Severe spasm. How to relieve muscle spasm? Causes, symptoms and remedies

The spine is important element in the skeleton of every person. It helps us walk, sit and stand; without it, a full life is impossible. If the musculoskeletal system begins to bother you, then one of the reasons may be a spasm of the back muscles. This is a common disease accompanied by severe pain.

Why does back muscle spasm occur?

An involuntary muscle contraction that causes severe back pain is called a spasm. There are two types of manifestations of the disease:

Clonic spasm, which is characterized by high frequency fluctuations in muscle tone. The patient feels a slight twitching in the problem area.
Tonic spasm manifests itself in the form of severe pain that immediately covers the entire back.

In any case, such lumbago causes severe discomfort. When a person experiences back muscle spasms, their causes can be different and depend on the nature of the manifestation and the location of the exacerbation. Pain in the spine appears:

from negative factors (for example, draft);
from a sudden change in body position;
from loss of fluid in the body;
from calcium deficiency;
from osteochondrosis, kyphosis, lordosis and other back diseases;
from uncomfortable body position for a long time.

After an injury (even if it occurred several years ago), the tissue at the site of impact may for a long time maintain a compressed state. Under unfavorable conditions, the inflamed area is tensed to protect the affected area from other damage. Then the blood vessels and nerve fibers in the human body are affected, thereby providing pain.

This is how muscle spasms occur, the reasons for their formation may be the following:

stress, when adrenaline is released in the body, the heartbeat becomes faster, and the muscles tense;
intervertebral hernia, which irritates the nerve endings, leading to muscle contraction;
physical exercise– after lifting heavy objects or long workouts

Muscle spasm in the back - symptoms

Tension or muscle spasm in the back may include:

like a pressing, aching and itching pain in the spine, which can gradually decrease and then intensify again;
in the form of irradiating (reflected) pain in the head, eyes and shoulder area;
the ability to walk normally, turn your head, move your arms, and so on is lost.

The doctor will be able to detect trigger zones during the examination. They are mainly located in the muscle tissues responsible for raising the scapula and straightening the back (large rhomboid, trapezoid region). This disease affects not only connective tissues body, but also on internal organs, so you definitely need to seek help from a specialist.

Spinal muscle spasm - treatment

In order to answer the question of how to relieve back muscle spasm, you should understand the cause of its occurrence. If you don’t know exactly what caused the pain, then you will need to be examined and tested, since the advanced stage requires complex treatment and can cause discomfort for a long time, or even a lifetime.

If you do not know how to relieve a muscle spasm in the back that does not go away within three days, then you will definitely need to contact a specialist. There are treatment methods such as:

massage;
drug treatment;
spinal traction;
pharmacopuncture;
applying cold or heat.

If you experience severe back muscle spasm, you need to take horizontal position which will allow you to relax as much as possible and have a good rest. You can try applying an alcohol compress based on birch buds, poppy flowers, adonis or motherwort to the sore spot. Keep it for no more than half an hour and repeat 2-3 times a day until relief occurs.

Tablets for back muscle spasms

Medicine for back muscle spasms should only be prescribed by a doctor after a complete examination. Self-medicating with such a disease is very dangerous, because each body is individual, and the cause of discomfort is different for everyone. The specialist mainly prescribes non-steroidal drugs (NSAIDs), which stop and prevent the inflammatory process, penetrating deep into the lesion and eliminating pain.

In order to alleviate the patient’s condition, you can take painkillers and anti-inflammatory medications:

Spasmalgon;
Diclofenac;
Ketorol;
Naproxen.

Injections for back muscle spasms

At different types For cervicalgia and back discomfort, take muscle relaxants to relieve muscle spasms. This universal remedy is used in combination with chondroprotectors to restore damaged cartilage tissue. Injections are given only when the patient can no longer bear the pain. The drug, penetrating into the lesion, relaxes the muscles and alleviates the condition.

The most effective medications are considered:

analgesics (Baralgin, Aspirin);
neurotropic analgesics (Vitamin B12 and drugs based on it);
myotropic antispasmodics (Baclofen, Sirdalud);
corticosteroids (Prednisolone, Betamethasone);
blockade anesthetics (Novocaine, Lidocaine).

Ointment for back muscle spasms

If you have a back muscle spasm, treatment may also be local. To do this, rub ointments, creams or gels based on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs into the sore spot:

Voltaren;
Dolobene;
Fastum;
Finalgon;
Nise.

These medications have side effects such as skin peeling, itching, rash and redness. Back muscle spasms can be relieved by drugs that have a warming, distracting and irritating effect, as well as homeopathic medicines that restore cartilage tissue. The most effective ointments are:

Goal T;
Traumeel S.

Massage for back muscle spasms

Very often, patients are interested in how to relieve back muscle spasms without the use of medications. If your pain is tolerable, then you can undergo a massage course. This effective remedy, helping to alleviate the condition and normalize blood circulation in compressed tissues. This procedure must be carried out by a professional in compliance with technical rules so as not to harm the sore spine.

In order to relax the spine, you can independently perform exercises to relieve spasms of the back muscles:

Perform rolls and bridges on a fitball.
Hang on the horizontal bar for a few minutes.
Bend towards your toes and heels.
Try to hug your knees with your hands.

