Back pain is something almost everyone suffers from at some point in their lives. It can range from mild pain from heavy lifting or slouching, to constant and/or chronic back pain. While Rochdale is full of specialist physio therapists, sometimes specialists simply cannot help and may just offer you some pain killers. For some people it may be necessary to get prescribed medication, but most of us will simply have to try over the counter pain medicine; which is no problem in Rochdale, as Rochdale is home to many stores and pharmacies where these are easily available. However, some people are just not made for drugs and for those people I have some tips!

Ice and Heat- Don't underestimate the power of temperature Applying Ice packs and/or heat pads to the effective area for about 20 minutes several times a day, has been known to work wonders. Try alternating between ice and heat every few days to see which works best for you! You can buy ice packs and heat pads from lots of different stores in and around Rochdale!

Sit Straight!-Do you remember being told not to slouch? You should have listened. But the good news is it's not too late to practice your posture. While seated, sit straight and make use of the chairs back rest, place a pillow between the small of you back and the chair for comfort and keep the soles of your feet flat on the ground. This will help straighten you spine and release the tension that stimulates pain.

Stretching!-Gently try some stretches but make sure never to go beyond a mild tension and alway's relax fully between stretches.

Sleep is Important!-Try sleeping on your side with a pillow between your knees for a comfortable sleep but if you must sleep on your back; sleep on firm mattress with a pillow under the knees. Sleep is important and a lack of it can increase back pain.

Don't Rest!-Excercise! Although rest is often prescribed it would be unwise to lay in bed waiting for the pain to dissapear, chances are it will get worse. Moving about is important to help reduce back pain, try mild exercises, long walks or even swimming! Lucky for you there are lots of community centres, gyms etc in Rochdale where you can go to ease your pain!

Have a try of some of these tips and see which works best for you! Tell us your experiences with these or share your own secrets!!