A Few Things on Muscle Spasms in Back

The back is one of the parts of the body that is almost made up of muscles, which are some of the strongest muscles in the body. However, back muscles are also one of the muscles that regularly experience stress from the performance of daily tasks and activities. One of the commonly seen manifestations of this stress is having muscle spasms in back.

Muscle spasms in back may sound like a very serious and concerning condition, but these back muscle spasms are only warning signs that there must be an underlying musculoskeletal problem present in the individual. These spasms are the result of too much stretching or tearing of the muscles such as straining or increased tension in the muscles like in prolonged sitting or bending of the back.

The muscles spasms in back arise from the inflammation of the torn, strained, pulled or stretched back muscles. The muscles are placed in a compartment where the space allotted for expansion of the muscles is only limited. Hence, when the inflammatory process begins the muscles tend to feel compressed thus spasms or uncontrolled movement of the muscles occur. It is also accompanied by pain in the back that may be moderate to severe in intensity plus difficulty in movement especially those that involve lifting something or twisting of the body. Most of the time, muscle spasms in back do not radiate to other parts of the body, but it is the feeling of soreness which can be felt in other areas, especially when touched.

Muscle spasms in back tend to recover in a couple of days to a week since the inflammation subsides already. The healing process can happen faster if rest or a break from the activity because blood supply is promoted in the muscles so that the needed nutrients and oxygen is delivered well.

Another means of relieving muscle spasms especially if it is caused by injuries would be the use of hot and cold applications. An ice pack may be placed on the affected area intermittently for the first two days of the injury since cold temperature tends to numb and reduce the pain in the muscles allowing the individual to move and perform such tasks while the muscles are slowly healing. On the third day, warm compress is placed on the back to increase the supply of blood in the muscles and soothe the discomfort.

If the muscle spasms in back can be tolerated by the individual, stretching exercises may be done to alleviate the discomfort. A commonly advised routine includes sitting down, standing then lying down – which can be repeated up to ten times. Massaging the affected area through long but gentle strokes can also reduce the discomfort of the muscle spasms.

Muscle spasms in back can be managed very easily however, when one notices that the spasms tend to become more frequent, the pain intensifies and bruising or changes in sensation occurs – it is important to visit your doctor so that more appropriate management of the spasms can be provided.