Bardukova Elena Anatolievna
neurologist, homeopath, work experience 23 years
✔ Article checked by a doctor

Famous Japanese rheumatologist:“THIS IS MONSTERAL! Russian methods of treating joints and spine cause only bewilderment. See what doctors offer to treat your back and joints in Russia: Voltaren, Fastum gel, Diclofenac, Milgamma, Dexalgin and other similar drugs. However, these drugs DO NOT TREAT JOINTS and BACK, they only relieve the symptoms of the disease - pain, inflammation, swelling. Now imagine that...” Read the full interview"

Back muscle spasms have occurred at least once in every person. Treatment for this condition is mandatory! In this condition, there is a sudden contraction muscle fibers. This leads to muscle group tension, severe pain and pinched nerve fibers. The most severe pain symptom appears when the spinal cord nerve roots are compressed.

Most often, muscle spasms appear in the lower back and neck due to hypothermia, diseases of the spine, or sudden physical exertion.

Causes

Real stories site readers:“My name is Alexandra, I’m 38 years old. I want to tell my story about how I cured osteochondrosis and hernia. Finally, I was able to overcome this unbearable pain in my lower back. I lead an active lifestyle, live and enjoy every moment! A few months ago I got a cramp at the dacha; a sharp pain in my lower back didn’t allow me to move, I couldn’t even walk. The doctor at the hospital diagnosed osteochondrosis lumbar region spine, disc herniation L3-L4. He prescribed some medications, but they did not help, the pain was unbearable to endure. They called an ambulance, they put a blockade and hinted at an operation, I kept thinking about this, that I would turn out to be a burden for the family... Everything changed when my daughter gave me an article to read on the Internet. You can’t imagine how grateful I am to her for this! What I learned from the article literally pulled me out of my wheelchair! In recent months I have started to move more; in the spring and summer I go to the dacha every day. Who wants to live a long and energetic life without osteochondrosis, take 5 minutes and read this article.” Read the article»

Most often, spasms appear in the muscles of the neck and back. This is due to the fact that these parts of the body are constantly in a tense state. Even after a slight draft, muscle discomfort may appear, which sooner or later will lead to spasm.

Here are all the reasons that can lead to spasm of the back muscles.

Fatigue and muscle tension

Long, grueling physical activity leads to the excretion of potassium and magnesium through sweat. Namely, these microelements are needed to relax the muscles of the body. Therefore, this leads to muscle tension and spasms.

Staying in a constant or uncomfortable position for a long time can provoke a sharp spasm in the back. For example, driving a car for a long time, carrying a bag on one shoulder or sedentary work.

Muscle tension is a common cause of spasm

Taking medications

Taking glucocorticoids, which are used to treat various diseases, retain sodium and remove potassium. With long-term use of large doses of Dexamethasone, Prednisolone and other steroid drugs, the patient experiences pain in the lumbar region and cramps.

Also, when taking Furosemide, Lasix and other diuretics, potassium is removed from the body, which can also cause cramps.

Injuries

With various injuries to the tissues of the back, pain occurs. The muscles next to the injury tighten to isolate the injury and protect nearby tissue. Thus, muscle spasms during injuries are a protective reaction of the body that a person cannot control.

With myofascial trigger syndrome, the patient is admitted to the hospital in the exact position in which he injured his back.

When to see a doctor?

When do you need to urgently consult a therapist or neurologist?

The pain syndrome does not go away within 2-3 days.
Mobility in the area of spasmed muscles is severely limited.
Additional symptoms appear, such as numbness and weakness.

Drug treatment

Stories from site readers:“My wife has long suffered from acute pain in her joints and back. Over the past 2 years, pain has always been present. Previously, I could not imagine that a person could scream like that in pain. It was terrible, especially in the middle of the night, when blood-curdling screams were heard in complete silence. According to her, it was like dogs chewing her legs and back. And there was nothing to help her, I just held her hand and reassured her. She injected herself with painkillers and fell asleep, and after a while everything happened again... In the morning, when she woke up, she cried more often. The smile completely disappeared from my face, the sun left our house forever. She also had difficulty moving - knee joints the sacrum even made it possible to turn. The first night after using this new remedy was the first time without screaming. And in the morning a cheerful woman came up to me and said with a smile: “But there’s no pain!” And for the first time in these 2 years I saw my beloved wife happy and smiling. She flutters around the house like a swallow, the rays of life play in her eyes.” Read more"

Experts prescribe 4 forms of medications that should be used depending on the type and severity of the spasm:

Pills;
Ointments;
Plasters;
Injections.

Important! It is forbidden to drink alcohol while being treated with medications.

Let's take a closer look at each of these forms of medications.

Pills

This is the most convenient form of drugs. Some tablets may cause side effects, such as stomach pain. Therefore, when using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), it is recommended to drink Omeprazole, which protects the gastric mucosa.

NVPS

These are the most effective tablets for spasms, which will relieve severe pain and inflammation in the affected area.

Muscle relaxants

This muscle relaxant tablet should only be taken as directed by a doctor. It is better to drink them together with NSAIDs to enhance the effect. Muscle relaxants should not be used for a long time.

Additional tablets

Spasmalgon. This is an antispasmodic drug that has a good relaxing effect.
Asparkam, Panangin. These are preparations containing magnesium and potassium, which are very important for the normal functioning of the musculoskeletal system.
Asparkam, Panangin. These are natural muscle relaxants necessary for the normal functioning of the musculoskeletal system. They contain potassium and magnesium.

