Nearly 4 in 10 Adults Live With Back Pain. These 7 Drug-Free Fixes Are Backed by Research

Back pain can be debilitating, and it’s also quite prevalent.

In 2019, 39% of adults had back pain, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Certain demographics in America are more likely to experience this pain, like adults aged 65 and over, women, non-Hispanic white adults and those with income below 100% of the federal poverty level.

When asked about pain experienced over the prior three months, the back is the most commonly cited source. And back issues aren’t as simple as taking a Tylenol and moving on.

Research shows that acute and chronic lower back pain are often accompanied by psychological distress, which can come in the form of anxiety, depression, stress, discouragement and more.

So, let’s get into a few ways to find relief — without medication.

Yoga

As we reported, researchers at the Cleveland Clinic found that there may be a simple, drug-free way to get relief from chronic lower back pain without even leaving the house — therapeutic virtual yoga.

In the study, a group of participants joined live-streamed virtual yoga group classes for 12 weeks, followed by 12 weeks of assessment. Participants took one 60-minute class per week and were encouraged to practice at home.

Compared to the group who didn’t engage in yoga classes, participants had a six times greater reduction in pain intensity and a 2.7 times increase in back-related function. These gains held up for three months after the classes ended.

Yoga participants also used less pain medication and — bonus — reported dramatically better sleep, with a 10 times greater improvement in sleep quality.

Walking

Daily walking was linked to a lower risk of developing chronic low back pain in a study published in JAMA Network Open.

The best part? It doesn’t matter your pace. The amount you walk matters more than how fast you go. Participants who logged more than 100 minutes per day had a 23% lower risk than those who walked 78 minutes or less.

“The findings highlight the importance of finding time to be physically active — to prevent both chronic back problems and a number of other diseases. Over time, this could lead to major savings for society,” says Paul Jarle Mork, one of the study’s authors.

Acupuncture

A study funded by the National Institutes of Health found that adults ages 65 and older with persistent low back pain who received manual acupuncture treatment along with their usual medical treatments experienced less pain than those who just used their typical medical treatments.

One-third of participants received up to 15 acupuncture sessions over three months, and another third received the same number of sessions, plus six additional maintenance treatments.

Not only did each of these groups experience less pain intensity at six months than those who didn’t receive acupuncture treatment, but they also had less pain-related disability at both the six- and 12-month marks.

Spending time in nature

Don’t just take a walk — take it somewhere with greenery.

A small study published in The Journal of Pain surveyed people who have experienced chronic lower back pain for five to 38 years.

Participants reported that they enjoyed light activity and social contact outdoors and that simple sensory cues like fresh air and the sights and sounds of water helped them feel calmer despite the stress of the pain they experience.

Having a healthy way to practice escapism helped with their pain-related anxiety and isolation.

The biggest issue participants noted was that uneven terrain and a lack of seating sometimes make this inaccessible for someone in chronic pain. So researchers are encouraging greater accessibility in public spaces and the use of immersive virtual reality when that’s not possible.

Insoles

A study published in the European Spine Journal points to a simple, drug-free option for people with low back pain — custom, pressure-mapped shoe insoles.

The research followed 58 postal workers who had to do a lot of walking on the job. Researchers gave participants real insoles for five weeks, then switched them to placebo, look-alike insoles for the next five weeks (or vice versa).

The average pain score started at 5.46 but fell to 3.96 when workers used the real inserts. Comparatively, the average score for the placebo insoles was 5.11.

The share of participants reporting moderate-to-severe pain (5 out of 10 or higher) fell from 77% to about 38% when using the real insoles, compared to 50% after the placebos. At the end of the study, 81% of participants preferred the real pair for comfort and relief.

Heat

The American College of Physicians recommends superficial heat as one of the first treatments to try for low back pain that’s less than 12 weeks old.

Heat helps by opening up blood vessels where it’s applied. That boosts circulation and helps tight muscles loosen, according to the Arthritis Foundation, which suggests sessions of around 20 minutes.

No heating pad on hand? A damp washcloth sealed in a resealable plastic bag and briefly microwaved can do the job.

Cold therapy

If your back pain came on suddenly, such as after overdoing it in the yard, or if the area is swollen, you may want to try ice first. Cold narrows blood vessels, which helps ease inflammation.

Cold packs are a common recommendation for low back pain, says Johns Hopkins Medicine. To use one safely:

• Keep sessions to 20 minutes or less, a few times a day.
• Put a thin cloth between the pack and your skin.
• Remove it if your skin starts to go numb.

You can use both heat and cold therapy alternately. Just be sure to space them out by a few hours rather than switching immediately from one to the other.