Back Strains – What Do You Need to Know About First Aid?
Do you feel a sharp pain along your back when you lift or bend? Back strains happen when one of the muscles supporting your spine becomes twisted or torn.
Whether you’re a professional athlete or play for enjoyment, back strains are likely to happen. As a common injury that can take several weeks or months to fully heal, knowing how to care for it at home is essential. Having a better understanding of first aid methods will also help you determine when to seek treatment from a doctor.
Moderate to severe injuries may require professional treatment from a chiropractor near LAX to promote healing and minimize risks of long-term damage.
Symptoms of Pulled Back Muscles
The symptoms you experience are contingent on where the injury is located. The spine divides your back into three sections: lower back, neck, upper back and shoulders. Mild strains can be treated outside of a doctor’s care unless symptoms worsen. In the first few hours you can experience:
- Pain
- Swelling
- Muscle spasms
- Muscle weakness
If symptoms progress in the following ways, you will need more than a simple home remedy:
- Severe pain and swelling
- Inability to move and walk for a few steps
- Pain that inhibits you from sleeping
- A lump near the affected area
- No bowel or bladder control
- Weakness or numbness of legs
If you suffer from any of the above, you need to visit a chiropractic specialist in Los Angeles.
How Are Back Strains Caused?
Trauma and stress on one’s body can cause strains to happen. Knowing the risks associated can help prevent you from experiencing it. For instance, playing a sport like soccer may involve repetitive movements or cause you to fall frequently before reaching a goal. When you fall, especially in an awkward position it can increase tensions on surrounding tissue and muscles. Similarly, repetitive movements add to that stress, evoking irritation. If you recently returned after taking time away from playing, it is not uncommon to feel sore after the first few games. Though, persistent or worsening pain is an indicator to physical therapists near LAX that you should take it easy again.
First Aid Treatment
During the first 48 hours, your goal at home is to cut the pain in half, reduce swelling and muscle spasms. We walk you through four holistic approaches.
Rest – While it can be difficult to stay off the field, away from the court, or out of the gym take a break from your normal routine for a couple of days. Focus on recovery and give your back time to heal properly.
Ice – Ice the injured area for no more than 20 minutes between four to eight times throughout the day. A bag of ice or a cold pack will do.
Compression – Applying pressure may be the last thing you want to do, but it can reduce swelling. Your back can be a tricky area to reach. Try to wrap a bandage around the affected area. Keep in mind, wrapping it too tightly can cut off your circulation and make the injury worse.
Medication – Over the counter medications can reduce inflammation and can help minimize discomfort and inflammation. Try to take ibuprofen or aspirin if permitted by your doctor.
See A Sports Doctor
When in doubt, visit a sports doctor near LAX. Sports medicine involves diagnosing, preventing, and treating exercise or sports related injuries.
At Advanced Spine & Sports Medicine, our sports injury doctors focus on helping you improve your performance, prevent injuries, and most importantly recover. A trigger point injection may be the right solution for you, as it pinpoints small areas that are sensitive to touch. It acts to relieve pain directly once injected. Chiropractors in LA are specialists that can treat a range of back injuries while working with other parents of the body for full coverage.