Treatment • Medicine—Acetaminophen, such as Tylenol, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen (such as Advil or Motrin) and naproxen (such as Aleve) may help your pain.

• Aerobic exercise—Especially riding a stationary bike (which allows you to lean forward) can help your symptoms.

• Healthy body weight—Getting to and staying at a healthy body weight may help your symptoms and keep them from getting worse.

· Physical therapy—This helps you learn stretching and strength exercises that may reduce pain and other symptoms.

· Chiropractic care—This is used in conjunction with medical treatment to restore function, prevent injury, and provide back pain relief.

· Steroid injections—These injections may help relieve pain if other nonsurgical treatments haven’t worked. Refer to your certificate of coverage for pain management injection limitations.

Shared decision making enhances careShared decision making is a collaborative process that allows patients and their doctors to make health care decisions together. Arise Health Plan has a questionnaire and decision tools available online (www.WeCareForWisconsin.com, select Members, and then Healthwise) for use when making decisions regarding surgical options for back pain. You and your doctor can review the results together and get an accurate picture of the risks versus benefits of your treatment options.

For more information:

Low Back Pain Case Manager Phone: 1-800-333-5003 Hours: Monday–Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

This brochure contains information that may help you deal with low back pain. It is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Please consult your doctor for proper treatment of low back pain.

©2015 WPS Health Plan, Inc. All rights reserved. 27398-085-1510

How to avoid lower back pain

How to avoid lower back pain If you have lower back pain, you are not alone. Almost everyone at some point has back pain that interferes with work and daily activities. Fortunately, most occurrences of low back pain go away within a few days, but others may take longer to resolve or lead to more serious conditions.

Symptoms include: • Muscle aches or spasms

• Shooting or stabbing pain in the lower back

• Pain, numbness, or tightening that radiates down your leg

• Limited flexibility or range of motion of the back

• Inability to stand up straight

Alternate arm and leg • Start on the floor, on your hands and knees

• Tighten your stomach muscles

• Raise one leg off the floor and hold it straight out behind you. Be careful not to let your hip drop down, because that will twist your trunk

• Hold for about six seconds, lower your leg, and switch to the other leg

• Repeat eight to 12 times on each leg

• If you feel stable, try raising the opposite arm straight out in front of you at the same time

Knee-to-chest exercise • Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor

• Bring one knee to your chest, keeping the other foot flat on the floor

• Keep your lower back pressed to the floor and hold for 15 to 30 seconds

• Lower the knee to the starting position and repeat with the other leg

• Repeat 2 to 4 times with each leg

Bridge • Lie on your back with both knees bent about 90 degrees.

• Tighten your stomach muscles by pulling your belly button toward your spine

• Push your heels into the floor, squeeze your buttocks, and lift your hips off the floor until your shoulders, hips, and knees are in a straight line

• Hold for about 6 seconds and then slowly lower down to the floor

• Rest for 10 seconds

• Repeat 8 to 12 times

Back bend • Stand with your feet hip width apart, toes pointing forward with unlocked knees Place your hands on your back, palms at your waist

• Keeping your legs straight, bend backward over your hands without arching your neck

• Hold the pose for 1 to 2 seconds

• Return to standing

• Repeat 3 to 10 times

Stretching ExercisesCauses of back painAs people age, bone strength and muscle elasticity tend to decrease. The discs in your back begin to lose fluid and flexibility, which decreases their ability to cushion between the individual bones (vertebrae). Repeated heavy lifting or sudden awkward movements may strain back muscles and spinal ligaments, causing pain or discomfort in the lower back.

Incorrect lifting - Picking up an object while twisting or turning your body can cause back pain.

Poor posture - Standing or sitting while slouching can cause back pain and delayed recovery.

Excess weight - Living an unhealthy lifestyle with poor diet and exercise can result in carrying excess weight. People who have excess weight have an increased risk for back pain than people who have a healthy weight.

Ruptured disks - Disks in your back act as cushions between the vertebrae in your spine. As discs weaken, cartilage can be pushed into the space containing the spinal cord, causing back pain.

Other causes:

• Sciatica: inflammation of the sciatic nerve that starts in the back and runs down the backs of the legs. • Arthritis: inflammation of the joints in the spine can lead to spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the space around the spinal cord. • Skeletal irregularities • Osteoporosis • Infections (bladder, lung, kidney, etc.) • Kidney stones