Eight in ten adults experience back pain at one time or another. The cause may be damage to muscles, ligaments, or tendons; to bones in the back and neck; or to the cushiony disks that support and protect the bones of your spine. Most back pain is short-lived and can be eased with a few days of over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen and a little rest. But don’t stay in bed for more than 1-2 days; new research shows that bed rest, once a mainstay for short-term and chronic back pain, can actually make things worse. Keeping your muscles moving with gentle exercise, such as a slow walk or swimming, can reduce pain 40%.

• Strength-training exercises can reduce back pain by 60% and because it bolsters spine-supporting muscles, can help prevent another bout of pain.
• Need more relief? Consider acupuncture, which cut pain 50% and improved sleep in one Norwegian study.
• Do-it-yourself massage, with a tool like a massage cane or tennis balls, cut pain in half in one study.
• Ice or heat? Go with the one you prefer. Ice eases inflammation while heat relaxes tight, spasm-prone muscles. In studies, they work equally well.
• Low vitamin D doubled back pain risk in one study. Ask your doctor for a blood check and consider taking 1,000 to 2,000 units of D a day.

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