What causes Low Back Spasm? Easy tips to get out of it

If you feel like a tightening, pulling or twitching of the muscle in your low back, it could be a painful back condition known as a low back spasm. In such a situation the sufferer often gets confused, about what to do and what not. Should they exercise or go on bed rest.

In this article, I’m going to clear all your confusion regarding this. But to understand it better we first need to know what actually is a low back spasm and what causes it.

Low back spasm, what causes it

In a normal resting condition, our muscle comes to a relaxed state when there is no tension in the muscle fibre. But, when we work or move our body the concerned muscle gets into action resulting in increased tension in the muscle fibre.

Muscle spasm is a condition when the tension in the muscle fibre does not relax even if the body comes to rest. The muscle remains in the taut, contracted state which produces a great deal of pain and discomfort. Muscle spasm can happen to any muscle but is very common in the neck and low back muscles.

So, low back spasm is a condition where suddenly the muscle of the low back comes into a contracted state, and it remains in the contracted state, it does not come to a relaxed state on its own. This is why it is very important to relax the spasmodic muscle to cure this pain.

How do I get rid of lower back spasm

So the first thing is that whenever you get a sudden spasm in the low back, then you do not have to do exercises at all, you actually have to rest so as to allow the spasm to relax. I have observed that people go for exercises, different positions, but you do not have to do anything, just go for rest for about a day or two days or till this doesn’t get subside completely. 

Let me tell you the reason behind this, why does a spasm develop in the low back? You must have felt that low back spam becomes very common in cold weather or in the rainy season when the humidity increases in the air. 

So, that is why we advise that whenever you have a spasm in your low back, you should not do exercises. If you do exercises, the contracted state will increase, due to which instead of reducing the pain, the pain and spasm will increase.

So you go for bed rest. Along with bed rest, you should also adopt some other measures.

My most useful tip, which I usually give to my patients, is that you apply some good pain gel, or ointment in the low back, rub it well and then leave it for 10 minutes. In 10 minutes, the body will absorb the ointment, the muscles will absorb it, and after that, apply hot treatment over there. 

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There are different ways of applying heat treatment, let me mention them here, you can choose any of the modes at your convenience.

Hot fomentation for sudden back spasm

Hot fomentation is perhaps the most accessible way of all as it can be done with things available at home. For this, first, take a bowl of water, and heat it over the gas stove to a temperature of around 45 degrees. Add a tablespoon of salt to it and take a thick towel.

Now, dip the towel on it and squeeze it, then apply over the painful areas on your low back. This is the best and most effective method because, in hot fomentation, the steam absorbs quickly in the muscles. Do this procedure thill the water comes to a normal temperature.

Apply hot fomentation twice or thrice daily.

Hot water bag

There is another way of applying heat treatment, use of a hot water bag made up of rubber. It is also termed a hot water bottle. This is a simple and hassle-free method in which you need to heat the water and pour it inside the bag. Then simply apply it to your back.

Infrared lamp

There is a third way which I personally prefer over the other, it infrared lamp. So, it is a simple lamp with a special infrared bulb installed in it that emits infrared rays from it.

A red colour warm light comes out of it so that you can apply it after applying ointment. You just have to plug it in and light will come out of it and you can take it around your low back. If you are not able to do it alone then take the help of your partner.

So this is my preferred method because it is also very easy to use. The other methods also work but it is not always possible to do it, it is kind of inconvenient if you are living alone. Learn here, how to use an infrared lamp?

Final word

So friends, whenever you get spasm, you should pay attention to all these things, do not exercise, you go to bed rest. Even then you are not getting rid of it then you go to your nearest physiotherapist they will give you ultrasound therapy, IFT therapy ah or you can also visit your orthopaedics doctor so that he can give you muscle relaxations which will give you relief to a great extent from it. 

Keep Reading: 3 Best sleeping positions for sciatica for quick relief

Sunit. S. Ekka

Dr Sunit Sanjay Ekka is a physiotherapist in practice for the last 15 years. He has done his BPT from one of the premium Central Government physiotherapy colleges, ie, SVNIRTAR. The patient is his best teacher and whatever he gets to learn he loves to share it on his Youtube channel and blog.