Muscle Spasms in Back

Muscle spasm refers to the sudden and involuntary contraction of a single muscle or a group of muscles. An abrupt arise of energy in the muscles can also result in muscle spasms. It is actually a natural body mechanism to protect movement of already injured muscles by limiting further movements. Though each and every muscle of the body is prone to muscle spasm, the primary areas of the body where painful spasms usually occur are the neck and back. During muscle spasms, you will feel a sudden tightness or stiffening in the affected area. Muscle spasms often resolve quickly, usually within minutes, but they are quite painful. Let's take a look at the causes and ways to stop muscle spasms in back.

What Causes Muscle Spasms in the Back

In general, muscle spasm can be caused due to various reasons, each of which is related to the predisposing factors. Muscle spasm in the back is resulted due to inflammation and soreness of the muscle because of sudden bending or abrupt movement. In fact, any bodily movement that is not in a correct angle can lead to muscle pain in back. Following is a list of the possible causes of muscle spasms in back:

• A common cause of muscle spasms in back is over-straining of the muscles while performing household activities or physical exercises.
• Lifting very heavy objects may overexcite the back muscles, which are not prepared for movement, thus resulting in muscle spasms in back.
• A wrong posture while standing, sitting or sleeping can also lead to painful muscle spasms in back.
• Lack of lubrication or conditioning of the muscles is also a possible cause of muscle spasms in back.
• Deficiency of mineral nutrients, particularly calcium and potassium result in low electrolyte level in the body, which in turn causes muscle spasms in back.
• At times, muscle spasms in back can be resulted due to over administration of drugs and/or side effects of strong medications.
• For women, muscle spasms in back occurs most often during menstrual cycle and pregnancy.

In addition to the above causes, muscle spasms in back can be an indication of underlying health conditions such as muscle fatigue, damage of the nerves, spinal cord injury, physical trauma and multiple sclerosis. Even if a single muscle is affected by sudden movement, the adjacent muscles get disturbed, thus resulting in severe back pain.

How to Stop Muscle Spasms in Back

Muscle spasm in back is quite annoying and uncomfortable. With severe muscle pain in back, it feels very painful to perform even the normal day-to-day activities. Millions of people worldwide seek medical attention for muscle spasms in back, especially in the lower portion. Regarding treatment for muscle spasms in back, over-the-counter pain killers can be administered to combat pain symptoms. Nevertheless, there are certain effective relievers, which can be practiced in order to stop muscle spasms in back.

Take Rest: Proper rest is the best effective method to speed up the healing process of the injured and inflamed muscles. By taking rest, the affected muscles are immobilized, which helps to prevent stressing of the injured muscles. This allows the affected muscles to recover effectively.

Stretching Exercises: Muscle stretching back exercises are proven to break the tightened muscles. Performing stretching exercises that involve the tightened muscles will help to stop muscle spasms in back.

Ice Packs and Heat: Another method to temporary stop muscles spasm in the back is by applying ice packs and heat alternatively over the affected area. Doing so will numb the area giving back pain relief.

In case of severe muscle spasms in back, it is always advisable to consult and seek advice from a qualified physician. Some people prefer to follow alternative treatment methods like massage therapy, aromatherapy and acupressure to combat the painful symptoms of muscle spasms in back.