A one-page card, taken from the NHS page on back pain (last reviewed 5 March 2026).[1] Print it and keep it where you will find it.
Ease it at home
- Stay active and carry on with daily activities as far as you can.
- Use a heat pack or hot-water bottle wrapped in a tea towel for stiffness or muscle spasms.
- Use an ice pack or frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel for pain and swelling.
- Try gentle exercises and stretches for back pain.
- Don't stay in bed for long periods.
- Ask a pharmacist about pain relief; it isn't right for everyone.
See a doctor if
- it hasn't improved after a few weeks of home care
- it stops you doing your day-to-day activities
- it doesn't improve after resting, or is worse at night
- it is in the top of your back, between your shoulders
Get urgent help if
- you feel hot, cold, shivery or generally unwell
- severe pain starts suddenly, or is getting worse quickly
Emergency: call an ambulance or go to the nearest emergency department if you have
- pain, tingling, weakness or numbness in both legs
- a loss of feeling around your genitals or anus
- changes in your bladder or bowels, such as difficulty passing urine, or passing urine or stools without meaning to
- chest pain, or back pain that started after a serious accident
Don't drive yourself. Ask someone to take you or call an ambulance. (The NHS page gives UK numbers; in India, use your local emergency number.)
More: Back and neck pain: your questions answered · Devices for back pain: what helps, what to skip
Sources
Written by the Prife iTeraCare team and last reviewed on 26 October 2026. This is general information, not medical advice, and it does not replace your doctor or physiotherapist. A session is a wellness experience, not a medical treatment.