Injections

This is the most effective form of drugs. Injections are prescribed if the pills are ineffective or the pain syndrome has become even worse. The injection is administered directly into the bloodstream, due to which the therapeutic effect is achieved faster. Injections for spasms can significantly improve the patient’s condition.

The most prescribed injections:

Ointments

Also used medicinal products in the form of ointments, creams and gels. Local remedies must be rubbed into the painful area.

The most popular ointments:

Fastum gel;
Voltaren emulgel;
Finalgon;
Nise;
Traumeel S;
Radiculitis massage balm.

Plasters

Painkillers in the form of patches:

Pepper patch and Ketonal Thermo. They have a warming effect.
Versatis. This is a lidocaine patch that provides a local anesthetic effect.
Voltaren. Diclofenac patch. Relieves pain and inflammation.

Physiotherapy

Stories from site readers: How I helped my mother heal her joints. My mother is 79; she has worked as a literature teacher all her life. When she first started having problems with her back and joints, she simply hid them from me so that I would not spend money on medicine. Mom tried to be treated only with decoctions of sunflower root, which, of course, did not help. And when the pain became unbearable, she borrowed money from a neighbor and bought painkillers at the pharmacy. When my neighbor told me about this, at first I was a little angry with my mother - I asked to leave work and immediately came to her by taxi. The next day, I made an appointment for my mother to see a rheumatologist at a paid clinic, despite her requests not to spend money. The doctor diagnosed him with arthritis and osteochondrosis. He prescribed treatment, but my mother immediately protested that it was too expensive. Then the doctor came to his senses and suggested an alternative option - home exercise and a herbal-based drug. This was cheaper than injections with chondroprotectors and did not even cause possible side effects. She started using the drug and doing physical therapy. When I visited her a couple of days later, I found her in the garden. She was tying up tomatoes, and apparently had already done a lot. She greeted me with a smile. I understood: the drug and physical exercise helped, the pain and swelling went away.” Read more"

This treatment method is prescribed only by the attending physician. Physical therapy can speed up a patient's recovery from a back muscle injury and also prevent the spasms from recurring. Types of physiotherapeutic procedures:

Psychotherapy

Stories from site readers:“I love working at my favorite dacha. Sometimes you work so hard that it’s impossible to straighten your back and pain appears in the lower back - no matter how much you cry. I don’t take painkillers because I have a bad stomach. A doctor I know advised me to pay attention to the newest product, which is specially produced only for the domestic foreign market. I ordered and applied it before bed. I felt a slight burning sensation, but then a warmth spread throughout my lower back. 2 days after using it, the wild pain in my back almost disappeared, and after another 2 weeks I forgot the feeling that your back was aching wildly. 4 (!) months have passed, and the result lasts, which means the product really works.” Read the article»

Since muscle tension can cause stress, psychotherapy is sometimes prescribed to the patient. This is an effect on the patient’s psyche to alleviate his condition.

With the help of psychotherapy, even serious mental illnesses can be eliminated. The treatment method is effective and in most cases significant improvement can be achieved.

Psychotherapy can help completely relieve muscle spasms

Massage

This therapy method has a good relaxing effect. Ideally, you need to contact a professional massage therapist who will knead the spasmodic area, improve blood circulation and lymphatic drainage. A total of 10-12 massage sessions will be required. The average price of a session is 500-1000 rubles.

At home, you can use ice massage. To do this, using smooth circular movements melt a piece of ice on the affected area. This will dull the pain within 5 minutes. After this, perform a small massage using circular rubbing and stroking.

Exercises

Exercise therapy is physical therapy that is aimed at relieving spasms in the back muscles. Physical education should be performed every day for 20-30 minutes. When doing gymnastics, feel your body. If you feel pain while performing an exercise, stop the exercise or reduce the number of repetitions.

It is important to understand what to do therapeutic exercises It is possible only after severe pain has passed. It is recommended to engage in exercise therapy under the supervision of a trainer. Exercises for spasms are aimed at various bends, which stretch and strengthen muscles, improve blood circulation and metabolic processes.

Basic exercises used in the treatment of spasmed muscles:

Perform rolls on your back using a ribbed fitball.
Hangs and half-hangs on the horizontal bar for 3-5 minutes.
Tilt the body towards the toes and heels of the feet.
Perform an exercise called the plank to strengthen your core muscles. This will prevent cramps from occurring.

Video: muscle strengthening exercises

Traditional methods

The use of traditional methods of treatment can improve the patient’s condition and also prevent the recurrence of spasms. Let's list the most effective methods traditional medicine.

Taking a warm bath with a decoction of chamomile, string or other medicinal plants. For a bath you will need 1 liter of decoction. The bath should be used for 15-20 minutes, then lie down under a warm blanket and drink hot tea. It is best to take baths before bed. Taking turpentine baths is also effective.
Tincture of birch buds. Pour a glass of boiling water over 2 tbsp. l. birch buds and 1 tsp. crushed birch bark. Let it sit for at least 1 hour. You should drink the tincture 1 tbsp. l. before meals for 14 days.
Adonis decoction. Boil a glass of water with 1 tsp in a saucepan. Adonis. Leave for 5 hours, strain through cheesecloth or a small strainer. Take 1 tsp. daily for 7 days.
Lemon. Squeeze the juice from 1 lemon. Lubricate the affected area thoroughly with juice, and warm yourself with a woolen cloth. The procedure should be carried out before bedtime.
Compress with dimexide. Moisten a cloth with a 50% solution of dimexide and apply it to the sore spot as a compress.

