Is It Muscle Strain Or Sciatica
Back pain that occurs after excessive exercise or heavy lifting is frequently a strain injury. However, occasionally these activities cause disc injury and rupture or herniation. When a herniated disc irritates the sciatic nerve, it can cause back pain and, in some people, leg pain.
What is Sciatica?
Sciatica is a form of nerve pain caused by pressure on the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is a large nerve that runs down through the buttocks and extends down the back of the leg. Pressing on or pinching of the sciatic nerve causes shock-like or burning low back pain. Sometimes people feel as if the pain radiates down through the buttocks and down one leg, sometimes even reaching the foot.
What Does Low Back Strain Feel Like
Symptoms of low back strain include:
- Pain and stiffness in the back.
- Pain in the buttocks and the legs, often in the back of the thigh.
- Pain that worsens when bending, stretching, coughing, or sneezing.
Since some symptoms of low back strain are similar to those of more serious conditions, it’s important to get checked out by a doctor. Any numbness and weakness in your legs, or bowel and bladder problems, can be a sign of nerve damage — and that needs immediate medical attention.
To diagnose low back strain, your doctor will give you a thorough exam. You may also need X-rays, MRIs , and CT scans. These extra tests may only be needed if your pain doesn’t go away on its own or with conservative treatment.
Initial Treatments For Low Back Muscle Strain
Most cases of a pulled back muscle are treated using standard self-care or non-invasive treatments. Some typical first-step treatments for a pulled low back muscle include:
- Anti-inflammatory medicines such as ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen reduce inflammation, which often contributes to pain. Anti-inflammatory medicines are available over-the-counter or with a prescription.
- Over-the-counter pain medicines, such as acetaminophen, minimize pain by interfering with the way the brain interprets pain signals. Acetaminophen may also be included as an active ingredient in prescription medications, such as in combination with an opioid.
- Muscle relaxants may be prescribed on a short-term basis to reduce muscle spasm. Most muscle relaxants do not affect muscles directly, but rather dampen pain receptors in the central nervous system. These medications have many side effects, and muscle relaxants also carry risk of addiction.
- Ice packs reduce inflammation that can occur shortly after a muscle is injured. Typical recommendations include applying a cold or ice pack for 10 – 20 minutes at regular intervals throughout the day, and using a towel or other barrier between the ice and the skin to prevent an ice burn.
See Muscle Relaxants: List of Common Muscle Relaxers
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What Causes Pain In The Right
Right-hand side pain of your lower back is caused by conditions that affect your muscles and the interconnected structures of your spinal column including your facet joints, discs and nerve roots as well as some serious health problems.
Muscle strain is the most common reason for low back pain and it can cause pain mainly on the lower right-hand side of your back. A muscle strain occurs when your muscle is overstretched or torn through twisting, lifting heavy objects or if it encounters an impact such as a sports injury or car accident. Typically, the pain from a muscle strain feels better within a few weeks and does not require medical attention.
Lower right back pain can also have orthopaedic and neurological causes including:
- Kidney disorders – kidney infections and stones can cause pain on one side of your back.
- Colon disorders – such as inflammation of your appendix and inner walls of your large intestines can manifest as back pain.
- Female reproductive problems – including endometriosis and benign growths within the walls of your uterus can sometimes cause back pain.
- Cancer tumours – may cause pain that begins in your abdomen and radiates to your back, sometimes on one side.
Pulled Muscle In Lower Back Recovery Time
You should limit normal activity for the first few days after your injury but resume it as soon as you can after that time. Wait a few weeks before going back to an exercise regimen or sport.
Most people will be fully recovered within two weeks of the injury, but if the pain isnt getting better after a weeks time, see a doctor.
There are several things you can do to prevent straining your lower back, some that help strengthen it and others that are precautionary. These include:
- stretching and strengthening exercises
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Change Up Your Sleep Position Or Mattress
Switching to a more supportive sleep position can reduce lower back pain. Also consider how you can use pillows or invest in a new mattress to support better spinal alignment and relieve lower back pain.
Research suggests medium firm mattresses are the best mattresses for back pain. In one study of people with low back pain, those who slept on medium firm mattresses reported lower pain scores both during sleep and upon getting up in the morning.
Make Workstation Adjustments Best Pain Relief For A Lower Back Muscle Pull
Unfit stance because of slouching or stressing at a desk may trigger neck and back pain and also other muscular tissue pains. Using ergonomics to change an office can help decrease tenderness as a result of bad posture.
An individual ought to ensure their computer system display is at eye level and also that their chair is at the right elevation.
Right comfort designs at the office may help in reducing pain in the back and various other injuries, according to the Occupational Safety And Security as well as Health And Wellness Management in the USA.
