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You’ve probably heard it a thousand times: Reduce inflammation, and your back pain will disappear.
Doctors prescribe anti-inflammatory medications. People swear by ice packs. The internet is filled with lists of “anti-inflammatory” foods.
But here’s the reality no one talks about: Inflammation isn’t always bad. In fact, it’s your body’s built-in repair system.
So should you really be trying to stop it?
Let’s dive into the real connection between inflammation and lower back pain—and how to manage it the right way.
Inflammation is your body’s natural response to injury, illness, or chemical imbalances.
🔹 If you fall and hurt your back, inflammation kicks in to repair damaged tissue.
🔹 If you eat the wrong foods or have gut issues, inflammation can spread to your lower back due to its close proximity to your colon.
🔹 If your immune system is weakened, inflammation can show up in unexpected places—including your back.
It’s easy to think inflammation = pain, but that’s only part of the story. Pain is just a side effect of the healing process.
👉 If you shut down inflammation too soon, you might actually slow down your recovery.
So, instead of blindly trying to “get rid of inflammation,” the real question is:
Are you managing it properly?
🚨 Here’s where most people (and even some doctors) get it wrong:
They immediately reach for anti-inflammatory drugs or ice to numb the pain—without understanding why the inflammation is there in the first place.
When you constantly suppress inflammation, your body never fully heals, leading to:
❌ Recurring pain that keeps coming back
❌ Weaker tissues that never get fully repaired
❌ A dependence on painkillers and temporary fixes
Think of it like this: If you pause a construction crew in the middle of fixing a damaged road, the problem never really gets solved. Inflammation is your body’s construction crew—it cleans up damaged cells, repairs tissues, and strengthens weak areas.
The key isn’t to stop inflammation entirely—it’s to control it so your body can heal properly.
So, if reducing inflammation isn’t always the answer, what should you do instead?
✅ 1. Let Your Body Do Its Job—At Least at First
🔹 In the first 24-48 hours after an injury, let inflammation do its work.
🔹 Avoid overmedicating—your body needs time to repair itself naturally.
✅ 2. Support Your Body’s Natural Healing Process
Instead of shutting inflammation down, give your body what it needs to heal efficiently:
🔹 Hydration: Water helps flush out toxins and deliver nutrients to inflamed areas.
🔹 Movement: Gentle stretching and walking help circulate healing blood flow.
🔹 Heat therapy: After the first couple of days, heat can promote faster recovery by increasing circulation.
✅ 3. Reduce Chronic Inflammation (The Bad Kind)
Not all inflammation is good. If your back pain is ongoing without an obvious injury, it could be a sign of chronic inflammation from diet, stress, or poor lifestyle habits.
To fight long-term inflammation:
🔹 Avoid processed foods, sugar, and excessive alcohol.
🔹 Increase anti-inflammatory foods like omega-3s (salmon, walnuts) and leafy greens.
🔹 Manage stress—chronic stress keeps your body in a constant state of low-level inflammation.
💡 Inflammation isn’t the enemy—it’s a necessary part of healing.
But if you suppress it too soon, your body never fully recovers.
🔹 Let acute inflammation do its job for the first 24-48 hours.
🔹 Support natural healing with hydration, movement, and proper nutrition.
🔹 Reduce long-term inflammation by fixing diet, stress, and lifestyle habits.
👉 Bottom line? Instead of blindly shutting down inflammation, learn how to work with it. That’s the real key to long-term pain relief and a stronger, healthier back.
Uran Berisha,
B.Sc. PT, RMT
Shockwave Therapy Educator & Founder
Unpain Clinic & I Love Shockwave
