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Anyone who has experienced a back spasm knows that it is extremely discomforting, as they can weaken your muscles and affect your spine’s health negatively. Fortunately, you don’t have to keep struggling with this condition.
If you’re tired of ineffective treatments for back spasms, you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading this article to discover simple, trusted remedies for relief. We’ll help you understand the different causes of back spasms, home treatment methods, and how you can prevent it from occurring.
A back spasm is a sudden sharp pain caused by the involuntary contraction of your back muscles. It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact reasons why this happens, although experts suggest that sleeping awkwardly, bending, lifting, standing, or sitting can all be causes. Back spasms can also be caused by injuries or overworking.
Typically, back spasms ease with time and require light home treatment. For example, massaging your back with an ice pack or hot water can provide significant relief. Changing your habits and avoiding strenuous exercises that put pressure on your back muscles are other practices you can embrace for back spasm recovery.
Oftentimes, engaging in normal activities will help you recover from back muscle spasms. However, if you have pre-existing medical conditions, you will require additional care and medical advice.
A mild strain is one of the minor causes of back spasms. However, for some others, back spasms are triggered by more complex conditions such as a herniated or ruptured spinal disc. If you feel like your back muscles are moving or contracting firmly, you should look out for the following common causes.
The way you sit at your desk or in a car can strain your back muscles and trigger spasms. Some people make the mistake of adjusting their posture to deal with the spasms, which worsen their condition.
The more you do this, the weaker and more inflamed your muscles will get. This can trigger painful muscle spasms as your back muscles struggle with inflammation caused by prolonged weakness.
To remedy this, take breaks from your desk for some exercise. Even 10 to 15 minutes of brisk walking can help.
When you’re trying a new exercise, you might put a lot of pressure on your lower back muscles, which can trigger muscle spasms for a few days. Some people might experience a form of post-exercise pain known as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
Sciatica is another condition that can trigger back spasms. This occurs when there’s a compression of the nerve roots that make up your sciatic nerves. Sciatica often results in a sharp pain that affects your buttocks, legs, and some parts of your lower back.
Activities that cause stress and anxiety can trigger lower back spasms. When you’re stressed or anxious, you’d become less willing to engage in physical activities and this can cause muscle stiffness. Typically, your body reacts to stress by producing more adrenaline and making your muscles tense.
Spondylolisthesis happens when your vertebra shifts forward relative to the bone below having instability from a special type of injury called a pars fracture. When this happens, some parts of your spine move out of their original position. This spinal condition is one of the leading causes of muscle spasms and back pain and can be diagnosed via an X-Ray.
People with spinal stenosis experience muscle pain, weakness, and numbness as the condition worsens. Spinal stenosis causes the spinal canal to narrow over time which puts pressure on the nerves, causing painful spasms. If left untreated, spinal stenosis can lead to nerve damage, paralysis, and eventual death of the patient.
Several home remedies can provide relief for back spasms, especially in the early stages of the condition. A simple shift in your daily habits such as exercising regularly and good posture will set you on the right road to recovery. Common relief methods for back spasms include:
Let’s get into the specifics of each remedy in detail.
Common back stretches for back spasms include the tennis ball stretch, foam roller stretch, and exercise ball stretch.
How to Do Tennis Ball Stretches
How to Do the Foam Roller Stretch
How to Do Exercise Ball Stretches
Sometimes, a good back massage may relieve the pain and discomfort that comes with muscle cramps and back spasms.
If you cannot get a professional massage, you can try out a home alternative. Gently rub the affected area of the muscle spasm over and over again, until you feel some sort of relief.
If you’re experiencing persistent back spasms, consider pinching the area around the sensations and holding the pinch for a few minutes. You can ask someone to help out if your hands can’t reach the area.
Regular hot or cold therapy can loosen the tightness around your back muscles and relieve spasms. Both therapies help to relax your muscles and ease the side effects of muscle spasms.
Hot Therapy for Muscle Spasms
Apply a heating pad to the area around the spasms for 15 to 20 minutes. After this, massage the area with a cold compress to calm any inflammation caused by the heating pad.
If you’d rather do without the pad, try having a warm bath, hot tub or spa session, or a hot shower.
Cold Therapy for Muscle Spasms
Staying hydrated is a great way to relieve back spasms quickly. This is even more important if you live in a warm area or your job requires exerting lots of physical energy.
Generally, experts recommend that you drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water, which is about two litres, or half a gallon of water every day. In reality, your actual water intake would depend on your individual needs, lifestyle, and prevailing weather conditions. Here’s a simple table you can use as a reference.
Source: Healthline
During your initial visit, your chiropractor will determine the cause of your muscle spasm. If it is caused by strain or injury, they might perform spinal adjustments or soft tissue therapy to ease the pain and discomfort.
However, if the chiropractor finds an issue with a spinal disc, then you may require different treatment or further imaging. The requisite rehabilitation may involve different exercises and stretches. In some instances, you may also be referred back to your medical doctor for additional care.
If you’re worried about the treatment hurting, don’t worry – chiropractic care is gentle and is always a discussion between you and the treating practitioner.
Simple changes to your health habits can protect your lower back and prevent back spasms. Let’s look at a few things you can do.
Good posture reduces the pressure on your back muscles and ligaments, which can prevent tightening and discomfort. It also improves your spine’s health. Some tips for a good sitting posture include:
Exercising regularly can strengthen your back muscles and prevent spasms. Some strengthening exercises you can try out to prevent lower back pain include:
If your work keeps you seated at your desk for an extended period, you should plan for frequent walk breaks — stroll around your home, or take a brisk walk outside. Also, consider enrolling in an exercise program.
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