One study in Denmark found that individuals that functioned in retirement home or residence treatment had much less lower neck and back pain after changes in functional designs, incorporated with behavior treatment plan as well as physical training.
If a person does any lifting for their job, they need to squat as well as use their legs, not their back, for assistance. It is best to request assistance or make use of trolleys when advancing extremely heavy items.
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Why Do I Feel Pain After Exercise
It is common to experience muscle soreness post-workout, especially if you plunge straight into intense exercises without a proper warmup.
If you make a sudden shift from your regular workout routine, the change can shock your muscles and cause microscopic damage to the muscle fibers. The same is true if you push your muscles to work harder than they are used to in a short duration.
Avoid Stretching Your Lower Back
Please stop stretching all day longits not going to heal you.
Stretching should always be incorporated to balance out your strengthening routine and only if you identified that the muscle needs to be stretched.
You actually need a bit of tightness around your lower back area. The spine needs stability not over-stretched and weak muscles.
If you want to learn more about why stretching doesnt for to fix the pain for good, read my post on why you may continue to have pain after stretching
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What To Expect From A Cortisone Injection
If the cortisone shot works, you’ll certainly be grateful for the relief, but success is not guaranteed. In studies of large groups of back pain sufferers, the benefit is small to none on average. It’s hard to predict what you, individually, will experience.
Corticosteroid injections do not change the course of a chronic back pain condition. Months down the road, you will generally end up in the same condition as if you never got the shot. In the meantime, the shot could ease your discomfort.
Hamstring And Hip Flexor
For immediate back tension relief, you can rely on continuous hamstring and hip flexor stretches.
It not only loosens your stiff lower back but also improves your posture.
As hip flexors are the key muscles in moving your lower body, hip flexor stretch will help prevent tearing of muscles because of being too tight or due to a sudden movement.
Steps to Perform Hamstring Pose:
1: Lie down on your back.
2: Loop a towel or resistance band around your left toe and hold the ends with both hands.
3: Slowly pull the band and lift your leg straight up, keeping your right leg on the floor.
4: Bring your left leg up until you feel a stretch in your back and calf.
5: Hold it for a minimum of 15 seconds then relax.
6: Switch legs and repeat at least 5 times.
NOTE:
Steps to Perform Hip flexor:
1: Kneel on both knees with the bottom on your heels.
2: Press your arms on the mat while leaning forward.
3: Place your hands shoulder-width apart and avoid elbow locking by bending it slightly.
4: Bring your left knee forward between your arms and place the left foot on the ground making a 90-degree angle.
5: Straighten your upper body and use your hands to balance.
6: Stretch your right leg backward and press the right knee into the mat.
7: Rest the top of your right foot on the mat.
8: Slowly try to lean forward a little and maintain it for 20 seconds.
9: Return to the starting position and repeat it with the opposite leg.
NOTE:
Also Check: How To Relieve Back Pain From Standing All Day
Living With Lumbar Strain
Cold reduces swelling. Both cold and heat can reduce pain. Protect your skin by placing a towel between your body and the ice or heat source.
- For the first few days, apply an ice pack for 15 to 20 minutes.
- After the first few days, try heat for 15 minutes at a time to ease pain. Never sleep on a heating pad.
- Over-the-counter medicines can help control pain and swelling. Try aspirin or ibuprofen.
Maintain A Healthy Weight
Excessive body weight can overburden your muscles, and make you prone to muscle pain. Therefore, you must shed the extra pounds by eating healthy and exercising to find a long-term solution to this problem.
While a low-fat, fibrous diet with proper portion control is the main source of weight loss, a suitable exercise regimen can accelerate this process and help you build extra muscle.
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Workouts That Can Cause Low Back Pain
Most athletic injuries to the back are sprains of the ligaments or strains of the muscles surrounding the spine. Serious conditions or complications can have similar symptoms to those of a routine sprain or strain. The most common sports injuries occur after repetitive overuse of the spine either through twisting, compression, or flexion. High impact sports such as running, football, or volleyball can often cause low back pain. Sports like golf, in which repetitive twisting is often involved, can also cause low back pain.
What’s The Treatment For Low Back Strain
Low back strain can be a painful and depressing injury. But the good news is that most cases heal on their own, given time. To speed the healing, you should:
- Ice your back to reduce pain and swelling as soon as you injure yourself. Do it for 20-30 minutes every 3-4 hours for 2-3 days. You can also ice your back after physical activity.
- Apply heat to your back — but only after 2-3 days of icing it first. Use heat on your back only after the initial swelling has gone down. You could use an electric heating pad or a hot water bottle. Or you could just soak in a hot bath.
