If you have felt a sharp mild to intense pain in the muscle of lower back, then it could be back spasms.
A back spasm is a common muscle problem that you might experience when getting up from the bed, lifting things, or when bending. They strike you without any prior warning.
The major cause of back spasms is the abnormal contraction of the back muscles. The contraction can occur due to poor posture, dehydration, poor posture, obesity, etc.
Treating back spasms with medical treatments is actually temporary and would also charge a bomb in your pocket. So, it’s always recommended to carry out natural treatment to get rid of back spasms.
The natural ways to get rid of back spasms range from exercise, yoga, healthy food, and topical application of some herbs and essential oils.
To know in detail how to get rid of muscle spasms naturally at home scroll down.
Table of Contents
Home Remedies To Get Rid Of Back Spasms
The following ways are effective to treat middle back spasm, lower back spasms, and upper back spasms. They all are natural ways for muscle spasms treatment. You can even carry them out to treat muscle spasms in your leg, hand, or any other area of the body.
So, let’s move on to the ways to get rid of back spasms.
1. Optimum Rest
If you feel you have a back spasm, immediately stop your work and rest. If you continue to work your back pain will worsen and may lead to a severe muscle injury too.
Resting for some time will prevent the muscles to trigger up and in turn abate the tensed and triggered muscles. Rest is essential for middles back spasms and lower back spasms.
How To Do?
- Slowly lie down straight on your bed or a flat surface. Make sure your mattress is hard.
- Remain in the position without moving much.
- Use cushions or pillow to support your head and to elevate your legs. Elevating legs would take out the pressure from your spine and thus relax the contracted back spasm muscles.
- Make sure you rest for good 2-3 days. Here, rest means not sitting on the laptop, no driving or performing any strenuous activities.
- Make sure you lie down on your bed and get up when required for food and nature’s call only. Be cautious not to do any exercise or heavy lifting during your rest period.
2. Massaging To Get Rid Of Back Spasms
Applying pressure on the affected area may reduce muscle tension and stop the muscles from contracting providing ultimate relief to them.
How To Do It?
- Press the affected area with your finger for 30-60 seconds, then rub in and around that area slowly and gently in circular motions.
- Your massage intensity and speed should be firm but not painful. Do it for good 10 minutes that get quick relief from middle back spasms.
3. Cold Compress To Relief From Back Spasms
This one is a very good treatment for back relief. You can use it for muscle pain, strain, or any sort of injury too. It is actually the cold temperature that will reduce your pain and inflammation in the back. Additionally, it will relax the contracted muscles providing ultimate relief to you.
How To Do It?
- Take a few cubes of ice and wrap them in a face towel.
- Place the towel on the affected area. Move the cold compress in a circular motion in and around the affected area.
- Do it for good 10 minutes.
- You can carry out cold compress twice a day to get good results. Never use an ice pack to relief a back spasm.
4. Lavender Oil
This is an excellent herbal remedy to get rid of a back spasm. Lavender Oil has anti-inflammatory and sedative properties to heal the pain, reduce swelling if any, and give you a good sleep.
How To Do It?
- Take a few drops of pure lavender oil. Dilute the oil with olive oil equally.
- Rub the mixture on your entire back and rub it for good 10 minutes.
5. Epsom Salt
This is an effective remedy to treat any kind of pain. Epsom salt is used to treat relax muscles and loosen up the stiff joints. A soak in this bath is an absolute muscle relaxer and can relief your muscles from inside.
Method
- In a bucket of hot water add 100gm of Epsom salt.
- Alternatively, you can even add the Epsom salt in your bathtub.
- Soak yourself in the bathtub or wash your entire back with it.
6. Apply Moist Heat To Get Rid Of Back Spasms
Heat is a good remedy to reduce the inflammation, pain and swelling in any injured or muscle stiff area. It works by increasing the blood circulation and warming the muscles to stretch and expand.
Method
- Soak a towel in hot water and squeeze out the extra water.
- Put the warm towel on the affected area for good 10 minutes.
- Repeat the process 3-4 times.
- Additionally, you can also go for a warm bath to relieve the pain due to back spasms.
7. Cayenne Pepper
This spice contains capsaicin. Capsaicin has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. They are potent to reduce pain and relief any kind of muscles spasms.
Method
- Be cautious when applying it topically as it causes a warming sensation to relax the tensed muscles.
- Take one teaspoon of cayenne pepper powder.
- To it add 2 tablespoons of coconut oil or olive oil.
- Mix them well and apply it to the affected area.
- Massage it gently for good 10 minutes.
- Next, rinse it off after massaging.
- Do this remedy to get rid of back spasm for quite a few days.
