what is the best treatment for a torn back muscle

How long does a torn back muscle take to heal?

• Mild back muscle strain should heal in 2-3 weeks if you apply hot and cold treatment to the muscle injury.
• A severe back strain or pulled muscle that shows signs of swelling may take between 2 and 3 months to heal completely and be free of pain.
• A complete back muscle tear may need surgery to reattach the muscles and tendons.

How do you treat a torn back muscle?

• Protect the strained muscle from further injury.
• Rest the strained muscle. ...
• Ice the muscle area (20 minutes every hour while awake). ...
• Compression can be gently applied with an Ace or other elastic bandage, which can both provide support and decrease swelling. ...
• Elevate the injured area to decrease swelling. ...

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What is the best treatment for a torn muscle?

Natural Treatments for Pulled, Torn, or Strained Back Muscle

• R.I.C.E.
• Heat
• Epsom salt bath to relieve strained muscle in the back
• Essential oil soothing muscle rub
• Exercises for pulled back muscles
• Other Exercises for strengthening your back
• Reduce stress

Can a torn muscle ever fully recover?

Yes, a torn muscle can repair itself, to an extent. A little help is required to achieve complete and healthy healing of a torn muscle. A torn muscle cannot completely repair itself, as the torn muscle fibres get replaced with scar tissue, which does not provide the same amount of strength and flexibility.

How long does a torn muscle in back take to heal?

Compared to many other kinds of back injuries, a pulled muscle is usually straightforward to diagnose and easy to treat, and symptoms usually resolve within 4 to 6 weeks. Some severe muscle injuries, such as a complete muscle tear, can take months to heal.

Can a back muscle tear heal on its own?

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.

What does a torn muscle in the back feel like?

Symptoms to expect from a pulled lower back muscle—or any type of lower back strain—typically include: Dull, achy low back pain. Strained muscles usually feel sore, tight, or achy. Pain that feels hot, tingling, or electric is more likely caused by an irritated nerve root, not a pulled muscle.

How do I treat a torn muscle in my back?

If you do pull a lower back muscle, there are several things you can help relieve the swelling and pain.Apply ice or heat. It's a good idea to ice your back right away to reduce swelling. ... Anti-inflammatories. ... Massage. ... Compression. ... Rest.

How do I know if I tore something in my back?

What are the symptoms of a back strain or sprain?Pain that gets worse when you move.Muscle cramping or spasms (sudden uncontrollable muscle contractions)Decreased function and/or range of motion of the joint (difficulty walking, bending forward or sideways, or standing straight)

Does MRI show muscle damage in back?

An MRI scan of your back will show images of wear and tear on the spine and other bones of your back, along with muscles, ligaments, and other soft tissues in the area. However, it is normal to see signs of damage to structures and tissues of the back, particularly among older adults.

How painful is a torn back muscle?

The pain can range from mildly irritating to intense and debilitating depending on how badly the muscle is strained. If your muscle strain is mild or moderate, the pain usually goes away within a couple of weeks. Severe strains can take a couple of months or more to heal.

How do you tell the difference between a pulled muscle and a torn muscle?

Symptoms of a strain include muscle spasms, weakness, cramping, immobility, pain, bruising and swelling. It can take a few weeks for symptoms of a mild-to-moderate strain to ease, he explained. A tear is the ripping of tissue in ligaments, muscles or tendons.

Should you massage a muscle tear?

Massage. Therapeutic massage helps loosen tight muscles and increase blood flow to help heal damaged tissues. Applying pressure to the injured muscle tissue also helps remove excess fluid and cellular waste products. A 2012 study found that massage immediately following an injury may even speed strained muscle healing.

How do you know if your back injury is serious?

What are the symptoms of serious back injury?difficulty breathing or shortness of breath.problems with urinating or passing stool (poo)numbness or pins and needles to the arms, legs, hands or feet.fever.paralysis.blood in the urine.

How is a torn muscle diagnosed?

