Back spasms are a type of back pain that involves a sudden, involuntary tightness and pain in the muscles of the back. The intensity of the pain may range from sharp to dull, and it can radiate from the back to other parts of the body such as the hips or legs.
10 Home Remedies for Back Spasms
Home care to relieve back spasms includes:
- Ice, then heat
- Apply ice for up to 20 minutes when the back spasm starts to help with pain and inflammation
- Put a thin cloth between the ice and your skin
- Afterwards, you can apply heat using a warm water bottle, a heating pad set on low, or a warm cloth to relax the muscle and encourage blood blow
- Alternate between ice and heat if needed
- Over-the-counter (OTC) pain medicines
- Massage
- Massage the area with your hand by rubbing the affected in a circular motion for 30-60 seconds at a time to help stop the spasm
- Apply pressure you can tolerate
- Rest
- Sit or lay down in a comfortable position
- Try relaxation techniques
- Deep breathing exercises
- Meditation
- Do gentle activity
- Avoid prolonged rest which can stiffen muscles and delay healing.
- Take a short walk or do gentle lower back stretches
- Avoid any activities that cause back pain
If a back spasm doesn't improve with home care, other treatments may include:
- Medications such as prescription pain medicines or muscle relaxers
- Massage
- Osteopathic or chiropractic manipulation
- Physiotherapy
Call your doctor or seek immediate medical attention if you have a back spasm and:
- You cannot move an arm or a leg at all
- New or worse symptoms in the legs, abdomen, or buttocks occur, such as:
- Pain
- Numbness or tingling
- Weakness
- Loss of bladder or bowel control
What Are Symptoms of a Back Spasm?
In addition to an involuntary tightness and pain in the muscles of the back, symptoms of back spasms may include:
- Spasms may occur at rest or during activity
- Pain intensity may range from sharp to dull
- Pain may radiate from the back to other parts of the body such as the hips or legs
- Stiffness in the low back area
- Stiffness that limits range of motion
- Inability to maintain normal posture due to stiffness and/or pain
- Pain persists for a maximum of 10-14 days
What Causes a Back Spasm?
Back spasms can happen when stress or strain is placed on the muscles, tendons, or ligaments of the back. Sometimes, back spasms are a sign of an underlying medical condition.
Common causes of back spasms include:
- Muscle overuse
- Repetitive movements such as from sports or manual labor
- Prolonged physical activity without enough recovery time
- Heavy lifting
- Injury
- Falls
- Sudden, abnormal twisting or bending movements
- Poor posture
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Vitamin D
- Magnesium
- Potassium
- Anxiety and stress
- Can result in muscle tension
- Medical conditions
- Disc disorders
- Degenerative disc disease
- Herniated disc
- Spondylolisthesis
- Spinal stenosis
- Fibromyalgia
- Disc disorders
How Is a Back Spasm Diagnosed?
A back spasm is often self-diagnosed by patients, however, if medical attention is needed for severe, frequent, recurrent, or prolonged back spasms, a doctor will take a patient history and perform a physical examination of the back.
In addition to an examination of the spine and other parts of the back, the physical exam may include:
- Neurological examination which includes tests of muscle strength, skin sensation, reflexes, and cranial nerves
- Assessment of nearby joints, such as the hip, sacroiliac joint, and the first rib
Imaging tests used to diagnose the cause of back spasms may include:
- X-ray
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan
- Computerized tomography (CT) scan
- Bone scan
- SPECT scan
- DEXA scan (also called bone densitometry)
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Image source: iStock Images
https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/aftercareinformation/pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=abr9935
https://www.spineuniverse.com/conditions/ultimate-guide-back-spasms
https://www.spine-health.com/treatment/diagnostic-tests/getting-accurate-back-pain-diagnosis
https://www.aans.org/en/Patients/Neurosurgical-Conditions-and-Treatments/Spinal-Pain