Do You Suffer from Back Spasm? What Do You Do to Help?

Ditto on what others have said about finding a good physical therapist--you want to find one who is part of a "pain team" that deals with more chronic pain and who has a strong background in "manual therapy" (this is not just massage therapy--it is so much more). In my experience, chiropractors just do not seem to "fix:" the problem, thus you go to them for months, years, etc. Don't get me wrong, as a PT myself, I do feel chiropractic has its place, but you need to find a good PT! A good PT will also work with the chiropractor if that's what you prefer.

I had mild back spasms from a chronic condition, not an accident. Chiro and massage provide temporary relief. A good physical therapist finally got them to stop. Like many of the others here, I recommend PT or a new PT if you've already tried one. Good luck.

Just a warning. When I did something similar to my back, I quit taking the muscle relaxers too soon. My back seized up as I was walking down the stairs and I fell. Luckily, the only thing that died in the 15 foot tumble was my really expensive laptop... and those can be replaced.

Don't risk the life of your baby just to avoid formula.

I injured my siadic nerve during my 2nd pregnancy, and found out about it one day when putting a highchair in the trunk of my car and heard a 'pop!'
2 days later I ended up at a chiropractor. There he begins every treatment with stretching the back muscles, electrotherapy, and then adjustment/soft tissue manipulation. It took about a year to get things fully under control.

Some tricks that he taught me for home are:
1. Sit on the floor with your legs out in front. This helps realign your back.
2. Lay on your back.Lift your legs to a sitting position. Then rock them slowly from one side to the other.
3. Take a HOT shower and aim the water at just above the injury. The hot water will numb the muscles and get the blood flowing. This willl help ease the spasm.
4. Last resort is to take 2 Aleve.

I'm surprised no one mentioned acupuncture. A few sessions and my siatica was gone. It crippled me as well as lower back spasms. I've been pain free for 2 years. Give it a shot, no pun intended.(lol)

Learn to move properly. After a terrible time with a back spasm I learned how to sit up out of bed, to to stand, how to bend, etc.... I think it helped incredibly. Many of us just don't move our bodies properly. For healing take plenty of vitamins and consider glucosamine or alfalfa to help cushion those joints. Contact me if I can offer more.
Best!

Here is what I found works best since I tore my back out over a year ago:

Physical therapy actually works!
Drink plenty of water.
I take the following suppliments which have helped quite a bit. Check with your doctor if you are taking other medications to be sure they will not interact:

*Natures Way: Hydraplenish + MSM (amazon has the least expensive)
http://www.amazon.com/Natures-Way-Hydraplenish-MSM-60-Vca...

*Calcium-Mag-Zinc suppliment of your choice

*Oregon's Wild Harvest: Muscle Relax. It contains Valarien, Skullcap, and Hops. This is one you need to talk to your doctor about if you are taking other medications. I only take this at night as it can make you a little sleepy. It has helped me alot.

http://www.oregonswildharvest.com/owh/browse/product/musc...

Remember to listen to your body. Take it easy when you need to; but do NOT stop moving.

Best of luck to you!

I also suffer from muscle spasms in my back due to herniated discs that damaged nerve roots at my spinal column. I can completely sympathize with what you're going through. In fact, my entire second semester of pregnancy with my second child was spent on bed-rest and percocet due to a muscle spasm. I was on crutches and crawling when I absolutely had to be out of bed to go to the bathroom or to physical therapy.

I will say that physical therapy helped enormously. It's more focused than massage therapy but similar. The therapist was able to work deep into the muscle that was seized up and get it to release a little more with every session. It hurt like the dickens, but not as bad as the spasm itself!

What I do now is actually "preventive" self-treatment that I worked out with my doctor. I always have 800mg ibuprofen and flexeril (muscle relaxers) with me in case I feel one coming on (you know how you can tell that you're getting one..). Anyways, when I feel one coming on I immediately take a break from whatever I'm doing, even if I have to spend a couple of days doing mostly nothing but the bare necessities, I take the flexeril three times per day and the ibuprofen too (since mine is from irritated nerves the ibuprofen helps reduce swelling that's pressing on them), I lay down as much as possible and I also use a little inversion therapy. Of course, mine is worse with standing and downward pressure because of the nature of my injury, so hanging upside down or even laying upside down on a sloping chaise helps me a ton, but it might not help you if your injury is of a different nature. You just have to find what works for you as far as reducing the pressure on the injury that is causing your spasm. Stretching helps too, but you have to do yoga style stretching that is longer and more intensive than regular stretching.