Symptoms of Torn Muscles Expect pain and soreness, as well as spasms and swelling in the affected area. Depending on the severity of the strain, you may find it difficult to move the area, if at all. You may note swelling as well as bruising and discoloration accompanied by a “knotted up” feeling or stiffness.

How should I sleep with a pulled back muscle?

1. Sleep on your side to relieve pain from a pulled back muscleAvoid a tight curled-up fetal position (knees pulled in toward the body), and instead sleep with your body slightly elongated.Slip a slim pillow between your knees to support the natural curvature of your spine.More items...

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I was pushing real hard and felt something in my calf pop. Could it be an inner muscle puncture?

Muscles generally do not puncture unless being stabbed by a sharp object. The muscle likely just moved. Talk with your primary care doctor.

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7 Simple Ways to Treat a Strained Back Muscle

If you have ever sprained your back muscles, you probably know the answer to “what does a pulled back muscle feel like”?

What is Muscle Strain?

As mentioned earlier, strain is typically an injury to either your tendon or muscles. Tendons are solid fibrous bands of thick tissues that connect muscles to bones. When you strain your back, the tendons and muscles supporting the spine are torn, pulled, or twisted.

Causes of a Strained Back Muscle

Sometimes even simply pulling or twisting a tendon or muscles may result in a strained back. That means, even a single instance of overstressing the lower back muscles or improper lifting can cause back strain. If you have a long-term (chronic) strain, it may be the result of repetitive, prolonged muscles and tendon use.

Can You Diagnose Strained Back Muscle?

Medical professionals diagnose mild strains by studying the medical history of the patients. A qualified healthcare provider reviews the symptoms of the patients and the reason for injury— or performs a physical examination.

How to Treat a Strained Back Muscle

In many cases of a sprained back or pulled back muscle, doctors use non-invasive and standard self-care treatments. Here are some first-step strained upper back muscle treatment options to effectively reduce pain.

Summing Up

All in all, regardless of the reason you develop muscle strain, it is a painful condition and may worsen if not treated on time. The abovementioned seven ways can help you reduce the pain and heal muscles faster.

How to heal a torn muscle in the back?

During this time, you should apply an ice pack wrapped in a thin towel to the torn muscle for 15-20 minutes every 2 hours. You should also wrap the injured area in an ace bandage to reduce swelling.

What to do if you have a muscle tear?

2. Ask about physical therapy. Physical therapy may also be necessary if you have sustained a severe muscle tear. Doing physical therapy can help to ensure that the muscle will heal correctly and that you will regain full use of it.

How to treat muscle pain from a muscle injury?

Non-steroidal anti-infammatory drugs, also known as NSAIDs, are helpful for relieving pain and inflammation from a muscle injury. Try taking a dose of an NSAID, such as ibuprofen or naproxen. Take only the recommended doses of Ibuprofen or aspirin for 3 to 7 days after the injury.

How to treat a second degree muscle injury?

For either a first or second degree injury, medical care is not typically needed. You can treat these injuries with RICE, a mnemonic for the treatment. "R" stands for "rest" the injured area. Take a break from exercising until you can move the muscle without pain.

What to do if you have a severe injury?

3. Request a prescription pain-reliever for severe pain. If your injury is severe, then you may experience severe pain as well. In this case, your doctor may prescribe a pain reliever, such as codeine.

What to eat to heal a torn muscle?

Eat foods that contain a lot of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, antioxidants, and protein to speed up the healing process. Some foods that would help include: citrus fruits, sweet potatoes, blueberries, chicken, walnuts, and many more.

Can you get a torn ligament from working out?

Muscle injuries are common, especially among people who work out. It is easy to overdo it and end up with a torn muscle or sprained ligament. If you play any type of sport or have children who do, you have probably had to administer first aid at some point.

How to treat a torn muscle in the back?

How to treat torn back muscles. The first step you can take to treating a torn back muscle is figuring out what triggers the pain that goes along with it. Chances are whatever activity give you pain is the activity that caused you to tear your back muscle. Always remember to stop and rest whenever your back starts to hurt.

Where is the pain in the back?

