One of the best things you can do when you throw out your back is to rest so the muscles have time to recover. Use pillows to support your back to reduce the strain on your muscles. Lying flat on your back is the ideal position, but do so on a hard surface.
Many who suffer a thrown-out back lose range of motion and develop a hunched posture. Consistent pain, stiffness and muscle spasms are common symptoms. With swift treatment at home, thrown-out backs may heal on their own within several days or up to two weeks.
You should lie down to relieve the pain, but the goal should be not to return to sitting, but rather to regain your ability to stand and move. "The goal isn't to get into the chair.
When our back is in its ideal position, with us standing straight up or lying flat, we're placing the least amount of pressure on the discs between vertebrae. When we sit down and cause the back to curve, we add close to 50 percent as much pressure to these discs as when we're standing.
Walking, cycling, and swimming are some good options for staying active while recovering from lower back muscle strains. After recovering from a pulled back muscle, help prevent future injury by practicing good posture and properly warming up before activity.
Depending on the severity, you may not be able to walk right after throwing out your back. And while the symptoms can be a bit of a mixed bag, Oddo said there are key signs of a slipped disc.
A doctor may prescribe stronger pain relievers for the temporary relief of severe pain. They may also recommend steroid injections at the site of the pain or muscle relaxants.
No single sleeping position works for every person with a pulled back muscle, but a good place to start is to test sleeping on your side. When sleeping on your side, try the following: Avoid a tight curled-up fetal position (knees pulled in toward the body), and instead sleep with your body slightly elongated.
While most people think of massage as something for relaxation, massage therapy is a great option for treating back strain as well! A deep tissue massage can help alleviate tension caused by strained or pulled muscles and improve range of motion issues caused by scar tissue or adhesions.
The term “thrown out back” often refers to acute back pain, which is immediate back pain that can persist for up to six weeks. Someone who has thrown out their back will experience sudden pain that can take a number of forms including dull or sharp, vague or well-defined, aching or burning, and mild or severe.
Generally speaking, ice is better than heat for back pain that may be caused by an acute injury. The Cleveland Clinic says that, in the battle of back pain, “Ice wins to shut down swelling, inflammation and pain early on where heat may actually make an injury worse.”
If you're chomping at the bit to stretch your pulled muscle, just make sure to rest it for at least two to three days after the injury occurred. Once the acute pain has decreased, you can begin with gentle stretching before working on strengthening.
“We usually take a conservative approach first, using a wide variety of nonsurgical spine treatments,” said Dr. Guo. “For example, I might send you to physical therapy or chiropractic therapy. I might recommend medications such as anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxants, or some nerve-pain medications.
Given time, most injuries to the ligaments and muscles will heal on their own within six weeks. The key to recovery is staying active, within limits. Most people who try to return to their normal lives as soon as possible find that their ache gradually fades.
If you need to be horizontal, lie down on a bed or sofa, in any comfortable position. To ease the strain on your back, try putting pillows under your head and between your knees when lying on your side, under your knees when lying on your back, or under your hips when lying on your stomach.
Walking is one of the best things you can do for your back, both to help relieve a current flare-up and prevent future pain episodes. "We're not designed to be sedentary. Back muscles respond best when you use them regularly — and walking is a big part of that."
Radiating pain
Strained muscles cause localized pain (at the site of the injury), but the pain can sometimes radiate to your buttocks. However, if you find that your pain runs from your buttocks and down through your leg, you might be dealing with sciatica or even a herniated disc in your lumbar spine.
Sit with the Right Posture
It is proper to sit up straight without slouching. When you slump, you put extra pressure on the discs in the spine and can aggravate your herniated disc. Additionally, you want to ensure your knees are level with your hips. Your hips should be slightly above your knees if you sit at a desk.
Going on walks: Initial research suggests that going on a walk or brisk walking (Nordic walking) can help relieve back pain if done regularly – for instance, every two days for 30 to 60 minutes.
Typically, your back pain will be worse after sitting for prolonged periods of time. This includes driving, watching movies, or working from home - things we are very familiar with nowadays. The human body is not made to sit for such lengthy periods of time- the longer we sit, the worse our posture becomes.