Heat treatment

If muscle spasms do not go away within 3 days, then thermal procedures are recommended. It is important that there is no severe swelling or acute pain at the site of the spasm.

Consequences

We list the most common complications of back muscle spasms.

In severe cases, pain during spasm appears every day and is not relieved by painkillers.

Prevention

In order to prevent the occurrence of spasms in the back muscles, follow the following recommendations from doctors:

Sit only on a comfortable chair with back and lumbar support. Orthopedic chairs are best suited for this.
Always pay attention to your posture, especially while walking and sitting at the computer.
Avoid hypothermia. Dress warmly and avoid drafts.
Do it daily therapeutic exercises for stretching. It’s best to sign up at a special center where they will pick you up correct complex classes.
Go to the pool, yoga or Pilates 2-3 times a week. Perform exercises on large rubber balls - fitballs.
Take a massage course for 10-12 sessions 2 times a year.
At office work Once every 1.5 hours, do small warm-ups to stretch your muscles.
Sometimes hang on the horizontal bar, turning your torso left and right.
Avoid stressful situations.
Sleep only on an orthopedic pillow and a medium-hard mattress. This will allow the muscles of the body and neck to relax during the night's rest.
Limit your intake of alcohol, caffeine and medications. They flush potassium from the body.
Drink enough liquid per day - at least 2 liters. Dehydration can cause tension and cramps.
Watch your weight.
Walk daily for at least 30 minutes a day. Lead an active lifestyle.
Beware of sudden body movements.
Eat foods rich in potassium and calcium.

Video: muscle spasm is the cause of neck pain. How to do without pills and injections

Summarize. Back muscle spasms can appear unexpectedly, which always leads to severe pain and other unpleasant symptoms. Most often, muscle tension appears in the neck and lower back. If painful muscle spasm is not properly treated, it can lead to serious consequences, such as scoliosis.

It is best to consult a doctor who will determine the cause of the spasms and prescribe the correct course of treatment for the spine. At home, massage with vacuum cups and painkillers in the form of tablets, ointments and patches are effective. It is also very useful to engage in exercise therapy, which will prevent the recurrence of severe tension and spasm.

Conclusions and Conclusions

What are our Russian doctors keeping silent about? Why in 90% of cases does drug treatment give only a temporary effect?

Unfortunately, most of the remedies “treating” back and joint diseases that are advertised on TV and sold in pharmacies are completely divorce.

At first it may seem that creams and ointments help, BUT in fact they only TEMPORARILY relieve the symptoms of the disease.

In simple words, you buy a regular painkiller, and the disease continues to develop into more severe stage. Ordinary pain can be a symptom of more serious diseases:

dystrophy muscle tissue in the area of the buttocks, thighs and lower legs;
pinched sciatic nerve;
development of arthritis, arthrosis and related diseases;
acute and sharp pain - lumbago, which leads to chronic radiculitis;
cauda equina syndrome, which leads to paralysis of the legs;
impotence and infertility.

How to be?- you ask. We have studied a huge amount of materials and, most importantly, tested in practice most of the remedies for the treatment of diseases of the spine and joints. So, it turned out that the only new remedy which does not remove symptoms, but truly cures - this is a medicine that is not sold in pharmacies and is not advertised on TV! So that you don’t think that they are selling you another “miracle drug,” we will not tell you what an effective drug it is. If you are interested, you can read all the information about it yourself. Here is the link" .

List of used literature

Evgeny Cherepanov "School" Healthy spine", 2012;
Alexey Ivanchev "Spine. Secrets of Health", 2014;
Victoria Karpukhina "Spinal health. Popov, Bubnovsky systems and other treatment methods", 2014;
Yuri Glavchev “The spine is the provocateur of all diseases”, 2014;
Stephen Ripple "Life without back pain. How to heal the spine and improve overall well-being", 2013;
Galli R.L., Speight D.W., Simon R.R. "Emergency orthopedics. Spine.", 1995

Muscle spasm can be either an independent phenomenon or a symptom of a disease. Anti-muscle spasm medications help relieve tension in skeletal muscles, smooth muscles of the digestive tract, and relieve neurotransmitter-induced dystonia.

Causes of the disease

Cramps, pain, dizziness, nausea, tachycardia are symptoms of muscle spasm. This painful condition can be caused by a number of reasons:

stress, overwork;
osteochondrosis of the cervical and other parts of the spine;
structural features of the spinal column;
pregnancy;
response to pain;
intense sports activities;
vitamin deficiency, lack of micro- and macroelements;
dehydration;
hypocarbohydrate diets.

Drug relief of symptoms

A symptom that is associated with certain diseases. Various drugs are used in medicine to treat it.

Use of muscle relaxants

They relieve tension from skeletal muscles and help slow down the conduction of nerve impulses:

Mydocalm (tolperisone) is prescribed for osteochondrosis, arthrosis, sclerosis, after surgical interventions, for myalgia and to remove spasms; helps slow down the conduction of nerve impulses, thereby relieving muscle pain, cramps, tension, and dizziness.
Sirdalud (tinadizine) is a centrally acting muscle relaxant: it can not only relieve muscle spasms, but also has a pronounced analgesic effect.
Baclofen is a muscle relaxant that has virtually no effect on neuromuscular tension and does not cause such weakness as Mydocalm and Sirdalud.
Sibazon is a drug that has a pronounced calming effect on the central nervous system, it is classified as a tranquilizer, a benzodiazepine derivative, but it also has muscle relaxant properties: it is used for complex injuries, arthrosis, and myositis.

