Treatment for Back Muscle Strains

Lower back muscles routinely absorb a lot of the stress from daily movements. For this reason, these muscles are susceptible to strains. Oftentimes, the resulting discomfort is immediately felt and instantly disruptive—especially if the strain occurred while playing sports, lifting something heavy, or placing some other type of excessive stress on the lower back area. If you do experience a sudden back muscle strain, here are some immediate self-care treatments you can try.

Stop Doing Whatever Triggered the Strain

Avoid the temptation to just push through the pain. Even if you're naturally athletic and used to doing this, continuing the movements that strained your back-supporting muscles will only irritate the affected muscle(s) even more, which could also mean a longer healing and recovery period. Do the same thing if your discomfort hits while working around the house, in the yard, or during some other type of activity.

Try Anti-Inflammatory Drugs

As the name implies, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) target tissues affected by irritation and swelling. Inflammation is the body's natural response to injured tissues, but it's also what can make pain related to a back muscle strain more disruptive and noticeable. There are plenty of over-the-counter NSAIDs to choose from, but the most common ones are: • Aspirin • Ibuprofen • Naproxen

Cool Things Down with Ice

A more immediate way to treat inflammation caused by a back muscle strain is to apply ice to the affected area. It's best to do this ASAP after you experience noticeable pain. Ice can also have a soothing effect by minimizing tissue damage. If you don't have an ice pack handy, here's what you can do instead: • Fill up a small plastic bag with ice and a little bit of water (to keep the ice from being too lumpy and uncomfortable) • Use a bag of frozen veggies from the freezer • Wet a sponge, put it in the freezer, then wrap it up with a plastic bag before applying it to the affected area • Use a sock filled with rice and placed in the freezer Whatever you use, don't apply anything frozen directly to your skin. Also, limit your applications to about 20 minutes at a time, and repeat applications every few hours or so.

Rest on a Flat Surface

It's sometimes difficult to sleep with strained back muscles. If this is the case for you, find a flat surface such as a firm mattress or recliner to sleep on as your back-supporting muscles heal. You can even camp out on the floor for a few days if you need to. If you do end up on a mattress or the floor, put a few pillows under your upper back and one under your knees. Some people with back muscle strains find this position most comfortable. Just remember to occasionally get up to move around so your other spine-supporting muscles don't get stiff—which brings us to the next treatment tip.

Get Some Exercise After You Rest for 2–3 Days

You’re more likely to enjoy a productive recovery from a back muscle strain if you switch up your treatment methods after the first 2–3 days. After you've rested and modified your activities for a few days, transition into gentle forms of exercise to strengthen your spine-supporting muscles and protect them from further injury. Options include: • Going for short walks • Performing gentle back-strengthening exercises • Doing gentle stretches • Giving water-based exercises a try so you're not placing too much stress on your back as you strengthen your core spine-supporting muscles

Switch from Ice to Heat After a Few Days

As mentioned above, cold helps by easing inflammation, but a back muscle strain is more likely to heal if there's a steady flow of nutrient-rich blood, which is why you'll want to change over to heat applications after 2–3 days. Fortunately, there are many pleasant ways to apply heat to the affected part of your spine. Some of these include: • Using a heating pad • Applying heating gel to the affected area • Soaking in a warm bath It's not unusual to have some degree of pain and stiffness for a few weeks after experiencing a back muscle strain. This discomfort should gradually decrease and eventually go away entirely once the affected tissues heal. If your pain is getting worse, accompanied by other symptoms such as radiating nerve pain, or not going away at all, see your doctor or a Los Angeles spine surgeon.

If you’re experiencing severe pain from a back muscle strain or you have any other concerns or questions about your spinal health, the skilled professionals at The Spine Institute are here to help. Our physicians are industry leaders in every aspect of spine care, including prevention, non-surgical treatment, and state-of-the-art surgical techniques. Call one of our friendly representatives today at 310-828-7757 to schedule a consultation.