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Treatments to Relieve Back Muscle Spasm

Muscle spasms in the back are caused by strong muscle contractions. They can range from mildly irritating to totally immobilizing and from painful to excruciating. The muscle spasms themselves can have a variety of causes but normally result from some kind of trauma to the back. This can be a result of injury or a repeated stress on the muscles of the back brought about from repetitive overuse, poor posture or continuous use of an unsuitable mattress or chair. A spasm is the body’s way of protecting itself from further injury by sharply contracting the muscles of the injured area. There are a variety of treatments for back muscle spasms and the effectiveness of these may be dependent on the nature of the injury, the age of the injury and the practitioner administering treatment.

Treatments for Muscle Spasm of the Back

Treatments fall into two categories; those that deal with pain relief and the immediate treatment after an injury and those that deal with the longer term healing process and reducing the likelihood of further injury.

1.) Ice and heat – ice is effective for reducing inflammation in the first 72 hours after an injury occurs. This will in turn help with the pain relief. Applying ice for longer than 20 minute intervals can actually have the reverse effect and may make the area more inflamed.

It is recommended that you allow 3 days to pass after the initial injury has occurred before applying heat to the area. This is to allow any inflammation to completely subside. Applying heat will improve circulation and blood supply to the area which will aid the body’s ability to repair itself and relax the muscle tissue.

2.) Anti-inflammatorys – these can help to alleviate pain in the initial stages of the injury. Over the counter medicines are readily available or try one of the many natural alternatives available such as Devil’s Claw, ginger or licorice. Be careful not to mask the pain of the injury too completely. Pain is the body’s way of telling you to rest and protect the injury and you may be tempted to overdo it if you are relatively pain free.

3.) Muscle relaxants – again this will help with pain relief and can be bought as over the counter medicines or natural remedies such as chamomile or Valerian. Certain essential oils, such as lavender oil, may help. Try adding a few drops to your bath water. Be aware that some of the natural muscle relaxants will also act as sedatives and may make you drowsy.

4.) Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator (TENS) machines – these used to be only available through your doctor or hospital but are now available to purchase for home use. They vary greatly in price from a few dollars to hundreds of dollars. Machines stimulate the muscles to contract through electrical stimulation and once fatigued in this way will naturally relax. The machines inhibit pain receptors and so bring pain relief.

5.) Ultrasound – this treatment has to be administered by a professional and involves the use of sound waves which break down scar tissue. Scar tissue will form within a muscle where injury has occurred. It is imperative that this is broken down to return elasticity to the muscle and so prevent further injury. The treatment will stimulate increased circulation to the treated area and aid tissue healing.

6.) Massage – this is also effective in breaking down scar tissue for longer term benefits. Aromatherapy massages can be particularly beneficial as they address immediate and long term issues connected to muscle spasms of the back.

7.) Jacuzzi – this treatment will give all the benefits of applying heat to the injury whilst also massaging the area to aid with breaking down scar tissue.

8.) Chiropractic adjustment – this treatment is particularly effective where the injury is a result of long term strain to the back muscles. Chiropractors will adjust the body to return it to its natural positions and eliminate the poor alignments that will cause continued problems. This may take several sessions as, in between treatments, the body will initially return to the state that has caused the injuries in the first place out of learned habit.

Chiropractors are highly trained individuals but vary greatly from one professional to another. Chiropractic treatment can be so effective it can almost seem like a miracle cure or can leave you wondering what you have paid all that money for.

Should you suffer with back muscle spasm it is extremely important that you don’t just ignore the condition. Initially it may seem innocuous but will only deteriorate over time without treatment due to the build up of scar tissue. All injuries are far easier to treat in their early stages.

In addition, when the body is continuously in pain it can use up as much as 80% of its available energy. This is why people with chronic injuries so often feel exhausted. The natural healing abilities of the body will be less and less effective the longer you allow this to continue. There are many options for back muscle spasm treatments and one or more of them will, more than likely, be able to offer healing and relief.

Article by expert author ‘Deneice Arthurton‘