10-02-2025
I have chronic back pain — these 5 products help ease the worst of it
Ever since I was a kid, I've gravitated towards sports and activities, including soccer, skateboarding, and snowboarding. Now, I'm not particularly talented at any of these, but I like pushing myself to try new things, even if I'm not a pro.
My back-related trouble started in my early twenties. I was skateboarding when I hit a crack in the sidewalk and fell hard on my tailbone. It hurt — a lot — and the pain still flares up when I spend too much time sitting. Last winter, I injured my tailbone again when I wiped out snowboarding, which further complicated my back pain.
Last summer, I took up playing recreation league soccer for fun, and I suffered from a herniated disc in my lower back. It has mostly healed, but it acts up if I overexert myself physically or skip my physio-recommended back exercises.
I am not alone when it comes to back pain. According to the Canadian Chiropractic Association, an estimated one in eight Canadians suffer from chronic back problems. Every day is a battle against back pain, but luckily, I've found a few products that help ease the worst of it.
Research shows applying heat increases blood flow and reduces pain, while helping muscles relax. I've personally found that heat helps tame both my tailbone pain and slipped disc pain on my right side.
There are single-use, disposable heat wraps on the market, but I prefer a grain-filled bag. This one from Magic Bag is reusable, microwaveable, and natural (it's filled with oats!) I throw it in the microwave and I find the heat lasts a long time. The company recommends applying the heat pack for up to 30 minutes.
When it comes to at-home pain management, this transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) machine does wonders for me. All you do is attach the sticky pads to the desired area and the battery-operated device provides pain relief via mild electrical currents.
This one from DR. HO's comes with multiple sticky pads, and it offers six different settings and multiple intensity levels. I personally choose the option to cycle through all the different settings for 20 minutes, and I opt for a low to medium intensity level.
Though scientific evidence is scarce on whether the TENS machines are a reliable method of pain relief, health care professionals have reported it helps some people. I mainly use it for my slipped disc pain, though I've also used it for shoulder pain. However, it's not for the faint of heart! It feels like being zapped or stung by bees, depending on the chosen setting.
Some experts say strengthening your core is the key to banishing back pain. One study found that core stability exercise is more effective than general exercise when it came to improving short-term physical function for patients with chronic lower back pain.
When I suffered from a herniated disc, my physiotherapist suggested exercises to strengthen my core, including bird dog, bridge pose, cat-cow pose, and dead bug pose. Nearly every day, I pull out my favourite yoga mat, the five millimetre one from Lululemon, which provides a grippy base for movement, and cycle through the assigned exercises.
I've used other yoga mats in the past, but I keep coming back to this one because I like the extra padding that comes with the 5 millimetre mat. I have two of these, actually. (One is more than 10 years old and it's still holding up!) In addition to the core exercises, I also use it for yoga practice and at-home pilates workouts.
Keep in mind, the mat tends to smell weird upon first opening it. The company recommends you air it out, so I hung up mine outside. The smell faded within a day or two.
Sitting at a desk for hours each day is not ideal for tailbone pain, so I purchased one of these U-shaped memory foam cushions for my chair. The donut pillow is meant to alleviate lower body discomfort and promote proper spinal alignment, while relieving pressure on your tailbone. (The company also makes one for lumbar support, too.)
I like this one because it provides soft yet sturdy support. On Amazon, it has racked up nearly 150,000 ratings, with an average score of 4.1. Like me, reviewers like the sturdy support it provides while sparing their tailbones, noting a "good size and design." It appears to work for most body types, including folks who are tall, and it works with different chairs, too: I've used it on long car trips, on an office chair, and on a lounge chair.
You've likely heard of people adding Epsom salts to their baths in hopes of relieving muscle aches. An Epsom salt is a naturally occurring mineral compound made of magnesium and sulfur, and it's been used for hundreds of years to combat aches and pains.
This offering from Coach Soak is made from magnesium chloride and it's geared towards athletes looking for post-session recovery or people with physically demanding jobs. I find it helps to relax my back muscles after a long soak. I tried the cooling peppermint version, though the company also sells an unscented option. One reviewer noted the bath soak "helps muscles relax," while another says they could "literally feel" leg pain melt away.
Of course, a soak in the tub will only provide temporary relief to chronic back pain. And while there's a lack of definitive scientific evidence to support the idea that humans can soak up enough magnesium through their skin to make a real difference, many people report that Epsom salt baths help relax their muscles, relieve pain, and reduce stress. Placebo? Maybe so, but even short-term relief makes a difference when you're in pain.