- Take painkillers or other drugs, if recommended by your doctor. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , like Advil, Aleve, or Motrin, will help with lower back pain and swelling. However, these drugs may have side effects. They should be used only occasionally, unless your doctor specifically says otherwise. Prescription painkillers and muscle relaxants are sometimes necessary.
- Use support. Ask your doctor or therapist first, but consider getting a belt or girdle to add support to your back. Use it only short-term or for support with heavy or repetitive lifting.
- Get physical therapy to build up strength, if your doctor recommends it. Do not stay in bed or on the couch all day. That will make it worse.
- Maintain good muscle tone in your abdominal and lower back muscles.
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Take It Slow When Getting Up
Taking it slow when you get out of bed can be beneficial. You may want to use your arms to sit up slowly before moving your legs off the side of the bed. Once you plant your feet on the ground, shoulder-width apart, you can stand up slowly, using your leg strength instead of your back to help you up.
After carefully standing, you can further relieve tension by reaching your arms up above your head and stretching slowly from side to side.
What Causes A Compressed Nerve
A few common causes for lumbar pinched nerves are:
1. Repetitive motion
2. Holding the body in one position for long periods .
Read: Can a Bulging Disc Heal on Its Own?
4. Arthritis of the spine.
But when we look at these causes through the holistic approach, we see that all of these causes have the same root cause: muscle Imbalances.
The important thing to understand is that a pinched nerve, or Sciatica, is not a condition or a disease.
Its just a symptom of something else.
Much like coughing is a symptom of pneumonia. If you want to stop the coughing, the smart way to go is to cure pneumonia, not just swallow coughing syrup.
Well get to that later, and see how to reverse it easily and at home.
Also Check: What Can Cause A Burning Pain In The Lower Back
Start These 2 Simple But Very Effective Exercises Now
What you can do now at this point is to practice these 2 simple exercises. They are among many specific and targeted exercises from the eBook which are the Seated Twist and the Lying Twist. They will help you both to loosen, strengthen and stabilize your spine, making it much easier for you to turn and reach to avoid triggering another spasm.
Reducing your back spasms will also reduce muscle guarding, a major factor which causes many to suffer from recurring pain in the morning.
The Seated and Lying Twist exercises help to release tight, lower back muscles which can fatigue and trigger a spasm. If you suffer from them, you may find that even these simple movements can be difficult to execute in full range.
As with all exercises, dont force yourself to perform the full stretch right away. You may cause more pain by doing this. Work your way up one degree or inch at a time very slowly over several days. Remember, your body is NOT accustomed to such movement.
It is common to trigger yourself by reaching or moving in a twisted position due to excessive tightness. They can strike during even the most mundane and simple of action such as reaching for a pen on the floor. These exercises help you to improve these tight areas to protect you.
- Dont Bend and Lift the Wrong Way. Try a Safer Way to Lift.
STRETCH AND STRENGTHEN THE MUSCLES THAT ARE PRONE TO SPASM WHILE CONDITIONING THE CORE MUSCLES THAT PROTECT YOU
Back spasms are NOT a quick fix problem.
Six Stretches To Help Alleviate Low Back Pain And Tightness
Letâs admit it, having low back pain is no fun, especially when you wake up in the morning with it knowing that you have a full day at work ahead of you. That is why we believe that every morning you should spend a few minutes stretching out the most important and most engaged muscles in the low back.
Sitting at your desk all day can lead to lower back pain, neck pain, shoulder tightness, and other ergonomic issues. Performing daily stretches can help you loosen your muscles and improve your flexibility, making your body more resilient and better able to handle a full day at your desk.
- Knee to Chest
Use this stretch to align pelvis and stretch lower back and rear end muscles. Lie flat on your back with toes pointed to the sky. Slowly bend your right knee and pull your leg up to you chest. Wrap your arms around your thigh, knee or shin, and gently pull the knee towards your chest. Hold for 20 seconds and slowly extend the leg to starting position. Repeat three times each leg.
- Lying Knee Twist
- Use this movement to stretch the paraspinal muscles and strengthen the abdominal muscles. Lie on your back with your legs extended straight out. Bend the right knee up and cross it over the left side of your body. Hold in a position that allows you to feel a gentle stretch through the back and buttocks muscles for 20 seconds. Tighten your core muscles and rotate back to center. Repeat three times on each side.
- We hope that these stretches help you have a better day!
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What Does A Muscle Knot Look And Feel Like
Muscle knots can usually be felt under the skin.
When you press them, the pain gets worse. Muscle knots are often a bit swollen and feel hard when you touch them.
If you have an active trigger point, the area causes pain even when you dont touch it.
If you have a latent trigger point, it is only painful when you press on it.
The most common area of muscle knots is the trapezius muscle, which starts in the neck and goes to the middle of the back and shoulders, forming a trapezium shape.
Heres a video showing how a muscle knot looks like:
