A muscle spasm can stop you in your tracks. It can pull and tug on your back and neck without letting up. What is going on with muscle spasms and how can you best manage them? What Is A Muscle Spasm? A spasm is a heightened amount of activity in the muscle fibers.
Usually, it is a response to some kind of trauma or abnormality in the area near the muscle. A broken bone can cause a muscle to spasm. Whiplash from a car accident can cause muscles to spasm. A lot of times the muscle spasms to protect the spinal cord. It is the body’s response to keep one of its most precious structures, the spinal cord, safe from harm. The problem is, the spasms don’t know when to let go.
Neck Spasms
The group of muscles behind the neck is collectively termed the suboccipital. This group of muscles is commonly affected after motor vehicle accidents. On an x-ray, the suboccipital spasm can actually be seen because it causes your normal curve in the neck to become straight. It’s quite dramatic, and can also be seen from simply looking at the neck from the side. The other group of muscles that spasms easily is the upper trapezius. This large muscle connects your shoulder to your neck and is also a place where stress and tension develop.
Low Back Spasms
he major muscle group in the low back that spasms are called the erector spinae. This can easily be seen in patients that try to bend forward – their lower backs do not “reverse the curve”. In other words, the normal arch in the lower back does not round when you bend forward. Instead, it remains arched or straight. This is quite painful and leaves you feeling very stiff and tight in the back.
The other major muscle group that spasms in the lumbar paraspinals. These muscles span from the mid-back to the lower back, and can easily be felt as cable or rope-like going up and down the back on either side of the spinous processes.
Spasms here also restricts your ability to bend forward. As you can read on www.discovermagazine.com, there is no panacea for the treatment of muscle spasms. Usually, a combination of a few of the following will be able to help:
- Stretching
- Heat
- Cold
- Electric Stimulation
- Trigger Point Release
- Myofascial Release
- Acupuncture
- Chiropractic
- Joint Mobilizations
medication (muscle relaxers, anti-inflammatories) The treatment approach to muscle spasms should be done slowly and step-by-step, so you can identify what is actually helping your muscle spasms decrease. I have never known a muscle spasm to last forever, so stick with what helps you get relief, and don’t give up! Related posts: How to Stop Back Spasms in Their Tracks What Is Causing Muscle Spasms In Your Back?