Use of antispasmodics

Antispasmodic drugs (No-spa, Papaverine, Mebeverine), which remove spasms from the muscles of the gastrointestinal tract, hepatic and renal colic.

NSAIDs and sedatives

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The following list of drugs is used in pharmacy:

Xefocam (lornoxicam);
Celebrex (celecoxib);
Nise, Nimesil (nimesulide);
Movalis, Movasin (meloxicam).

NSAID drugs block the enzymes COX1 and COX2, which are responsible for the production of inflammatory mediators. Due to this, they relieve inflammation, spasm, reduce pain and swelling.

On the pharmaceutical market, drugs in this group are represented by a wide range: Ibuprofen, Ketonal, Piroxicam, Indomethacin, Diclofenac. But they are used less frequently, as they are aggressive towards the gastrointestinal tract.

Sedatives promote relaxation, relieve nervous tension and reduce the conduction of nerve impulses along the fibers. They are divided into the following groups:

plant origin (Novo-passit, Persen);
chemical nature (Afobazole);
combined (Corvalol, Valoserdin, Valemidin).

Vitamins, micro- and macroelements help normalize blood circulation, hematopoiesis, improve tissue trophism, and maintain water-electrolyte balance. The following drugs are used in neurology:

Group B vitamins (Kombilipen, Milgamma, Neuromultivit) in injections and tablets: improve blood circulation, hematopoiesis, and impulse transmission along nerve fibers.
Magnesium preparations (Magnelis B6, Magne B6, Magnerot, Magnesium Plus) are necessarily used to relieve muscle spasms: they relieve cramps, muscle spasms, improve myocardial contractility, improve mood and performance, and relieve flatulence (bloating).
Multivitamins (Supradin, Multi-tabs, Centrum, Complivit, Vitrum) improve the body's metabolic processes.

special instructions

For the treatment of neuralgia, osteochondrosis and other neurological diseases, a complex of the above drugs is used, but they all have contraindications and side effects:

Muscle relaxants cause bradycardia and a decrease in blood pressure, dizziness, and reduce the speed of reactions. Therefore, they are prescribed with caution for work that requires increased attention, or prescribed at night.
Antispasmodics can cause a decrease in blood pressure. Hypotension and bradycardia are absolute contraindications for use.
NSAIDs have an ulcerogenic effect on the gastrointestinal tract. They are prescribed with caution for gastrointestinal diseases. NSAIDs must be taken after meals, preferably with milk.

Features of prescribing drugs for the treatment of muscle spasms

For mild pain, local medications are prescribed in the form of ointments (Nurofen, Nise, Ketonal, Voltaren), or patches (Nanoplast, Voltaren, Dorsaplast, Versatis)
For osteochondrosis, muscle relaxants are prescribed in combination with NSAIDs and vitamins.
For pain that is not relieved by oral and local medications, injections of muscle relaxants, NSAIDs and vitamins are used. Drug provocation leads to pain relief.
Often muscle spasms require the prescription of drugs that help normalize blood circulation (Actovegin, Cerebrolysin, Cavinton).

Conclusion

Muscle spasms can be sporadic, especially after physical exertion. Then it is enough to take an analgesic or NSAID, and the problem is solved. But often muscle spasm is a symptom of a disease. Then complex therapy is required.

How to relieve pain in this case must be decided by a neurologist. And after relieving acute pain, you need to undergo a course of massage and physical therapy. To prevent muscle spasms from recurring, you need a proper, balanced diet and physical activity.

Muscle spasm is an uncontrolled muscle contraction of one or a group of muscles, accompanied by pain. Translated from ancient Greek, the word spasm is a writhing, cramp. Which gives us a general idea of what is happening in the lubricated muscle. Any muscle can spasm, but today we will talk about spasms of the back muscles.

Kinds

If we talk about the mechanism of muscle spasm, it is divided into two types. The first of these is epileptic spasms, which accompany a seizure in an epileptic patient. But this is a separate topic for discussion. Let's focus on the second type - non-epileptic.

Muscles, in a healthy state, always “submit” to the will of their owner. At rest they are relaxed, while a person is busy with some activity or work, a certain group of muscles tenses and moves, responding to impulses emanating from the brain. But it happens that some muscles, regardless of their condition, retain their tension. It is in these areas that spasms occur.

Consequences of injury. For example, you suffered a fracture. A fracture is always accompanied by pain. The muscles surrounding the fracture site are in a state of tension. Then the fracture heals, and the muscle remains in spasm for a long time, the vessels and nerves are pinched, which significantly limits mobility.

Osteochondrosis is accompanied by severe back pain, muscles tensed by pain try to protect the affected area - experts define this condition as trigger syndrome.

Sometimes the person himself is to blame for muscle spasms. And I am able to correct the situation by understanding the cause of back pain. For example, you sit at the computer for eight hours in a row, showing high performance and excellent perseverance. Your employer is immensely grateful to you, but your body is not very grateful. This condition is called static muscle tension. Schoolchildren and students who spend a long time in one body position, sitting at a desk, run the risk of feeling what a muscle spasm is in the near future. But that's not all. Carrying a bag on your shoulder is convenient, that's for sure. But if you walk with a bag day after day, throwing it over the same shoulder, muscle habituation to tension occurs, which will subsequently cause spasms.

