What Is Low Back Muscle Spasm?
One presentation of low back pain is muscle spasm. This can accompany a low back strain or many other lumbar spine diagnoses. Low back muscle spasm presents as sudden, severe pain in part of the low back with decreased ability to move it for a time. For example, you are in a bent position and you cannot straighten up. That muscle is hard/tight to the touch compared to the other back muscles. It may appear swollen; for example, the right side of your low back looks bigger than the left. This can be present for a few minutes-hours and can come repeatedly over a number of days to several months, depending on your activities, movements and postures.
How To Treat Low Back Muscle Spasm:
It usually requires you to change positions, and the severity decreases if you find a relieving position such as lying on your side or getting onto hands and knees. Any new injury needs to be treated with ice for at least 2-3 days to minimize swelling and inflammation. Muscle spasm can be decreased with the use of heat to relax the muscle. If there is not significant swelling or internal inflammation, you can use heat to treat the pain associated with muscle spasms.
Medical Treatments for Low Back Muscle Spasm:
For this diagnosis, you will likely be prescribed muscle relaxers, anti-inflammatory medicine and/or pain relievers. Certain movements, positions or activities may need to be limited to prevent the spasm from returning (for example walking less, decreasing housework, or not playing your sport for a time). Other treatment options are Physical Therapy, chiropractic care, massage, and acupuncture.
How To Prevent Low Back Muscle Spasm:
If you prevent all other forms of low back pain, you will prevent low back muscle spasms. This means:
1. Practice good postures.
2. Practice good ergonomics and body mechanics.
3. Exercise regularly for your overall spine health.
4. Avoid a sedentary lifestyle because all tissues, including your spine, thrive on movement.
5. Do back extension exercises (moving spine in backward direction).
Showing posts with label back pain treatment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label back pain treatment. Show all posts
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Back Health Survey Discussion: Risk Factors for Low Back Pain
The discussion points here respond to the questions from yesterday's post, entitled "Back Health Survey."
1. How frequently do you perform moderate-high intensity exercise? In general, back health is improved as you do regular exercise, especially cardio exercise and strength training. However, it is important not to injure your back during exercise with excessive, early high intensities or uncontrolled bending/twisting.
2. How many hours/day do you sit on most days of the week? Likely, you have minimal control over how much you sit at work, but the rest of your day is yours to stand and walk more! Too much sitting puts your spine in a rounded or flexed position for long periods of time (unless you practice perfect sitting posture with additional lumbar support). Also, sitting does not promote cell growth and circulation as well as standing/walking, so it can lead to spine issues later in life.
3. How often do you perform back strengthening exercise or core strengthening? I recommend you do this at least 2-3x weekly, even if only for 5 or 10 minutes each time. Good back strengthening includes back extensions (backwards bending or arching of the back). Abdominal strengthening is also good (crunches are better for your back than full sit-ups). Core strength exercises of all varieties are great for your spine health, as they strengthen the deep abdominal and spine muscles, which will give natural spine support when you do strenuous daily tasks.
4. What is your usual sitting posture? First, check the chair you sit in to ensure it is ergonomic. Then add a lumbar roll (rolled up towel or round pillow) behind your low back. Sit at the back of the chair, then add your additional lumbar support.
5. What is your present weight status? Extra weight puts more strain on all your joints, including your spine.
6. How many episodes of major low back pain have you had in your lifetime (enough to limit your usual functional activities)? Low back pain comes in repeating episodes, so if you have had several, you likely will have more in the future. But it is not too late to get treatment, of which Physical Therapy can help significantly! Not only will you learn exercises but also things to avoid and how to self-manage your symptoms.
7. How far down did your low back pain symptoms radiate? Symptoms that radiate further down the leg are worse than those in the back only. That is because nerve(s) are being pinched in the spine, causing the symptoms to shoot downward. The key to treatment is to find what eliminates the leg symptoms and moves them more centrally, to the spine (AKA centralization).
8. How did your low back pain resolve? Your risk of future back pain is increased if your prior back pain has never resolved or has become chronic. In this case, you and your medical team have not yet found the ideal treatment plan, so all options should be considered, perhaps multiple times.
9. How often do you practice proper body mechanics during daily activities (such as squatting instead of bending, avoiding twisting, and good lifting techniques)? This may be the single most important factor to decrease your risk of future low back injury! Simply begin to implement body mechanics changes in your daily life. Soon they will become habitual.
10. How much heavy lifting do you regularly perform? Heavy lifting can increase your risk for back pain unless it is always performed correctly (spine straight and using the legs only to do the work of lifting).
11. How often do you participate in high risk sports/activities (such as skiing, skydiving, skateboarding, 4-wheeling, etc)? Trauma obviously can cause major back injuries or worse (becoming paralyzed or even death), so proceed only with extreme caution, and practice utmost safety measures.
