If you’ve ever had back pain, then none of these statistics will probably surprise you. The Mayo Foundation estimates that four out of five adults will experience back pain in their lives. Back pain is the leading cause of disability for people between the ages of 19 and 45. When your back hurts, there is hardly any position or movement that is comfortable. Back pain is the number one cause of disability for people between the ages 19 and 45 and is the second-most common cause of missed workdays in the United States.

A few causes of back pain include the following:

Acute

• Overuse
• Improper lifting
• Kidney infection

• Arthritis
• Overcurvature of the spine
• Overweight
• Sleeping on your stomach
• Sleeping on an old mattress
• Worn-out shoes
• Poor posture
• Constipation
• Kidney, bladder, or prostate problems
• Bone diseases and herniated disks
• Weak abdominal and back muscles

The good news is that acupuncture has proven to be an effective reliever of back pain, and acupressure techniques are some of the best ways to care for your own back Weekend warriors that wake up the next morning with a stiff back will love the relief and shortened recovery time these techniques provide.

If you have a kidney infection, a serious condition, you will feel pain on only one side in the small of your back, feel generally sick, and have a fever. Consult your health professional immediately to clarify the origin of your pain if you are unclear.

Treating chronic pain usually involves modifying some old habits. Take a look at your posture. Try sitting with both feet flat on the floor in an upright, relaxed position. Examine the soles of your shoes. Are they worn on one side, showing how you are off balance when you walk? Start a new awareness and go out and buy a new pair of shoes.

In traditional oriental medicine terms, acute low-back pain is the result of stuck qi and blood (sharp pain in one place). Chronic low-back pain may be an excess of dampness (heavy, achy) or wind (pain moves around). If the pain has been there awhile, there is almost always a lack of circulation of qi and blood, along with a weakening of the yin and yang energies of the surrounding organs. Difficulties with your bowels and urinary tract systems will point your acu-pro in the best direction possible to help your back and entire body feel good.

Drink lots of water if you suffer from sudden low-back strain. It’s often the result of overwork, resulting in a buildup of lactic acid in your muscles. One or two 8-oz. glasses of water may bring relief in just a few minutes. Bottoms up!

Your acupuncturist may choose a variety of techniques to treat your low-back pain, depending on the oriental medical diagnosis. Don't be surprised if your practitioner uses heat in the form of moxa or infrared heat therapy, especially if being cold is when you hurt the most. Relax and imagine you're on the beach in the sun. Traditional needle acupuncture, electro-acupuncture, or electromagnetic acupuncture or cupping may be used on these points.

Acupressure self-care for low-back pain is easy to learn, and the reward is feeling good the more you practice. Pay close attention to hand positions and point locations at first. Then let your fingers find the sore sports and enjoy the changes as your back relaxes.

Ice and heat can be great tools in your pursuit of pain-free living, but you've got to use them wisely. The chilling facts about ice are simple: Ice slows inflammation, lessens swelling, and alleviates pain. Apply it to the injury within the first 36[nd] 48 hours of sudden back pain. We know you like the idea of heat, but that comes later. During the third day of pain, if swelling is still present but reduced, you can alternate applying ice and heat. Always end with ice.