Typically in cases of torn back muscles, pain is found in the center of the upper, middle, and lower back. Pain my also increase during exercise or activity, and reduce to tolerable and even non-existent levels while resting or staying sedentary. People who suffer from torn back muscles may also experience back muscle spasms.

Can tightness cause back pain?

That physical tension and tightness leads to a lot of strain on the back muscles, which can eventually lead to torn back muscles if untreated.

How to stop a torn muscle?

Apply Some Cold. In any muscular injury, ice is a good first therapy. The application of an ice pack over a torn muscle will help stop any bleeding that is occurring into the muscle compartment by causing blood vessel constriction. Ice will also help reduce swelling and pain.

Where to rest after a torn muscle?

One of the most common places that a muscle tear occurs is the thigh, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), because the muscles here cross both the knee and hip joint. When an injury occurs in the thigh, your doctor may prescribe the use of crutches to allow full rest of the injured muscle. In other areas, a brace may be prescribed.

How long after a torn muscle is it safe to wear compression bandage?

A primary way that a torn muscle heals is through appropriate blood circulation, and so compression is not generally advised beyond the first 72 hours after the injury unless activity of the muscle is required.

What is the best medicine for a muscle tear?

A doctor may prescribe NSAIDs, such as naproxen, ibuprofen or aspirin, to help reduce pain and inflammation associated with a muscle tear. In more severe cases, steroids might be prescribed.

How long should you put ice packs on after a muscle tear?

Ice packs should never be applied directly to the skin, but should be wrapped in a towel and applied for 20 minutes every two hours. In the first 72 hours after a muscle tear, heat is not appropriate even though it may temporarily feel good. Advertisement.

Why do muscles get strained?

A muscle strain most often occurs when the muscle is required to contract forcefully , such as in sporting events. Muscles can become torn from not being properly stretched or warmed up before an activity or because the muscle is weak or not fully healed from a previous injury. Symptoms of a strained muscle include pain or burning sensation in ...

How to heal a pulled muscle?

The healing process following a pulled muscle usually involves the body's attempt to immobilize the area and lay down scar tissue, which can have a long-term effect on the muscle's ability to function at full capacity. A course of physical therapy can help speed recovery, according to Rocky Mountain Therapy Services.

What is the treatment for a minor strain?

– that’s Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation – treatment for injuries. Your orthopedist may also recommend NSAIDs – non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs – to help reduce swelling.

How to prevent muscle tears?

In most cases, muscles tears are preventable by observing proper warm-up techniques and never forcing a cold muscle to perform full tilt. Using the proper form in any activity is also critical to maintaining healthy muscles. Know your body’s limits. When it comes to pushing your body to the extreme, there’s no such thing as “no pain no gain.” In fact, pain often is the first sign that a muscle has been injured. Get to know your body and understand its signals. This is the best way to not only avoid injury, but to ensure continued peak performance.

How long does it take for a muscle tear to heal?

Moderate tears may require physical therapy. A severe tear that requires surgical repair can take months or longer to heal.

Where do torn muscles occur?

While any muscle can be affected, torn muscles most often occur in the lower back, neck, shoulder and hamstring. Torn muscles are categorized by the severity of the injury: mild which is a simple strain affecting 5% of a muscle’s fibers; moderate which is up to 25%-30% and accompanied by swelling, decreased range of motion and pain;

How do you know if you have a torn muscle?

Symptoms of Torn Muscles. When you tear a muscle, even when it is mild, you will know immediately. Expect pain and soreness, as well as spasms and swelling in the affected area. Depending on the severity of the strain, you may find it difficult to move the area, if at all.

What is the best medicine for a strained back muscle?

Consider nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). NSAIDs can help reduce the inflammation of a strained back muscle and may temporarily decrease swelling and provide pain relief. Examples of over-the-counter NSAIDs include aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen. Before using an NSAID, carefully read and follow the label’s directions.

How to get rid of muscle strain in lower back?

