Last Updated on July 17, 2023

Inflammatory back pain is a type of pain that is caused by inflammation of the spine. It can be a debilitating condition that frequently interrupts everyday activities. While there are many different treatment options available for back inflammation, not all of them are effective for every person.

This article will provide you with 12 tips for inflammatory back pain treatment, so you can find relief and get back to living your life without constant pain and discomfort.

Inflammatory vs. Mechanical Back Pain

Inflammatory back pain and mechanical back pain are two distinct types of back pain with different underlying causes and characteristics.

  • Inflammatory back pain is often associated with inflammatory conditions such as ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, or other types of spondyloarthritis.
  • Mechanical back pain is the most common form of back pain and is generally caused by problems with the musculoskeletal system, such as muscle strains, ligament sprains, joint dysfunction, or disc degeneration.

Link Between Inflammation and Back Pain

Inflammation plays a significant role in the development and persistence of back pain.

When tissues in the back become injured, stressed, or irritated due to factors such as muscle strains, ligament sprains, disc degeneration, or joint dysfunction, the body’s immune system responds by initiating an inflammatory process.

This involves the release of various inflammatory mediators, such as cytokines and prostaglandins, which increase blood flow to the affected area, promote healing, and cause the classic signs of inflammation: pain, redness, heat, swelling, and loss of function.

While inflammation is a natural and necessary response to injury, it can sometimes become chronic or excessive, leading to persistent back pain.

In chronic inflammation, the ongoing production of inflammatory mediators can cause damage to healthy tissues and result in a cycle of pain and inflammation that persists even after the initial injury has healed. Therefore, managing back inflammation is vital for treating pain and discomfort.

What Does Inflammatory Back Pain Feel Like?

Back pain from inflammation has distinct characteristics that differentiate it from other types of back pain. People who experience inflammatory back pain often describe the following sensations and patterns:

  • Deep, aching pain: Typically described as a dull, persistent ache that is felt deep in the lower back, buttocks, or even the back of the thighs.
  • Pain that improves with activity: Unlike mechanical back pain, which often worsens with movement, inflammatory back pain tends to improve with physical activity and worsen with rest or inactivity.
  • Morning stiffness: Significant stiffness in the back and surrounding joints upon waking up in the morning. This stiffness can last for at least 30 minutes and sometimes even a few hours, improving gradually as they start moving around.
  • Nighttime pain: Can cause nocturnal pain that disrupts sleep, particularly during the second half of the night. Changing positions in bed may provide temporary relief, but the pain often returns after a short period.
  • Gradual onset: Unlike acute mechanical back pain, which can occur suddenly due to an injury or strain, inflammatory back pain usually develops slowly over time, making it more difficult to pinpoint a specific cause or triggering event.
  • Persistent pain: Pain from back inflammation is often chronic, lasting for more than three months, and can be challenging to manage without proper treatment and intervention.

How Long Does Inflammatory Back Pain Last?

The duration of back pain can vary significantly depending on the underlying cause, the severity of the inflammation, and the effectiveness of the treatment being used. In some cases, inflamed back muscles may last for a few weeks or months, whereas, in other cases, it may persist for years or even become a chronic issue.

For individuals with conditions like ankylosing spondylitis or other forms of spondyloarthritis, inflammatory back pain may be a long-term issue that requires ongoing management.

In cases where the back inflammation is caused by an acute injury or strain, the pain may resolve within a few weeks or months once the inflammation subsides and the injury heals.

Now, let’s get to our list of the 12 best ways to treat inflammatory back pain in your upper and lower back.

1. Exercise & Stretching

Exercise and stretching are essential components in managing inflammatory back pain by increasing blood circulation and enhancing flexibility. Regular exercise delivers vital nutrients and oxygen to the affected back tissues while removing waste products and inflammatory substances. Stretching improves flexibility in the muscles, ligaments, and tendons surrounding the spine, reducing strain and injury risk, and ultimately decreasing inflammation and pain.

