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Back Spasms

Thursday, May 29th, 2003 · 8 Comments

First, the good news: Jen is home safely from New York! Woohoo! The dogs and I picked her up from Oakland Airport last night after 11pm. It’s great to have her back home. I missed her.

Next, the bad news: My lower back has been having spasms since last night. They started shortly after I finished cleaning the whole house — sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, dishes, etc. I think maybe I put a bit too much strain on it. I did my foam roller exercises last night hoping that would ease the tension. I’m sure it helped, but here I am at work and the spasms continue. I’ll have to use the roller again tonight.

In the meantime, I’m just glad I have an Aeron chair with lumbar support here at work.

Tags: anecdotes

8 responses so far ↓

  • 1 Dave Reed // May 29, 2003 at 6:39 pm

    Being a person of long back, I’ve had back spasms, and they’re certainly not fun.

    Stretch a _lot_. Touching your toes. I know there are other stretches one can do, but I can’t think of how to describe them.

    Also, I did some weight training at UCD for a quarter, and I did some crunches on a weight machine. I think that helped somewhat.

    Not sure if any of that actually helps, but I thought I’d shout out.

  • 2 CYNTHIA // Oct 4, 2003 at 1:33 pm

    I HAVE BEEN HAVING THESE TERRIBLE MUSCLE SPASMS NOW GOING ON FOR A MONTH REALLY BAD, AND I DONE HAD INJECTIONS AND ALL KINDS OF MEDICATIONS AND NOTHING SEEM TO WORK. I EVEN GOES TO PHYSICAL THERAPHY 3 TIMES A WEEK, AND IT DOESNT WORK. THEY ARE COMING NOW MORE THAN EVER BACK TO BACK. IT STARTED AS A WORK INJURY, AND NEVER STOPPED IS THERE ANYONE OUT THERE GOING THROUGH THE SAME, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IM NOT LOSING MY MIND.

  • 3 Pam // Oct 23, 2003 at 1:21 pm

    Same here. Have you tried seeing a DO. They are a doctor and specialize in muscle and bone problems. Ask your doctor or therapist about purchasing a Theracane. You can also go to Theracane.com and or google and find a variety of prices for the Theracane. This device is a life saver. When you have a spasm, you can give yourself some relief with this. Basically you apply direct pressure to the spasm site which releases the spasm and lets you breathe a sigh of relief. Also has your therapist shown you pressure points release w/ a tennis ball?

    No you are not losing your mind.

    Pam

  • 4 Pam // Oct 23, 2003 at 2:07 pm

    Hi Gabe, thanks for posting my input. I forgot to mention that I have just begun exploring on google “back spasms magnesium”. I had heard of vitamin deficiencies and muscle spasms. Deficiencies in magnesium, potassium, calcium, or vitamin C. I’ve had 2 car accidents 1988 and 1990 and have suffered on and off w/ back spasms. I have had chronic non-stop spasms now for over a year. I’m now going to try the vitamin approach. I’ll let you know the results. Please pass this on to Cynthia. Thanks.

    Pam

  • 5 Mel // Dec 9, 2003 at 7:18 pm

    Hi, I’ve had a lot of muscle spasms too. I found your page by typing in “vitamin deficiency and muscle spasm.” Would you please share what (if anything) you learned while experimenting with vitamins? Thanks! Mel
    PS – Hope you’ve found some relief!

