Decompression Therapy Helps With Lumbar Muscle Strain

Introduction

The body functions throughout the world in a variety of scenarios. Whether the person is doing a sports activity, doing physical therapy, or commuting to get to their destination, the body has to be able to do these things without being in pain. However, things tend to affect the body, like a pulled muscle, an injury caused by an accident, autoimmune diseases, and others that can affect the body and the back. Today’s article focuses on muscle strains in the lumbar area of the back, their symptoms, and how decompression therapy can help alleviate lumbar muscle strains in the back. By referring patients to qualified and skilled providers specializing in spinal decompression therapy. To that end, and when appropriate, we advise our patients to refer to our associated medical providers based on their examination. We find that education is the key to asking valuable questions to our providers. Dr. Alex Jimenez DC provides this information as an educational service only. Disclaimer

Can my insurance cover it? Yes, it may. If you are uncertain, here is the link to all the insurance providers we cover. If you have any questions, please call Dr. Jimenez at 915-850-0900.

What Are Lumbar Muscle Strains?

Have you felt a pinched nerve on your lower back? How about feeling a gradual, dull ache in your lower back muscles? Or how about tenderness in certain muscle areas of the lower back? You could be suffering from lumbar muscle strains on your lower back. The lower back of the body helps it move, twist, turn, and supports the weight of the upper body, keeping it upright. Research studies have stated that when the lower back is under an excruciating amount of stress, it can cause the soft tissues to become injured and painful to the touch. When the soft tissues in the low back are under a lot of stress and are over-stretched, the surrounding area where the soft tissue resides is inflamed. This will cause the area to be tender to the touch, cause muscle cramps, or cause intense pain when it contracts tightly.

The Symptoms

Since the soft tissues on the lower back help support the body and can be succumbed to injuries, it is essential to know that low back pain is one of the most common issues for many individuals worldwide. As one of the causes of disabilities and the highest healthcare expenses, many people who suffer from low back pain or muscle strains call off work. Research studies have shown that muscle strains are acute low back pains that can turn chronic over time. Some of the symptoms that muscle sprains do cause in the lower back include:

• Muscle weakness
• Profound decrease in tendon reflexes
• Decreased range of motion of the joints
• Muscle inflammation 
• Stiffness
• Low back pain

Other research studies have found that individuals with musculoskeletal disorders have noticed that they complained about radicular pain in their lower back and suffer muscle spasms. This is due to the overstretched lower back muscles, causing the spine to become herniated and pressing on the nerve roots spread out in the lower back.

Decompression Therapy Demonstration- Video

Feeling your lower back muscles ache and tender to the touch? How about muscle stiffness whenever you are walking or standing for long periods? Or how about pain in your lower back that is causing you to not go to work? If this has happened to you, then decompression therapy could benefit you. Decompression therapy allows traction to gently pull the spine and supply it with the necessary nutrients to restore the spinal discs to their original form. This will allow the spine to increase its disc height and take the pressure off the nerve roots causing the individual pain. After a couple of treatments, many individuals suffering from low back pain will begin to feel relief in their lower back. If you want to learn more on how decompression therapy can help you, this link will explain its benefits and how it can relieve muscle strains.

Decompression Therapy Helps Alleviate Muscle Strain

With many treatments that help alleviate muscle strain and low back pain, decompression therapy can help individuals by placing them on a motorized traction table and gently stretching their spine out. Research studies have stated that decompression therapy can reduce the pressure off the nerve roots and gradually increase mobility to the joints and relax the soft tissues caused by muscle sprains. This negative pressure allows the lumbar muscle region to be loose and prevents the intervertebral disc from herniated. Other research studies have shown that the ligaments from the back lumbar region will begin to relax, and the lumbar spine will increase disc height due to the negative pressure on the back. Many individuals will feel instant relief and continue on their wellness journey.

Conclusion

Overall, the soft tissues of the lower back allow the body to twist, turn, and move while making sure that it stays upright without feeling any pain whatsoever. When the lower back goes under a tremendous amount of stress, it can cause the soft tissues to be overworked and lead to injuries, low back pain, and muscle spasms. Luckily non-surgical treatments like decompression therapy allow the tight, overused muscles to relax while gently stretching the back to allow the necessary oxygen and nutrients to come back into the spinal disc. Traction on the spine allows the herniated disc to be pulled back into the spine and takes the pressure off the nerve roots in the lower back. This will decrease the inflammation in certain lower back areas, restore the torn muscles, and bring back a person’s quality of life.

References

Choi, Jioun, et al. “Influences of Spinal Decompression Therapy and General Traction Therapy on the Pain, Disability, and Straight Leg Raising of Patients with Intervertebral Disc Herniation.” Journal of Physical Therapy Science, The Society of Physical Therapy Science, Feb. 2015, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4339166/.

El Sayed, Moustafa, and Avery L Callahan. “Mechanical Back Strain – Statpearls – NCBI Bookshelf.” StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL), StatPearls Publishing, 24 Jan. 2022, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK542314/.

Hamilton, Kojo. “Pulled Back Muscle and Lower Back Strain.” Spine, Spine-Health, 8 Sept. 2017, www.spine-health.com/conditions/lower-back-pain/pulled-back-muscle-and-lower-back-strain.

Hirayama, Jiro, et al. “Relationship between Low-Back Pain, Muscle Spasm and Pressure Pain Thresholds in Patients with Lumbar Disc Herniation.” European Spine Journal : Official Publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society, Springer-Verlag, Jan. 2006, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3454558/.

Kang, Jeong-Il, et al. “Effect of Spinal Decompression on the Lumbar Muscle Activity and Disk Height in Patients with Herniated Intervertebral Disk.” Journal of Physical Therapy Science, The Society of Physical Therapy Science, Nov. 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5140813/.

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