Furthermore, exercise and stretching help build and maintain strong muscles that support the spine, crucial for proper alignment and posture. This reduces the likelihood of inflammation caused by excessive strain on spinal structures. In addition to these benefits, exercise stimulates the release of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers, helping to alleviate pain and improve overall well-being.

2. Get Physical Therapy

Physical therapy plays a vital role in managing back inflammation by addressing the underlying causes and providing targeted treatments. A physical therapist evaluates a patient’s posture, muscle strength, and flexibility, devising a personalized treatment plan that includes exercises, stretches, and manual therapies to reduce inflammation and pain, improve function, and prevent future episodes of pain.

Manual therapies, such as joint mobilization and soft tissue manipulation, can help alleviate pain and improve spinal alignment. These techniques, combined with a tailored exercise program, aim to strengthen the muscles supporting the spine, enhance flexibility, and promote proper posture.

3. Do Deep Breathing Exercises

Deep breathing exercises can help treat inflammatory back pain by promoting relaxation and reducing muscle tension. When experiencing pain, people tend to take shallow breaths, which can lead to increased muscle tension and exacerbate pain. By practicing deep breathing exercises, the body’s relaxation response is activated, reducing stress hormones, and allowing tight and sore muscles to loosen up.

Additionally, deep breathing exercises increase oxygen levels in the body, enhancing blood circulation and delivering essential nutrients to the affected tissues. This process can help lower back inflammation and promote healing.

4. Work on Your Posture

Improving posture can help reduce inflammatory back pain by minimizing the strain on spinal structures and promoting proper alignment. Poor posture can lead to imbalances in muscle strength and flexibility, causing excessive pressure on the spine, discs, and facet joints. By adopting better postural habits, the forces acting on the spine are distributed more evenly, which can reduce inflammation and alleviate pain.

Maintaining proper posture also helps to strengthen the muscles that support the spine and maintain its natural curvature. Strengthened back and core muscles are better equipped to support the body’s weight and prevent misalignments that contribute to inflammation and pain.

5. Improve Sleep Quality

Improving sleep quality can help decrease back inflammation by allowing the body to heal and recover from the day’s stresses. During sleep, the body undergoes crucial restorative processes, such as tissue repair and the production of growth hormones, which contribute to the overall well-being of the musculoskeletal system. By getting sufficient, high-quality sleep, individuals can facilitate the healing process, reducing inflammation and alleviating pain.

Additionally, sleep plays a vital role in pain perception and management. Poor sleep can increase sensitivity to pain and decrease pain tolerance, making back pain feel worse.

6. Heat and Cold Therapy

Hot therapy, such as heating pads or warm baths, can help treat inflammatory back pain by increasing blood flow to the affected area. The increased blood flow delivers essential nutrients and oxygen, promoting healing and reducing muscle stiffness. Furthermore, heat helps to relax tight muscles, providing relief from pain and discomfort associated with inflammation.

Cold therapy, such as ice packs or cold compresses, is effective in reducing inflammation and numbing the pain caused by inflammation in the back. Cold therapy works by constricting blood vessels and decreasing blood flow, which helps to reduce swelling and inflammation in the affected area. By alternating between hot and cold therapy, individuals can benefit from the combined effects of both treatments.

7. Get a Massage

Getting a massage can help reduce inflammation in the back muscles by targeting the source of the tension. The manipulation of soft tissues during a massage can improve blood flow, delivering vital nutrients and oxygen to the affected area, which aids in the healing process. Moreover, a massage helps to relax muscle fibers, providing relief from pain and discomfort associated with inflammation.

Massage therapy can also stimulate the production of endorphins, similar to exercise. As mentioned, endorphins help to decrease pain perception, creating a sense of relief and relaxation.

8. Get Acupuncture

Acupuncture, a traditional Chinese medicine practice, can help ease inflammatory back pain by targeting specific points on the body, known as acupuncture points or meridians. The insertion of thin needles into these points is believed to stimulate the body’s natural healing processes and improve the flow of vital energy, or “qi,” which can help alleviate pain and inflammation. Acupuncture has been shown to help reduce inflammation by releasing endorphins and other pain-relieving chemicals, as well as promoting blood flow and reducing muscle tension.