The important thing is to pay attention to your body and take preventive measures BEFORE it gets it's teeth into you. They are so much easier to prevent than to cure.

That's all I can think of now but feel free to message me any time you need to commisserate with another muscle spasm sufferer. Most people have no concept of how excruciating they are. I know that it's like a major labor contraction, but it's all of the muscles of my back and hips and it doesn't go away for weeks at a time. I've been there and I can empathize. I'm so sorry you have to deal with this. I hope things get resolved for you soon.

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Personalized exercises are a part of my chiropractic care, and I can honestly say that they do more for me than heat, cold, and adjustments. If your chiropractor does not have injury-specific exercise software or suggestions for you, I would recommend seeing a physical therapist to learn the best exercises to stretch the tight, painful areas. Also, pay attention to the way you twist your body and actually visualize a straight spine when you turn, bend, even sit or stand, and your body will began to naturally stay in better alignment. Bad posture is also a major trigger for back spasm after injury. My chiropractor also recommended Cal-Mag, but I have not tried it because I have not had spasms very frequently lately.

Is chiropractic care working for you? I think not, if you have had to go back weekly for years and still no results. I am a proponent of physical therapy. A physical therapist can teach you exercise techniques that can help strengthen your back muscles and reduce the incidence of spasm. Also a physical therapist will help you with posture which will help with back pain. Is your spine in alignment? It probably is and I bet the chiropractor isn't doing anything for you except taking your money (my opinion only).

I have muscle spasms due to an injury and physical therapy helped alot, I have to keep up with the exercises that I learned or else the pain returns. I also use a neuromuscular stimulator to help with muscle spasms. It is the best thing ever. It is a little unit with electrodes that I attach to the muscles on my back when I am having a spasm and it stimulates my muscles reducing spasm and pain. Google - neuromuscle stimulator to find out more. This thing has been a life saver for me.

Another option is trigger point injections. A pain doctor can insert either a dry needle or a needle with lidocaine and steroid into the muscle spasm to help reduce the spasm. This is a very effective treatment. And is not painful to have done. Google trigger point injections to learn more.

And, as you mentioned,
massage helps alot and you should try to get one every now and then.

Good Luck

ps: I also find that ActiveOn roll on muscle rub helps a little

Having had back issue for years and suffer with back spasms on a regular basis I understand your plight! I find that stretching exercises done on a regular basis really help along with anti-inflammatory medications, such as Motrin or Aleve. However with breast feeding the medication might not be an option. It does get better with time but you have to remember not to reinjure the liagment which means watching what you do and how you lift things. Just remember if it hurts then don't do it!! Good Luck and speedy recovery

Some people benefit by taking EXTRA calcium/magnesium.
http://K..myshaklee.com

I don't have experience with an injury like yours, but when my back was bugging me and I couldn't find a position to sleep comfortably in I was able to use the pregnancy pillow I had to support my back differently. It helped for sleeping. Take care.

My father was a massage therapist the last several years of his life- his regular, weekly patients were car crash victims. Most had tried various methods to relieve spasms with no success- until they started regular massage therapy. If i understand correctly- if you receive a Doctor's prescription for massage- you can submit the cost as medical expense for your taxes at the end of the year, please check on that before trying it though :)

My mom gets back spasms after her back was broken in a car accident in 1980. She just had one yesterday when we were at a restaurant because the chairs were too uncomfortable. She recently bought a Temperpedic bed that has an ergonomic control. She is able to raise the head and foot part of her bed and it has a massage button. She told me that the spasms will go away if lays in the bed and uses the massage feature. I wish you the best as anyone who has suffered with back pain can completely sympathize with how painful it is.