How to relieve pain from lumbar muscle strain?

Written by Na Hong Wei
Orthopedics
Updated on September 03, 2024
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Lumbar muscle strain, if the pain is severe, can usually be alleviated using the following methods. First and foremost, during the acute phase, what is primarily needed? First, you need to rest and immobilize, mainly ceasing some activities and ideally lying on a hard bed in a supine position with hips and knees flexed. Secondly, for the painful area, you can apply appropriate physiotherapy. This includes traditional Chinese massage and acupuncture. Thirdly, if there are specific fixed painful points, you might consider blockade therapy. Fourthly, when the pain is particularly severe and affects your work and rest, you can take some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Additionally, use some stimulating medicines or stimulating liniments. If the pain severely impacts your mood and work, you might also consider some sedatives. Fifthly, you can use some external or internal traditional Chinese medicine, which is usually very effective in managing pain.

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Written by Wang Cheng Lin
Orthopedics
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Can acupuncture be used for lumbar muscle strain?

Yes, and the effect of acupuncture is very good for the treatment of lumbar muscle strain. At the same time, it should also be known that the treatment of lumbar muscle strain is not just about acupuncture treatment. The most important thing is that the cause of lumbar muscle strain is due to fatigue, and the main cause of the disease must be removed to cure the disease fundamentally. Therefore, patients with lumbar muscle strain, in addition to acupuncture, must pay attention to rest and avoid fatigue. If after the acupuncture, the pain is relieved, and then you continue to do heavy physical work, the lumbar muscle strain will recur and will become increasingly severe. Therefore, in general, after acupuncture, it is still recommended to avoid fatigue and pay attention to rest.

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Written by Li Jin
Orthopedics
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What department should I go to for lumbar muscle strain?

Patients with lumbar muscle strain can visit the orthopedics department. Lumbar muscle strain is primarily caused by long-term heavy physical activities involving the lower back, poor posture, and chronic strain. Symptoms can include lower back pain and restricted movement, which typically lessen after rest and worsen after physical activity. For treating lumbar muscle strain, it is important to first ensure adequate rest and to develop proper habits for using the lower back, avoiding long-term heavy physical activities. Treatment can also involve the appropriate use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesic medications, combined with heat application, physical therapy, massage, or nerve block techniques. These methods can effectively improve symptoms and promote recovery.

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Written by Guan Yu Hua
Orthopedic Surgery
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How should lumbar muscle strain be treated?

Lumbar muscle strain is a particularly common disease, such as strenuous exercise or long periods of heavy physical labor. For instance, farmers bending over, farming, hoeing, cutting grass, fertilizing, and spraying pesticides are all activities closely related to the movement of the lumbar muscles. The human body's muscles engage in 80% of activities, and their involvement in lumbar muscle strain is very common. It mainly manifests as swinging hammers, digging tree pits, bending over to lift heavy objects, and carrying heavy weights. Subsequently, pain and discomfort in the lumbar region occur. The next morning, upon waking, the symptoms may become more apparent. The lumbar area may feel stiff, akin to a plank, making getting out of bed difficult. Through physical examination and radiographic imaging, such as CT scans of the lumbar spine, the condition can generally be identified and confirmed. In such cases, strict bed rest is required, generally for at least ten days, during which symptoms gradually alleviate. During this period, treatments such as traction, physiotherapy, massage, and heating can help alleviate the symptoms. If necessary, blood-activating and pain-relieving medications may be taken. The condition is treatable, but it is advisable to avoid prolonged sitting in the future. When engaging in heavy labor, it is better to restrict the lumbar region by wearing a lumbar belt or engaging in lighter physical activities that do not overly exert the lumbar area. Regular care for the lumbar region is essential. Once there is damage to the lumbar region, recurrent episodes can affect the quality of normal life and work.

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Written by Li Jin
Orthopedics
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Is applying heat useful for lumbar muscle strain?

Patients with lumbar muscle strain can find heat application helpful in relieving symptoms, as it is a type of physiotherapy. Heat application can promote blood circulation, reduce inflammatory reactions, and actively alleviate symptoms such as lower back pain. Patients with lumbar muscle strain should also ensure adequate rest, develop proper habits for using the lumbar region, and avoid long-term heavy physical activities involving the back. Additionally, treatments can include the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, blood-activating and stasis-dissolving medications, in combination with heat application, physiotherapy, massage, or injections. These methods can actively improve symptoms and promote recovery, thus heat application is advisable for patients with lumbar muscle strain.

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Written by Li Jie
Orthopedics
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Lumbar muscle strain is which part?

Lumbar muscle strain, as the name suggests, refers to a group of symptoms of muscle pain in the lumbar region caused by strain. Typically, it occurs in the waist area, around where we usually wear a belt. Generally, the pain is located about 10 to 20 centimeters above the belt area and about 10 centimeters below it. The pain on either side of the lumbar spine in this area is called lumbar muscle strain, which is usually caused by strain in the muscles of the lumbar spine. If the pain is in the central part of the lumbar spine, this type of pain is generally due to inflammation of the supraspinous ligament or tendonitis. Sometimes, it is caused by a herniated lumbar disc, which may not be closely related to lumbar muscle strain. Therefore, we say that pain in the muscles on either side of the waist is called lumbar muscle strain.