Exercises To Get Rid Of Back Spasms
Exercises stretch your muscles, relieve the pressure from them, and also makes your muscles and spine healthy. There are few exercises that can effectively work on your spine and lower, middle and upper back to relieve your pain.
A list of such exercises is given below carry them out when required to get absolute relief from a back spam.
8. Partial Crunches
This can strengthen your back and stomach muscles and at the same time abolish any pain in the entire lower back region by releasing the pressure from it.
How To Do Them?
- Lie down on a mat or on the floor with knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Put your hand behind your head in a way that your arm cross over your chest.
- Tighten the stomach muscles and raise your shoulder off the floor.
- Inhale when your rise. Make sure not to use your elbows or arms to rise.
- Be in the position for a few seconds.
- Exhale and come back to where you started.
- Repeat it 10 times.
9. Hamstring Stretch
This stretches your entire lower back muscles and thus relief any pain associated to it.
How To Do It?
- Lie down on your back and bend one knee and the other leg should be straight on the floor.
- Lift the bend leg high till it becomes completely straight.
- Hold the foot with both the arms. Make sure you don’t lift your back.
- Hold it for a few seconds and then release.
- Repeat the process for the other leg.
- Do it for at least 10 times for both the legs.
11. Lying Twist
The lying Twist exercise helps to release the weight from the lower back muscles and to relax any contracted overstrained muscles.
How To Do It?
- Lie down on a floor or mat straight and bend both your knees.
- Rotate the entire lower body to once side. Make sure your upper body is straight.
- Remain in the position for 10 seconds and release.
- Repeat the process for the other leg.
- Do it for at least 10 times for both the legs.
12. Bridging
It is good as it strengthens the entire pine and releases any pressure from the back. It works well for any kind of pain, spasm, or tension in the back.
Method
- Lie down on your back with your knees bent and just your feet flat on the floor.
- Push your heels into the floor, squeeze your buttocks, and lift your hips off the floor.
- Your shoulder, hips, and knees should be in a straight line.
- Remain in the position for five seconds and then release.
- Repeat it 10 times.
Causes Of Back Spasms
Back spasms can be a result of injury to the muscles, tendons, and ligaments present in the back. In rare cases, a back spasm can be a result of serious medical conditions.
The most common cause of upper, lower, and middle back spasm is heavy lifting. If you do any sort of activity that aims to put excessive pressure on the back muscles and ligaments can hurt your back causing an injury or a spasm.
Athletes who play football, golf, hockey, etc. are more to get back spasms as there back muscle are always strained up. If you are someone with weak abdominal muscles than your back muscles are more vulnerable to back spasms.
Additionally, if you have arthritis or a ruptures disc in your spine, then you are more vulnerable to back spasms. Arthritis or any other joint condition can put a higher pressure on your spinal cord causing pain in your lower and upper back.
How Do Back Spasms Feel Like?
You feel usually feel back muscle spasms in one specific muscle of your lower or upper back. Nevertheless, the pain may travel to areas nearby causing a tension in the nearby muscles.
A few common signs and symptoms which suggests how a back spasm feel like are given below:
- muscle tension in the lower back
- difficulty in moving your torso
- A sharp pain when you bend and get up
- sudden, intense pain in the lower back
- constant mild pain in the back
- weakness in the lower back
- a cramping sensation in the back that comes and goes
All these symptoms of back spasms get worse when you sit, stand, or bend for a longer time.
How Long Do Back Spasms Last?
Back spasms last for two to seven days. The spasm is temporary if it occurs due to lifting anything heavy, strenuous exercise, or due to an injury.
However, if the back spasm is occurring as a result of a serious medical condition it might take time until the condition is treated.
Nevertheless, you can always use the home remedies to treat the back spasms above to get rid of the pain and swelling associated with it.
Tips To Prevent Back Spasms
Your back is always working when you are sitting or doing a task. The more you take care of it, the lower are the chances of the back spasms to occur. A few preventive measures can help you avoid back spasms and also aid in the process of healing of back spasms.
- If you are overweight, try to reduce your weight. This will relieve the stress on your spine and joints and keep your back healthy and functioning.
- Avoid wearing heeled shoes all the time as they stress up your back a lot.
- Maintain a proper posture while sitting, standing, or sleeping. An improper sitting or standing posture often leads to back spasm.
- Carry out any form of mild to moderate physical activity regularly. Opt for walking, yoga, or strength training to strengthen your spine and the entire body.
- Spending too much time in bed or in a seat will lead to worsening back problems. If you have a desk job try walking in between.
Final Talk
Back pain is normal, most of us suffer from this in some part of our lives. You can effectively treat it using the remedies given above.
Back spasms is a temporary pain that occurs when you injure or overstrain your back muscles. If it lasts for more than a week even after trying out the natural home remedies try consulting a doctor as it might be a seen of an underlying health issue.