Ruthless physical activity - sports or heavy physical labor.

And finally, stress is also a cause of back muscle spasms. The body, being in a state of constant stress, in addition to activating other internal processes, activates muscle tone. If the stress is short-term, the muscles return to their normal state, but under the influence of ongoing stressful situations, the muscles, trying to protect the body, seem to get used to constant tension, provoking a spasm.

The main and only symptom of muscle spasm is pain.

As already mentioned, the main cause of spasm is overexertion. Therefore, it is logical to give the muscles rest and absolute relaxation. Don't do any heavy work for a few days, stop sports training. Lie on your back for about thirty minutes. An ice compress helps if you apply it for a quarter of an hour to the location of the pain.

A gentle massage of the muscles will help them relax.

If the pain lasts for several days and you are not getting better, be sure to consult a doctor.

Gymnastics for back muscle spasms

Folk remedies

For internal reception

Crush dry adonis with your hands and pour two spoons into two hundred ml of boiled water. After the infusion has cooled, strain and put in the refrigerator. You should drink Adonis infusion one spoon three times a day.
Prepare an infusion of two spoons of dry birch buds per two hundred ml of boiling water. It is recommended to drink two spoons three times a day, regardless of meals.

The remedy from ragwort rhizomes is prepared in two ways: infusion and tincture. To make the infusion, pour twenty grams of crushed rhizomes into two hundred ml of just boiled water and leave until it cools completely. After straining, the infusion is ready. Take it in the morning, before breakfast, forty drops. The tincture is prepared from twenty-five grams per one hundred ml of medical alcohol. After fourteen days of infusion, also take thirty-five drops of tincture in the morning.
Grind the dry linden blossom and put one and a half spoons into two hundred ml of boiling water. After half an hour, strain. Take one spoon of linden infusion after breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Collect petals from poppy flowers, dry them thoroughly and grind them to a powder. Carefully combine one spoon of poppy powder with twenty spoons of honey and milk, twice the volume of honey. The product is taken one spoon three to four times a day and before bedtime.
An excellent remedy for muscle spasms, infusion onion peel. To prepare, finely tear the husks and pour one spoon into two hundred ml of boiling water. After a quarter of an hour, strain and drink before bed. A night of restful sleep is guaranteed.

Drink Adonis infusion three times a day for a week and a half. Pour one heaped spoon into three hundred ml of boiled water. After two hours, strain the infusion and take one spoon at a time.
For muscle spasms, drink chamomile tea. In the morning, prepare an infusion of a spoonful of dried flowers in five hundred ml of boiling water. After an hour, strain and drink in equal portions throughout the day.
On the first day you drank chamomile tea, and in the evening put two tablespoons of thoroughly washed raisins (preferably seedless) into a liter bowl and leave to steep until the morning. In the morning, drain the infused water, eat raisins with a glass of infusion. Drink the rest of the infusion in equal portions until the evening. The next day - chamomile tea, then again raisin infusion and soon the cramps will leave you alone.

Very effective remedy based on horseradish pulp. Grind two hundred grams of horseradish root to a pulp and place in a glass container. Add half a liter olive oil cold pressed and liquid honey. Stir until smooth and refrigerate. The mixture is taken three times a day, one spoon half an hour before breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Just treat yourself with honey and kefir. Every morning, immediately after waking up, eat a spoonful of natural honey and then drink two hundred ml of kefir. A week's course will be enough to relax your muscles. You should not wait for the spasms to return; once every two months, take a five-day preventive dose of honey with kefir.

Buy at the pharmacy or prepare your own alcoholic tinctures of motherwort, valerian, hawthorn and peony - these tinctures will require one hundred ml, tincture of eucalyptus - fifty ml and mint - twenty-five ml. Pour the tinctures into one glass bowl and place ten grams of crushed spicy cloves in it. Leave to infuse for two weeks. Strain and begin treatment, taking twenty-five drops half an hour before each meal.
In a one-liter glass jar, place as many washed raw chicken eggs as will fit. Squeeze the juice from the lemons and fill the egg jar to the top. Close the jar with a lid and put it in the refrigerator for fourteen days. During this time, the shell should dissolve. Remove the jar and stir the contents with a fork. Strain through a sieve and pour in one hundred ml of quality cognac. Then add one spoon of honey, stir until it is completely dissolved. It is recommended to take the product half an hour before breakfast, lunch and dinner, one spoonful.

While you have the opportunity, be sure to make a fly agaric tincture. Mash them (don't forget to wear gloves) and place them tightly in a three-liter jar. Close the lid and place in a cool, dark place for thirty days. After a month, take out the jar and you will see that fly agarics are floating in a reddish liquid. This liquid is the basis for our product. Usually seven hundred ml are strained from a three-liter jar. Measure the volume of fly agaric juice and pour in seven hundred and fifty ml of high-quality vodka for every two hundred and fifty ml. They are treated very carefully, observing the dosages, according to the following scheme. Every evening, at nine o'clock, drink half a glass of fresh milk with the addition of fly agaric remedy - on the first day - one drop, the second - two, the third - three, the fourth - four, the fifth - five. On the sixth day - four... and so on until one drop. Rest for five days and begin the second course of treatment, ten days, i.e., adding drop by drop, you should reach ten and vice versa. Traditional healers assure that all muscle spasms, regardless of their location and origin, are guaranteed to go away.
For several days in the morning, immediately after waking up, drink a saline solution from a coffee spoon of salt dissolved in one hundred ml of boiled, slightly cooled water.

