Apply ice as necessary. In one study, two-thirds of people with back pain reported significant relief after using an ice pack. "Wrap some ice cubes or an ice pack in a towel and lay it over the sore area for 20 minutes," advises Anne Simons, M.D. "Remove the ice for 10 minutes, then repeat." Continue until your pain subsides.
After colds and flu, back pain ranks as the leading reason for days lost from work and school. Between medical care and lost productivity, back pain costs the nation about $ 24 billion a year.

