How to relieve pain from lumbar muscle strain?

Written by Na Hong Wei
Orthopedics
Updated on September 03, 2024
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Lumbar muscle strain, if the pain is severe, can usually be alleviated using the following methods. First and foremost, during the acute phase, what is primarily needed? First, you need to rest and immobilize, mainly ceasing some activities and ideally lying on a hard bed in a supine position with hips and knees flexed. Secondly, for the painful area, you can apply appropriate physiotherapy. This includes traditional Chinese massage and acupuncture. Thirdly, if there are specific fixed painful points, you might consider blockade therapy. Fourthly, when the pain is particularly severe and affects your work and rest, you can take some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Additionally, use some stimulating medicines or stimulating liniments. If the pain severely impacts your mood and work, you might also consider some sedatives. Fifthly, you can use some external or internal traditional Chinese medicine, which is usually very effective in managing pain.

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Written by Cheng Bin
Orthopedics
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How to alleviate pain from lumbar muscle strain?

For patients with severe pain, topical ointments that activate blood circulation to dissipate blood stasis and reduce swelling and pain can be effectively used to alleviate the symptoms of pain caused by lumbar muscle strain. Additionally, local heat application or massage can be actively performed to effectively promote local blood circulation and the absorption of creatine kinase, improving the symptoms of lumbar muscle strain. Furthermore, oral administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and drugs that activate blood circulation to dissipate blood stasis can be used for treatment. It is important to rest and protect the affected area, wear a lumbar belt for protection, avoid sitting or standing for long periods, and refrain from bending over to lift heavy items or heavy lifting. (Please use medications under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Li Jie
Orthopedics
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Is lumbar muscle strain easy to treat?

Lumbar muscle strain, as the name suggests, is a fatigue-related injury to the muscles of the lower back. It is primarily caused by excessive fatigue, a continuous state of tension in the lumbar muscles, leading to tension, spasms, and adhesions in the lumbar spine muscles. Sometimes, it may also involve minor joint disorders in the lumbar spine. Generally, the cause of lumbar muscle strain is quite clear. The first thing we recommend is that patients must rest in bed for a period, and this is to be combined with various conservative treatment measures such as acupuncture, massage, physiotherapy, electrical heating, or the external application of medicinal patches or moxibustion. With these treatments combined with rest, we generally achieve quite good therapeutic results. Therefore, lumbar muscle strain is relatively easy to treat and has good treatment outcomes.

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Written by Lv Yao
Orthopedics
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Can I run with lumbar muscle strain?

The occurrence of lumbar muscle strain is mainly due to chronic injury causing excessive fatigue of the muscles, resulting in muscle fiber strain. Lumbar muscle strain is primarily a type of chronic aseptic inflammation, characterized by symptoms such as pain and restricted movement. When lumbar muscle strain occurs, it is not advisable to continue running; instead, it is recommended to apply heat and rest. This is because running can exacerbate the load on the lumbar region, which is not very beneficial for lumbar muscle strain. Therefore, when lumbar muscle strain occurs, rest and appropriate physical therapy should be the main focus.

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Written by Guan Yu Hua
Orthopedic Surgery
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Can you exercise with lumbar muscle strain?

Lumbar muscle strain primarily arises from repetitive stretching of the back muscles due to work-related activities or intense physical exercise. This leads to a range of symptoms, such as stiffness in the lower back upon waking in the morning, reluctance to move, and symptomatic relief after some activity. It is advised to gently exercise the lower back to effectively alleviate symptoms, avoid strenuous exercise or prolonged bending and heavy physical labor. It's best to strictly rest on a firm mattress, perform warm-up activities for the lower back, and undergo appropriate physical therapy and massage. Consuming blood-activating and pain-relieving medications can also help. Typically, symptoms will gradually ease over 7-10 days. Although light activity for lumbar muscle strain is acceptable, engaging in exercise is not recommended. Rest is necessary, and a general rest period of about half a month will gradually reduce symptoms. Recurrences are common, so it is important to regularly care for your lower back by avoiding activities such as bending to lift heavy objects, carrying heavy loads, etc., as these can easily lead to repetitive strain injuries of the back muscles.

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Written by Li Jin
Orthopedics
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Can lumbar muscle strain be cured completely?

Whether lumbar muscle strain can be completely cured is related to the severity of the condition. Generally, patients with mild conditions should rest and may use anti-inflammatory and analgesic medications, or treatment methods such as hot compresses, physical therapy, and massage. Symptoms can be effectively relieved within a few days, and recovery is possible. For more severe cases, recovery may be slower if patients do not rest properly, and there could be recurrent episodes as well. Thus, patients with lumbar muscle strain should also pay attention to rest and recuperation routinely, develop correct habits for using the lower back, and reduce heavy physical activities involving the lower back. Additionally, it is important to stay warm and prevent exposure to cold. Patients can also use anti-inflammatory and analgesic medications, and drugs that promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis to facilitate recovery. Heat compresses and physical therapy can be used as well. These methods play an active role in improving symptoms and promoting recovery. (Note: The use of medications should be carried out under the guidance of a professional doctor.)