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Getting Rid of Back Pain

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Back Muscle Strain or Ligament Sprain

What is a Back Muscle Strain or Ligament Sprain?

Muscle strains and ligament sprains and lumbar sprains are the most common causes of low back pain.

A low back muscle strain occurs when the muscle fibres are abnormally stretched or torn. Muscle fatigue, excessive loads or poor lifting postures are the most common problems. Simple muscle strains usually improve within a day or two. Muscular pain lasting more than two or three days may require professional physiotherapy treatment to quickly relieve pain and promote healing.
A lumbar ligament sprain occurs when the ligaments (the tough bands of tissue that that limit the amount of movement at available at each spinal level), are torn from their attachments. Stretching ligaments too far or too quickly will tear them with subsequent bleeding into the surrounding tissues, causing swelling and pain. Awkward lifting, sports injuries and motor vehicle accidents are very common causes.

Differentiating a strain from a sprain can be difficult, as both injuries will show similar symptoms.

Most spinal practitioners refer to both injuries as a category called "Musculoligamentous Strain".

In general, it doesn't matter what you call the problem because the treatment and prognosis for both back muscular strains and ligament sprains is similar. And, usually both occur simultaneously.

If you don't know the cause of your back pain, you should have it evaluated by your health practitioner. Just as in other regions of the body, physiotherapy treatment is designed to hasten your muscle and ligament healing rate. Plus, they have some nifty tricks for quickly relieving your pain so that you can enjoy life again as soon as possible.

Warning Signs of a Serious Injury to the Spine include:

Loss of control of bladder or bowels
Progressive lower extremity weakness
Severe, constant pain

In these instances, please urgently consult your nearest hospital or doctor.

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Common Treatments for Back Pain

Thorough assessment and injury-appropriate treatment of a lumbar musculoligamentous injury is important to provide quick relief and prevent a recurrence.