12. How often do you perform standing forward bending exercises (such as touching the toes)? This is one of the single worst exercises you could perform. Your spine does not need to be stretched into a forward bent (flexed) position. What is your reason for doing this exercise? If it is for hamstrings stretching, use an alternate technique. If you do this out of habit or from something you learned in your past, change it because this can majorly damage your spine.
1. How frequently do you perform moderate-high intensity exercise? In general, back health is improved as you do regular exercise, especially cardio exercise and strength training. However, it is important not to injure your back during exercise with excessive, early high intensities or uncontrolled bending/twisting.
2. How many hours/day do you sit on most days of the week? Likely, you have minimal control over how much you sit at work, but the rest of your day is yours to stand and walk more! Too much sitting puts your spine in a rounded or flexed position for long periods of time (unless you practice perfect sitting posture with additional lumbar support). Also, sitting does not promote cell growth and circulation as well as standing/walking, so it can lead to spine issues later in life.
3. How often do you perform back strengthening exercise or core strengthening? I recommend you do this at least 2-3x weekly, even if only for 5 or 10 minutes each time. Good back strengthening includes back extensions (backwards bending or arching of the back). Abdominal strengthening is also good (crunches are better for your back than full sit-ups). Core strength exercises of all varieties are great for your spine health, as they strengthen the deep abdominal and spine muscles, which will give natural spine support when you do strenuous daily tasks.
4. What is your usual sitting posture? First, check the chair you sit in to ensure it is ergonomic. Then add a lumbar roll (rolled up towel or round pillow) behind your low back. Sit at the back of the chair, then add your additional lumbar support.
5. What is your present weight status? Extra weight puts more strain on all your joints, including your spine.
6. How many episodes of major low back pain have you had in your lifetime (enough to limit your usual functional activities)? Low back pain comes in repeating episodes, so if you have had several, you likely will have more in the future. But it is not too late to get treatment, of which Physical Therapy can help significantly! Not only will you learn exercises but also things to avoid and how to self-manage your symptoms.
7. How far down did your low back pain symptoms radiate? Symptoms that radiate further down the leg are worse than those in the back only. That is because nerve(s) are being pinched in the spine, causing the symptoms to shoot downward. The key to treatment is to find what eliminates the leg symptoms and moves them more centrally, to the spine (AKA centralization).
8. How did your low back pain resolve? Your risk of future back pain is increased if your prior back pain has never resolved or has become chronic. In this case, you and your medical team have not yet found the ideal treatment plan, so all options should be considered, perhaps multiple times.
9. How often do you practice proper body mechanics during daily activities (such as squatting instead of bending, avoiding twisting, and good lifting techniques)? This may be the single most important factor to decrease your risk of future low back injury! Simply begin to implement body mechanics changes in your daily life. Soon they will become habitual.
10. How much heavy lifting do you regularly perform? Heavy lifting can increase your risk for back pain unless it is always performed correctly (spine straight and using the legs only to do the work of lifting).
11. How often do you participate in high risk sports/activities (such as skiing, skydiving, skateboarding, 4-wheeling, etc)? Trauma obviously can cause major back injuries or worse (becoming paralyzed or even death), so proceed only with extreme caution, and practice utmost safety measures.
12. How often do you perform standing forward bending exercises (such as touching the toes)? This is one of the single worst exercises you could perform. Your spine does not need to be stretched into a forward bent (flexed) position. What is your reason for doing this exercise? If it is for hamstrings stretching, use an alternate technique. If you do this out of habit or from something you learned in your past, change it because this can majorly damage your spine.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
What Should I Do For Chronic Back Pain?
First, you should see your primary care physician. He/she will decide if you need a referral to a specialist.
Second, consider your most conservative treatment options, such as medication and Physical Therapy (PT). There are several types of Physical Therapy options. If you have seen a Physical Therapist before and still have chronic back pain, maybe you need to find a therapist that specializes in the spine.
There are three main forms of specialty PT that are most effective for chronic back pain. Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT), Manual Therapy, and Aquatic Therapy. Your primary doctor, spine specialist or pain specialist may prescribe PT for you and refer you to a specific PT clinic. But do not hesitate to do your own research on local PTs in order to find the clinic that will best meet your needs. It is your choice where to get your Physical Therapy once it is prescribed (just like you choose your pharmacy). Just remember that not all PTs are the same. Some clinics specialize in orthopedic rehab, neurological rehab, pediatric rehab, spine rehab, aquatic therapy, geriatrics, etc, so select carefully in order to maximize your time, effort and cost. Getting the proper Physical Therapy could help you to prevent injections or even surgery.
Third, if you are still not getting better, follow up with your doctor/specialist. You may be a candidate for injections or other treatments. Injections are effective for some back patients. Some get short-term relief, some get long-term relief and some get no relief, depending on your diagnosis and other factors.
