Treatment of Back Spasms
The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) recently released interesting data regarding back pain in the United States. One of the most common causes of back pain is traumatic injury, such as those suffered in a motor vehicle collision. One of the problems that people could have after this accident is back spasms. While these may sound minor, back spasms can actually prevent someone from returning to work, school, or engaging in daily activities. Based on statistics from the ACA:
- Back pain is actually the most common reason why people claim disability and are unable to work.
- Furthermore, back pain is one of the most common reasons why people miss time from work.
- About half of everyone who works states that they have suffered from back pain recently.
- Back pain is the third most common reason why people visit their doctor.
- Recurrence of back pain is common and can become a chronic medical condition.
For those who develop back pain after a motor vehicle accident, this can become severe.
The Cause of Back Spasms After an Auto Accident
The spine is one of the most important parts of the body. The vertebrae that make up the spine protect the spinal cord. The spine and the cord are supported by muscles on either side. These muscles are called the paraspinal muscles. These muscles protect the spine and provide the flexibility that individuals require. Like other parts of the body, the paraspinal muscles can be damaged. When these muscles are strained, they often spasm as a result. These are the back spasms that individuals often feel after a serious accident. Some of the causes of back spasms include:
- Direct impacts to the back in an auto accident.
- Stretching the muscles of the back to their limits in a traumatic accident.
- Slip and fall injuries, particularly those with an awkward landing.
- Heavy lifting.
These back spasms can be extremely debilitating. Furthermore, they often occur without warning. This can place people in an uncomfortable position.
Treatment Options for Back Spasms
Fortunately, those who have developed back spasms do have several treatment options that are available. Some of the choices include:
- Massage therapy, particularly any kind that focuses on the relaxing the muscles of the lower back.
- Alternating between ice and heat to quench any inflammation and relax the muscle fibers.
- Anti-inflammatory medications such as Tylenol and ibuprofen.
- Stretching exercises such as yoga.
- Transcutaneous electrical stimulation of the muscles.
The most important thing to remember is that people need to keep using the muscles that are in their back. If people rest the muscles in their back for too long, the muscles could tighten and make the injury worse, leading to chronic back pain.
Watch YouTube Video: How to Treat a Back Spasm. This video demonstrates how to ice the back without causing tissue damage.
Contacting an Injury Attorney
Often, individuals with back spasms wait to seek medical care, hoping that they will get better on their own. This delay could lead to problems connecting the back spasms to a prior traumatic accident. It is a good idea to meet with a personal injury lawyer in Sacramento who can help with:
- Working with professionals to reconstruct the scene of an accident, making sure that nothing has been overlooked.
- Ensuring that the fault in an accident has been assigned to the appropriate party.
- Pursuing damages that are related to their pain, suffering, and injuries.
- Moving a case to trial when this is necessary.
Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyers
I’m Ed Smith, a Personal Injury Lawyer in Sacramento. Back spasms are one of the most common injuries that an individual could suffer in a car accident. If someone you care about has been struggling with their back after a major accident, call me at your leisure at (800) 404-5400 or (916) 921-6400 for free, friendly legal advice.
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Treatment of Back Spasms: AutoAccident.com
Image Attribution: The picture used at the top of this post can be viewed in its original form on Pixabay. The photograph has been printed here with permission/ Treatment of Back Spasms.
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