External means

Prepare a decoction of fern roots for a medicinal bath. If the roots are fresh, one hundred grams of them will be required for one procedure, if dry - fifty. Place the roots in a five-liter bowl filled to the top with water and boil for five minutes after boiling. Pour the broth into the water prepared for the bath and immerse yourself in it for a quarter of an hour. Usually three procedures are enough to improve the condition.
A poultice of Potentilla anserina has a good effect on spasmodic muscles. Take about five spoons of dry herb and pour boiling water over it. After five minutes, spread the steamed herb over a piece of gauze and apply it to the muscle. Hold until the heat is no longer felt.

Squeeze the juice from one lemon and lubricate the area of the lubricated muscle with it. Wait until it dries, wrap your skin in a cloth and go to bed. Two weeks of nightly procedures will relieve you of cramps.
To rub spasmodic muscles, prepare bay oil. Buy fifty grams of bay leaf, chop it and pour a full glass of unrefined vegetable oil into it. Leave in a dark cupboard for weeks. Rub the strained oil onto your muscles to relieve spasms.

Pick some celandine, rinse with water and dry. Squeeze the juice out of it. Measure the volume of juice and mix it with double the volume of Vaseline. In the evenings, before going to bed, lightly rub the ointment into the muscles where you feel spasms. Recovery is guaranteed within two weeks.
An alcoholic infusion of yarrow and thyme will relieve pain and relax muscle tension. Take ten grams of dry thyme and twice as much yarrow. Pour a glass of rubbing alcohol over the herbs. After ten days of infusion, strain. Rubbing should be done twice a day. In the evening - before bed.

Tear off a large leaf of horseradish, rinse it from dust, apply a thin layer of honey, lightly sprinkle with salt and secure the compress on the lubricated muscle with the lubricated side facing the skin. Tie it with a woolen cloth and go to bed. In the morning, remove the leaf and rinse the skin. A week-long course will relieve you of unpleasant sensations.
Pick a small armful of wormwood, rinse and chop. Fill a glass jar to the top with wormwood. Pour high-quality vodka into the wormwood and leave to infuse for three weeks. The strained product should be rubbed every evening on the muscles where you feel a feeling of spasm and a restful sleep is guaranteed.

Black root tincture instantly relieves muscle spasms. Pour fifty grams of crushed black root into a bottle of good vodka. After two weeks, strain. As soon as you feel a cramp approaching, immediately rub the muscles with the tincture.
You can also get instant relief from spasms using Datura tincture. Take three-quarters of a standard glass of dope seed and pour it into a bottle of quality vodka. Insist for a month and a half. With the strained tincture, it is recommended to simply lubricate the muscles with a cotton swab dipped in the tincture.
Prepare an ointment from a spoon of apple cider vinegar, a teaspoon of turpentine and one raw chicken yolk. Beat until smooth. Rub the ointment into the muscles affected by spasms until completely absorbed.

All folk healers recommend horse chestnut for seizures. Products are prepared from it in several ways. We will give you two that are most accessible to prepare. Chop the chestnuts and fill a three-liter glass jar halfway with them. Fill to the top with apple cider vinegar. After two weeks, strain and rub the tincture on your muscles before going to bed. Instead of vinegar, you can use vodka.
Fill a half-liter glass container with chopped chestnuts. Fill to the top with ammonia. After a month, strain the tincture. Apply lubricant to sore muscles twice daily. The second time - before going to bed, after applying a warming bandage. A fast-acting remedy - recovery is promised in three days.

Miscellaneous

Excellent remedy for cramps - natural Apple vinegar. You can make compresses with it or use it to rub spasmodic muscles.
Mustard oil is an affordable product. In addition to the benefits for the body from internal use, it is recommended to rub it into the muscles to relieve spasms.
Advice for those who are caught off guard by the spasm. Take any metal object, cutlery, scissors or a meat hammer will do, and apply them to the site of the spasm. The muscle should relax.

Applying magnets to muscles that are in spasm is also an effective first aid remedy.
Don't throw away bottle caps if they are made from natural cork. In addition to using them in household and decoration, they will help with muscle spasms. Rub the spasmed muscle with it and it will return to normal.
Eat cottage cheese, preferably cottage cheese. It is good to eat it in the morning, for breakfast. One hundred grams a day will be enough to ensure that back muscle spasms go away and never return.

Video - Back muscle spasm treatment

Muscle spasms can affect any muscle. In particular, spasms can be in the skeletal, in calf muscles or muscles of the forearm, as well as in smooth muscles, for example, located in the digestive tract. A more serious form of spasm is neurotransmitter-induced dystonia. A muscle spasm is an involuntary contraction of a muscle, usually caused by dehydration, excessive load on the muscle or depletion of necessary electrolytes. It can also occur as a result of a reaction to nerve stimulation. Treatment for muscle spasms depends on the type of muscle affected or causing the spasm. As a rule, spasms are not severe and can be treated at home.

Attention: The information in this article is for informational purposes only. Before using any methods, consult your doctor.