Get up and walk around, even if for just a few minutes at a time. Incorporate gentle stretching exercises into your day to restore your mobility and protect your back against future injury. See Exercises for Lower Back Muscle Strain.

What to do when your back hurts?

When your back pain suddenly flares up, discontinue the physical activity that you’re doing. It is important to protect your lower back from further injury. Don’t push through your workout or continue to do chores around the house. Overusing a strained back muscle may worsen the damage and delay the recovery.

How to sleep with a back strain?

A back muscle strain can make it difficult to sleep. For a more comfortable position to rest or sleep, try to keep your spine naturally aligned: 1 For people who prefer sleeping on the back, place a pillow underneath your knees to reduce stress on your lower back. 4 2 For people who prefer sleeping on the side, place a pillow between your knees to help maintain balanced hips and natural spine alignment.

What is a pulled muscle in the lower back?

Here’s how: Lower Back Strain Video Save. Lower back strain, also referred to as a pulled muscle, is caused by damage to the muscles and ligaments of the lower back. Watch: Lower Back Strain Video.

How to get rid of stiffness in back?

Switching from ice to heat therapy. Place a heat pack or electric heating pad against your back. The warmth will increase blood flow to the injured area and may soothe your strained muscles and connective tissues. 1 Heat therapy can also reduce stiffness so you can more easily get up and exercise.

How to get rid of bumps on back?

Applying ice to your back can reduce blood flow to the injured area, which helps numb the pain and reduce inflammation and swelling. 2 If you don’t have an instant ice pack on hand, you can try any of the following options: Fill a small plastic bag with ice (and include water to smooth out the bumps).

How to treat a pulled back muscle?

Cold helps reduce inflammation, which is the primary source of pain in the first few days. The faster you can apply cold to a pulled back muscle, the faster you may reduce pain, help control swelling , and start the healing process . Apply a cold pack for 15-20 minutes as soon as the injury occurs. Take a break of at least 20 minutes between each ...

How to get rid of lower back strain?

For strains in lower back muscles, treatment might also include light, low-impact exercise to help maintain range of motion and build muscle strength. 3 Walking, cycling, and swimming are some good options for staying active while recovering from lower back muscle strains.

What to do after a muscle strain?

Right after a muscle strain, it is important to limit your activity level and avoid movements that increase pain. After the initial pain subsides, returning to previous level of activity may help prevent the muscles from growing weak. Stretch.

How long does it take for a pulled muscle to heal?

This common injury ranges from a minor inconvenience to an intense source of pain. It can take several weeks, and in some cases a few months, to heal. 1. A pulled muscle is the common term ...

What is the pain in the lower back?

Aching and stiffness in lower back muscles. Pain that worsens with movement. Pain that radiates to the hips and legs. Limited range of motion. Muscle spasms in lower back area. Pain when sitting, standing, or walking.

What causes a pulled muscle in the back?

Causes and Diagnosis of a Pulled Back Muscle. Trauma, stress, and tension may all cause strains and sprains. Some of the most common causes include: Falling, especially if you hit the ground hard or fall in an awkward position. Repetitive movements that stress and irritate the back muscles. Unsafe lifting, lifting while twisting, ...

What is a pulled muscle?

A pulled muscle is the common term for a strained muscle. 2 A strain is a muscle or tendon injury that happens when the tissue stretches or tears. When a ligament stretches or tears, it’s called a sprain. Back pain, often due to a pulled muscle, is one of the most common issues health professionals treat.

How to Diagnose Torn Disc Low Back Pain?

For a patient suffering from low back pain, it is essential to get the most accurate and thorough diagnosis, in order to select the best treatment options for a torn disc patient. An MRI is a significant diagnostic tool that allows the physician to observe any abnormalities or changes in the spine and the disc.

Non-Operative Treatment

Medications: anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxers and, on rare occasions narcotic medications

Least Invasive Procedures

Once conservative measures have been exhausted, and the patient is still in considerable pain after 6 months, then a least invasive procedure may be recommended. The treatment options for a torn disc have shown good results in minimizing and alleviating pain altogether in some cases: