How to Ease the Worst Pains

By: Jenna Bergen

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Low-Back Pain

Understand it: "The most common problem is muscle strain," says Dr. Matava. "The muscles are stretched and microscopic tears occur in those fibers, which release chemicals that activate nerve endings throughout the area."

Stop it: Take ibuprofen and heat the area for 10 to 15 minutes a few times a day. But don't shut things down completely. "Bed rest leads to stiffness and decreased flexibility, both of which only increase pain," says Dr. Smith. Dial down your activity a bit, and then dial it back up as the pain begins to ease.

Still hurts? If dialing down your activity level doesn't work, the next steps might include physical therapy, deep-tissue injection, or even surgery. So see your doctor.

Prevent it: Stretch your hamstrings once your body is already warmed up, not before. "When the hamstrings are tight, they can pull on the small postural muscles of the low back, causing pain," says Perry Fine, M.D., a professor of anesthesiology at University of Utah school of medicine.
