All about muscle spasms and approach treatment
Muscles of the back may produce spasm or extreme muscle stiffening after a
traumatic injury or repetitive strain. The difference between a
repetitive strain and a traumatic injury is that with a repetitive strain the
muscles are being irritated over a long period of time until they reach a point
that finally triggers the spasm. The muscles then spasm to protect the
area from further injury.
For example, a person who has improper posture at a computer on a regular basis,
or a golfer who plays frequently with bad form may have their muscles tighten
over time, but the muscles may not start to spasm until something as simple as
reaching for a glass of water occurs. This spasm can be extremely painful
and lead to tearing of the muscles if undue stressors are placed on them.
This tearing will than lead to guarding of the back musculature through extreme
stiffening to protect the area from further harm.
With proper care for the area, the pain in the back musculature should lessen
over three weeks, but it should be noted that the healing of the area continues
and doesn't even peak until at least six weeks following the initial
injury. This is due to scar tissue formation which initially acts like
the glue to bond the tissue back together. Scar tissue will continue to
form past six weeks in some cases and as long as a year in severe back
pulls.
The initial approach to treating a muscle pull is to support and protect the
muscles, help them to loosen up and lessen the pain and minimize any
inflammation. After the scar tissue has begun to accumulate, it will be
important to perform procedures which help break down the scar tissue in the
muscle so as to let the muscle regain its normal flexibility and lessen the
chance of further injury. While exercise is appropriate for breaking down
scar tissue once the area has healed, it may further irritate the area during
the initial stages.
Therefore, other methods such as ultrasound, massage, and gentle chiropractic
adjustments may be safely used to accomplish this early on in the injury.
As each Muscle Spasm condition is different, always consult with Dr. Tarrabain
to determine what treatment is right for your particular situation.