief for back pain like sore muscles and joints. Products containing menthol provide a cooling sensation that can be soothing.

Capsaicin is the active ingredient in hot chili peppers, and it’s found in several types of topical creams that may help relieve back pain. Capsaicin cream can be beneficial for chronic back conditions including joint pain, neuropathy, osteoarthritis, and sciatica.

Take CBD

There have been tens of thousands of clinical trials and published studies on CBD, with the overwhelming consensus focused on its efficacy as an anti-inflammatory agent and pain reliever, as well as a mood stabilizer. CBD may provide immediate back pain relief and can also become an important part of your ongoing treatment plan for the management of chronic back pain.

CBD has been shown to be beneficial as an effective therapy for osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, and other chronic back pain issues. It can also help with everything from seizure disorders to insomnia to stress, mild anxiety, and depression. An additional and very important benefit of CBD is its ability to reduce reliance on highly addictive prescription pain medications; if you’re looking for an effective alternative to opioids and narcotics, talk with your doctor about CBD for back pain.

CBD for back pain targets inflammation. It can be used as a topical treatment on specific areas of inflammation and pain or as an oral supplement to aid in generalized pain and inflammation. A quality CBD product like Orthogenix can introduce phytocannabinoids into the body to help regulate and support the body’s endocannabinoid system and improve health and well-being.

See a doctor

This is the most important tip of all. While there are many ways to temporarily treat back pain so you can make it through the night or get through a workday, a professional diagnosis is critical to ensure you’re getting the right kind of treatment for your condition.

When you’re choosing a back doctor and clinic, you likely know to look for patient reviews and to pay attention to the practice’s training, specialties, awards, and recognition. Pay special attention to their approach, as well. Many back doctors and practices immediately turn to surgical options while other, more conservative options may have been preferable. At the DISC Spine Institute, surgery is used only as a last resort. DISC Spine Institute prides itself on making every attempt to heal patients’ pain using non-surgical options first.

Many surgeons also concentrate on traditional surgical methods, whereas a small percentage of today’s back surgeons, like Dr. Mark Valente and Dr. Andy Indresano have been specially trained in minimally invasive surgery of the spine. Minimally invasive spine techniques have revolutionized how back pain is treated and how patients recover and go on to enjoy a pain-free life.

About the DISC Spine Institute

If you’re ready to address your back pain or if you want more information about treatment options, contact the DISC Spine Institute, experts in minimally invasive treatments, the most effective medical procedures to treat and eliminate chronic back pain today.

Today’s minimally invasive procedures include outpatient treatments and easier surgical treatments with small incisions and a quicker recovery time instead of a long hospital stay. With several centers located throughout Dallas-Fort Worth and staffed by top Board-certified orthopedic spine surgeons, the DISC Spine Institute is well-prepared to help patients through their spinal conditions to get back to a pain-free life.

The DISC Spine Institute also believes that everyone deserves to have a second opinion, which is why they offer free MRI reviews to new patients. MRI reviews often provide patients with a revised diagnosis or a more detailed minimally invasive approach to addressing their back pain without invasive surgery. If you’ve been told you need surgery to fix your back pain, you can contact the DISC Spine Institute Contact Us to review your test results at no cost.