  • 6 pam // Dec 11, 2003 at 4:45 pm

    OK, here I go. I’m back w/ the results of my self-experimentation. I cannot begin to describe the total turnaround in my health situation-chronic back pain, spasms, herniated disc pain in the neck, shoulder surgery, myofascial pain syndrome, etc. About 2 months ago I had the worst flare up-could hardly walk, hubby had to dress me, couldn’t sit on the potty….while waiting to be squeezed in to see my D.O. (osteopath) I was so desparate I got online and researched vitimins and minerals because I remembered reading about spasms and vitamin deficiancies. I didn’t think this would apply to me because I have physical injuries, but when you’re desparate you’ll try anything! I read about taking Magnesium and got magnesium supplements 250 mg from the grocery store. I immediately began taking one and a half tablets= 325 mg. My regular multi-vitamin has 25 mg bringing my total intake of magnesium to 350 mg. I believe the maximum intake allowed is up to 400 mg? Please check I’m not positive. Magnesium can cause loose stools and can be toxic if taken incorretly. In the meantime my doctor did his usual treatment which includes Sacroiliac Mobilization, the only way he can manipulate my low back and is extremely effective and gentler than the standard “cracking of your back” that involves severe and painful twisting of the trunk. After 5 days of taking the magnesium I noticed a dramatic improvement!!I’ve also suffered from Restless Leg Syndrome and the magnesium has pretty much gotten rid of this too. Was it a combination of magnesium and the doctors manipulation? I don’t know. I do know that the doctor has done the manipulation in the past, but the spasms continued. My doctor also recommended taking Magnesium Glycinate instead of the store brand-it absorbs into the body better. It might be a prescription? Since the over the counter magnesium is working for me, I’ve elected to just take this. It’s really cheap too. After six weeks I am, on average, 75% better!!!! Now for more good news….I have to tell you of the real life saver! Instead of sending me back to physical therapy, we’ve all been there, it helps a little, and then we end up right where we were before, my doctor asked me if I’d start seeing his personal trainer. This guy introduced me NOT to your conventional training methods of pumping iron but to a health program. It’s called the Egoscue Method. I have been in pain constantly since 1990 and I don’t remember feeling this good. No I’m not doing cart wheels (in my head I am) or bungy jumping, but my quality of life, happiness, and overall physical well being is like night and day!! The Egoscue Method is a non-medical treatment for pain relief AND IT WORKS!! I recommend going to Google and typing in Egoscue and read all about the founder, Pete Egoscue, and there are books with his program in them. I’m getting his books for Christmas! The concept is so simple: As we get older we become sedentary due to lifes busy schedule or injury. Our muscles and skeletal system becomes imbalanced leading to compensation of posture etc. We end up in pain. This system works w/ non-strenuous exercises. The key is to do this program EVERY DAY. It takes 45 min. The words “I don’t have time” or “I can’t” cannot exist!! You have to be totally committed or this is not going to help. The exercises that I’m doing specifically (I hope they are in the book) are as follows: Arm cirles, elbow curls, ab crunches, crocodile, cats and dogs, standing knee pillw squeezes, wall drop, assisted hip lift, hip lift, sitting floor, supine groin progessive, airbench, and downward dog. These are all timed and have specific instructions to follow on correct technique. I forgot to mention,that for one week prior to starting this program I was told to do Static Back. For 20 min every day for a week I would lie on the floor w/ my legs at a 90 degree angle resting on the coffee table, feet hip width apart (picture sitting in a chair, but you are lying on the floor) Take a deep breath and arms outstretched shoulder level, palms up. This was a big help in taming the spasms. If I start to feel a spasm coming on, I do static back for 20 minutes, get up and the majority of the time the spasm either goes away or is dramatically reduced! Too much static back can loosen ligaments in the back and is not good so only do this for one week and then on an as nedded basis. Stick to the Egoscue. You’ll feel uneasy or intimidated, or somewhat difficult/a little painful at first, but after 6 weeks I’m a new woman!!!!! Good luck! You won’t regret it!

  • 7 pam // Dec 20, 2003 at 5:12 am

    I have a correction to make. Static back is ok to do every day. It will not loosen or harm ligaments. I was thinking of the doctors procedure Sacroiliac Mobilization that should be done only when necessary, not everyday. This can lead to loose ligaments. Sorry. I had so much info to get out I guess I got ahead of myself.

    Pam

  • 8 pam // Dec 20, 2003 at 5:15 am

    Also, check out http://www.egoscue.com.

    Pam