subject: The Causes and Treatment of Back Spasms [print this page] The Causes and Treatment of Back Spasms The Causes and Treatment of Back Spasms
An involuntary contraction of a muscle can often be the cause of a back spasm and the accompanying pain. Back spasms can occur anywhere in the back, but are most common in the lower back region and the area surrounding the neck. The contraction of the muscle that causes the spasm can occur due a stretched, pulled, ruptured, or a strained muscle.
Causes of Back Spasms
No matter what activity you are performing, you can can trigger a back spasm. You may be engaging in very physical activity, or may simply lean to reach something. There are any number of causes of back spasms, but strains and stretches are the most frequently cited reasons for them.
It is thought that depression and anxiety may play a role in these spasms, as well. If an involuntary electrical signal from your brain orders the back muscles to contract, it can cause lower back pain or neck pain just as serious as an injury to the muscle. The baffling thing is that muscle spasms in the back can occur in people that have never had them and may never have them again.
And then there are the unlucky ones that suffer from recurring spasm in the back and don't know why. Living with the threat of crippling low back pain or upper back pain causes these people to always question their daily activities.
How long the spasm lasts can vary depending on which muscle is involved as well as the individual. Some spasms can last over an hour, some just a few seconds. But the worst part is the severe pain left by these back spasms. This back pain can render a healthy person quite helpless for days or weeks afterwards.
Treatment of Back Spasms
Treatment for back spasms often includes muscle relaxers like Flexiril or Diasepam. Either medication can help to successfully treat muscle spasms. Anti-inflammatory medicine as well as pain killers are also recommended by doctors.
Depending on the cause and location of the back spasm, treatment options will vary. For infrequent, simple muscle pulls or strains, applying a hot pack or heating pad to the affected region is often all that is needed to ease the pain. Regularly recurring severe spasms physical therapy may be required.
Prevent Back Spasms
If you are looking for answers to prevent your back spasms from ever occurring again, then you need a specially designed fitness program. A fellow back pain sufferer who also happens to be a physical trainer has developed a system for creating a bulletproof back. See the bio box below for more information.