Steps

Treating Muscle Spasms at Home

Stop any activity. When muscle spasms begin, stop all activities. Muscle spasms can occur during exercise or while performing normal daily activities. At the first sign of a spasm, stop any activity and try to control the spasm. The spasm can be painful, but is usually not harmful in the long term.

Give the muscle affected by the spasm a rest. It is advisable, especially if your back is twisted, not to strain the affected muscle for a couple of days. Muscle pain often occurs after cramping, and this is understandable - your muscles were overly tense, now they need rest to recover. However, to prevent the muscles from becoming stiff, still use them - but very, very carefully.

Yes, you can still gently strain the muscle, but if you feel pain or cramping, stop immediately. Try to walk slowly and do stretching exercises. Do not twist or bend your body.

Stretch the affected muscle. If you are experiencing muscle spasms or cramps, stretching can help you with this. Stretching will help reduce pain. However, do not overexert your muscles. If you start to feel pain, stop. This will help you stop the cycle of painful contractions and reduce pain. Hold each position for about 30 seconds.

Take the necessary steps to cure your back spasm. If you are experiencing back spasms, exercise may help. However, you can perform these exercises only when you do not experience severe pain. Do not exercise if you are in severe pain. If discomfort or pain occurs while performing an exercise, stop the exercise.

Use a heating pad or cold compress. High temperature helps the muscles relax and they stop contracting. Cold helps relieve swelling and pain. If a muscle spasm occurs, apply a cold compress. Apply ice to the affected area for the first couple of days. Keep the ice on for 20-30 minutes. Repeat the procedure every 3-4 hours. If there is no improvement, use the compress for 20-30 minutes throughout the day.

Drink water and drinks with electrolytes. When your muscles suffer from dehydration, then... in general, don’t bring yourself to this state, drink more. Water and electrolytes (in the form of juice, sports drinks, etc.) will help you with this. Sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium are essential for the proper functioning of your muscles.

Take anti-inflammatory drugs. They will reduce the severity of inflammation or swelling in the affected area and also increase blood flow to the area, which will have a positive effect on the recovery process. First of all, the doctor may prescribe you to take over-the-counter medications (the same ibuprofen, for example).

Take muscle relaxers. Contact your doctor to prescribe treatment for you injured muscle which causes continuous or recurring spasms. Your doctor will prescribe muscle relaxants, which work to relax your muscles and stimulate blood flow. If you think that any of your medications are causing muscle spasms, be sure to tell your doctor.

Consult your doctor if cramps are chronic. You should learn how to treat muscle spasms at home. However, see your doctor if muscle cramps occur frequently, last a long time, or affect other muscles. In this case, cramping may be a sign of more serious problems that require more serious treatment.
- It's rare that muscle spasms are the underlying problem; more often, they're just a symptom of a problem that needs to be identified and treated. What exactly the problem is is an individual question, everything ranges from excessive muscle tension to metabolic problems in the case of chronic spasms.

Treatment of smooth muscle spasms

Learn to recognize the symptoms of cramps smooth muscle. Symptoms vary depending on the muscles involved. Intestinal spasms can cause severe pain and diarrhea. Urinary tract spasms are common with kidney stones and can cause severe pain, nausea and vomiting. Airway spasms are always a medical emergency and can even be fatal if not treated immediately by a doctor.

Call your doctor if you experience severe or recurring gastrointestinal, urinary, or respiratory spasms. Unfortunately, we cannot directly control smooth muscle (say, the muscles of the heart or stomach). Spasms of smooth muscles sometimes indicate the presence of a hidden problem.

Take your medications. Medicines such as anticholinergics can help relieve intestinal spasms that are not helped by diet and lifestyle changes.
- Your doctor may prescribe medications to restore your neurotransmitter levels or give you a Botox injection to paralyze the affected muscle. All this should be discussed with your doctor.
Take antispasmodics if you have irritable bowel syndrome. If you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), you are likely experiencing intestinal cramps. Antispasmodics, in turn, help reduce pain and relieve spasms. Talk to your doctor if you experience bowel cramps. He will prescribe appropriate treatment for you.

Go to the toilet regularly. One way to treat bladder spasms is to go to the toilet every 1.5 to 2 hours. Empty your bladder every 2 hours. Over time, as you experience less and less spasms, you can take longer breaks between bowel movements.

To combat abdominal cramps, try using a heat compress. Heating pads help reduce the severity of cramps and spasms in all muscles of the body. Lie on your back, put the compress on your stomach, but so that there is something else between your body and the heating pad. Leave the heating pad on your stomach for 10–15 minutes (20 is maximum) and try to relax.
- You can make your own heat compress by using a piece of cloth large enough to fold over your stomach. Wrap a heating pad or bottle of water in a cloth hot water, and then fix the compress on yourself - for example, with a towel.

Prevention of muscle spasms

Drink plenty of fluids. Provide your body with enough water, especially if you sweat excessively. If your body is dehydrated, you are more likely to experience muscle cramps. Drink at least 6-8 glasses of water or healthy drinks throughout the day.

Eat right. Proper nutrition, whatever one may say, is a guarantee of health in general and a way to prevent the occurrence of muscle spasms in particular. In addition, irritable bowel syndrome (and associated cramping) can also be relieved by making changes to your diet. Potassium, antioxidants and healthy fats are especially important in this regard. Here are the foods you should eat more often: