August 31st, 2010 | 
Author: My mom bent down to grab something and her back froze and now it hurts when she walks. She said she pulled a muscle and is putting warm heat pad things on it. How do you cure it, or heal it faster?
My mom bent down to grab something and her back froze and now it hurts when she walks. She said she pulled a muscle and is putting warm heat pad things on it. How do you cure it, or heal it faster?
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Ice it. Cold can help a strain or sprain as much as warmth can. A massage therapist might could help. Also, pain killers from the pharmacy are a good idea. She should obviously take it really easy for a few weeks until it heals, most importantly avoiding lifting things or bending over.
Really not much you can do to make it get better faster. All you can do is make sure not to make it worse. Warmth on the sore area is a great idea, no sudden movements, keep your posture nicely balanced and back vertical as much as possible (sometimes the back is twisted and you cannot make it straight so don’t force it). I use my legs as a nice counterbalance to get out of bed when my back acts up.
acetaminophen or for really bad cases, ibuprofen, may help ease the constant soreness or pain but doesn’t help the injury get better.
Normally takes a week or two to get back to about normal, depending on how bad it is injured and whether you re-aggravate the injury.
I unfortunately have a lot of experience with this problem.
massages often work?
She’s doing the best thing for it, just keeping some heat on it to soothe the pain. The only way to help this kind of thing heal, is to give it time. Tell her to try not to stretch or stress the muscle for a few days, and to try Tylenol, Advil, etc. and a heating pad any time it gives her trouble.
I have a bad back, so I know this. You’re supposed to:
1) Continue using heat patches on it.
2) Sleep on the floor. It might leave you kind of stiff, but it makes you back hurt less.
3) Get a back brace. I have one, and it REALLY helps ease back pain!
4) Rest. Take a day or two off of work and RELAX.