Fourth, increase your fitness level. Get on a weight loss program if you are overweight or obese. Start exercising regularly. This, by itself, could drastically decrease your back pain. It is urgent that you start to do cardio exercise 5-7x per week. Work up to at least 30 minutes per day of moderate to heavy cardio exercise (a walking program may be the easiest, cheapest and most convenient option).
Fifth, if you have done all of the above and still have chronic back pain, see your specialist again, or get a second or third opinion. You should at least know your diagnosis, prognosis and treatment options. If you do not know these yet, ask more questions until you get the answers you seek.
As a PT, I obviously recommend PT over other treatment options. I recently saw a patient with chronic back pain for >20 years and radiating leg pain for >1 year. Within 1 PT session his leg pain was gone and within 3-5 sessions, his back pain was gone! A PT will help to find the cause of your pain, the proper treatment(s), and the best ways to prevent future episodes.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
What Your Toothbrush Tells You About Back Pain
Where do you store your toothbrush? Most of us store it right on the bathroom sink. Why do you store it there? Why don't you store it up on the top shelf or down in the bottom drawer? Your answer gives a simple example of BODY MECHANICS! You store your toothbrush within close reach to make life easier and more convenient. Why bend if you don't have to?
BODY MECHANICS is using your body to its advantage so that you don't have to work harder than necessary for whatever task you are doing. Here is another example. Ladies: why don't you carry your heavy purse by holding it with 1 or 2 fingers? You have naturally learned that the easiest way to carry a large handbag is strapped over your shoulder.
We all practice good body mechanics with things like where we place our cups/plates/silverware in the kitchen, where we put our socks in our drawers and where we position our debit cards in our wallets. We want easy access to the objects that we use the most every day. So good body mechanics comes naturally...until we deal with our backs. We use our backs for things that our legs and arms should do, such as lifting and bending. Our leg muscles are massive and powerful and can do much heavier lifting than our back muscles. And our shoulder and arm muscles are very strong and able to lift, carry or hold significant amounts of weight.
So to prevent back pain, keep your back straight and use your legs more. Try squatting down using only your legs (maintaining a straight spine position) the next time you need to reach down toward the floor. Here is one easy way to demonstrate bad body mechanics: hold one arm straight out in front of you (with elbow straight) and place a dictionary or phone book in your hand. Time yourself to see how long you can keep it there.
Friday, March 9, 2012
What Are The Treatment Options For Low Back Pain?
1. Oral pain medicine, which may include non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS like Ibuprofen), steroids, narcotics, muscle relaxers, etc.
2. Physical Therapy, which may include exercise, joint mobilizations/manipulations, modalities (such as electric stimulation, lumbar traction), postural corrections, body mechanics, education about cause of pain and forms of self-treatment/prevention, hands-on techniques, taping, functional activity training, aquatic/water therapy.
3. Injections to the lumbar spine (such as Cortisone).
4. Surgery (more common with major spine trauma or with chronic low back pain that has failed to improve with conservative treatments).
5. Chiropractic care, including manipulations and decompression (a form of lumbar traction).
6. Alternative therapies, including massage, accupuncture, etc.
7. Advertised home treatments, such as an Inversion Table, Back2Life, etc.
8. TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) unit, which is a device that you connect to electrodes placed on the skin of the low back. This is similar to the electric stimulation at Physical Therapy and Chiropractor offices.
9. Over-the-counter creams, medications, heat/ice, patches, supplements.
10. Bracing (more common after certain low back surgeries).
My biggest advice for you is 3-fold:
Prevent low back pain; it can be prevented!
If you have occasional low back pain, read the book "Treat Your Own Back," by Robin McKenzie.
Try Physical Therapy before other treatment options.
2. Physical Therapy, which may include exercise, joint mobilizations/manipulations, modalities (such as electric stimulation, lumbar traction), postural corrections, body mechanics, education about cause of pain and forms of self-treatment/prevention, hands-on techniques, taping, functional activity training, aquatic/water therapy.
3. Injections to the lumbar spine (such as Cortisone).
4. Surgery (more common with major spine trauma or with chronic low back pain that has failed to improve with conservative treatments).
5. Chiropractic care, including manipulations and decompression (a form of lumbar traction).
6. Alternative therapies, including massage, accupuncture, etc.
7. Advertised home treatments, such as an Inversion Table, Back2Life, etc.
8. TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) unit, which is a device that you connect to electrodes placed on the skin of the low back. This is similar to the electric stimulation at Physical Therapy and Chiropractor offices.
9. Over-the-counter creams, medications, heat/ice, patches, supplements.
10. Bracing (more common after certain low back surgeries).
My biggest advice for you is 3-fold:
Prevent low back pain; it can be prevented!
If you have occasional low back pain, read the book "Treat Your Own Back," by Robin McKenzie.
Try Physical Therapy before other treatment options.
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