In addition to its direct effects on pain and inflammation, acupuncture can also help address underlying causes of back inflammation, such as stress and muscle imbalances. By treating the root cause of pain, acupuncture can provide long-lasting relief and promote overall wellness.

9. Short Term Use Medications

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a class of anti-inflammatory medications that can help reduce swelling in the back by targeting the underlying inflammation. These drugs work by inhibiting the activity of enzymes called cyclooxygenases (COX), which play a crucial role in the production of prostaglandins, hormone-like substances that contribute to inflammation, pain, and swelling.

NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin, are available over-the-counter and can be an effective short-term solution for managing inflammatory back pain. However, it is essential to use them as directed and under the supervision of a healthcare professional to avoid side effects that are often absent when using natural remedies for swelling.

10. Eliminate Inflammatory Foods

Eliminating inflammatory foods from your diet can play a significant role in decreasing inflammatory back pain by lowering the overall inflammation in your body. Inflammatory foods, such as processed foods, sugar, refined carbohydrates, trans fats, and excessive alcohol consumption, can contribute to chronic inflammation, exacerbating back pain, and other inflammatory conditions.

Cutting out inflammatory foods can also have a positive impact on your overall health and well-being. A diet high in inflammatory foods has been linked to various health issues, including obesity, heart disease, and diabetes, which can indirectly affect your back health and contribute to pain.

11. Try an Anti-inflammatory Diet

An anti-inflammatory diet can help reduce inflammation in back muscles by providing the body with essential nutrients that combat inflammation and promote overall health. Foods rich in antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, and other anti-inflammatory compounds, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats, work together to decrease inflammation and support the body’s natural healing processes.

An anti-inflammatory diet can also help maintain a healthy weight, which is crucial for reducing pressure on the spine and joints. Excess weight can place additional stress on the back, worsening pain and inflammation.

12. Use Anti-inflammatory Supplements

There are also several anti-inflammatory herbs and natural anti-inflammatory supplements that can help reduce back pain. Here are three great supplements to start with:

Turmeric, a spice commonly used in Asian cuisine, contains an active compound called curcumin which is known for its potent anti-inflammatory properties. Curcumin works by inhibiting the activity of various enzymes and proteins involved in the body’s inflammatory response.

Apple cider vinegar has anti-inflammatory properties, which can help lower back inflammation in the body. It contains acetic acid, a compound that inhibits the production of certain inflammatory chemicals, such as prostaglandins and leukotrienes.

Elderberry, a fruit derived from the Sambucus tree, is rich in antioxidants, including anthocyanins, which are known for their anti-inflammatory properties. These potent compounds help combat oxidative stress, a contributing factor to inflammation.

Bonus Tip: Stay Hydrated!

Staying hydrated is essential for reducing lower back inflammation and pain, as water plays a crucial role in the proper functioning of the body’s cells, tissues, and organs. Adequate hydration helps maintain the health and flexibility of the spinal discs, which are primarily composed of water. When you’re well-hydrated, your discs can better absorb shock and support the spine, leading to reduced pain and inflammation.

Additionally, water is vital for flushing toxins and waste products out of the body, two significant causes of inflammation. By staying hydrated, you help your body efficiently remove these harmful substances, thereby reducing inflammation. Proper hydration also ensures that nutrients are effectively transported to the cells, further supporting the body’s natural healing processes.

Inflammatory Back Pain Treatment: Final Thoughts

Inflammatory back pain can be a challenging condition to manage, but with the right approach, it is possible to ease symptoms and improve quality of life. Incorporating some of the treatment tips discussed in this article, such as regular exercise, physical therapy, and anti-inflammatory foods, can help individuals with inflammation in the lower back achieve better pain management and overall health.

It is important to work with a healthcare provider to develop an individualized treatment plan that addresses the specific needs and concerns of each person.

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