How long do you need to rest for a lumbar muscle strain?

Written by Cheng Bin
Orthopedics
Updated on September 26, 2024
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Usually, patients with lumbar muscle strain need to actively rest and protect themselves for about seven to ten days to recover. However, during this period, they must actively cooperate with the treatment. Otherwise, if they continue to perform heavy physical labor, or are exposed to cold, the recovery time is unpredictable and may be prolonged. For such patients, local treatments such as hot compresses, massages, light therapy, and acupuncture can be used to promote the absorption of local creatine kinase. Additionally, they can use topical ointments that invigorate the blood and remove stasis, and take oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and blood-activating drugs.

(Specific medications should be used under the guidance of a physician.)

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Written by Li Jie
Orthopedics
47sec home-news-image

What is the location for moxibustion for lumbar muscle strain?

Lumbar muscle strain, as the name suggests, is a fatigue injury of the lumbar muscles. The pathological changes mainly involve local muscle spasms, adhesions, and tension in the lumbar spine, and sometimes there is some disorder in the small joints. Generally, in moxibustion treatment, the most important point is to apply moxibustion at the pain points. We can manually press to locate the most painful area or where the muscles are most tense, and apply moxibustion there, which is known as Ashi point therapy. Secondly, we can select specific acupoints in the lumbar area for targeted moxibustion. Commonly used acupoints include Mingmen, Shenshu, and Yaoyangguan. Targeted moxibustion at these points is usually quite effective.

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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.

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Written by Wang Cheng Lin
Orthopedics
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How many days will it take for a lumbar muscle strain to heal by itself?

Lumbar muscle strain is a chronic condition, not an acute onset. It is caused by fatigue, overexertion, trauma, and vigorous exercise, leading to prolonged and repeated strain, pulling, rupture, and damage of the lumbar muscles, resulting in scar formation and lumbar muscle strain. Therefore, this disease is essentially a chronic ailment, and its healing mainly relies on rest to promote recovery. If muscle damage occurs in the lumbar region and one does not rest, continuing to work and bear loads as usual, the muscles will not heal and will eventually become scarred. Thus, the duration for the healing of lumbar muscle strain depends not on the number of days, but whether adequate and proper rest has been taken. Additionally, applying medications that invigorate blood circulation and disperse blood stasis can assist in recovery. Generally, if care is taken to rest adequately, avoid carrying heavy loads, prevent fatigue, and avoid vigorous exercise, while also using oral medications or plasters that invigorate blood and dispel stasis, healing can gradually occur. However, the condition may recur under fatigue and strain in the future, as it is a chronic disease and complete healing is very difficult to achieve. (Note: This answer is for reference only. Medication should be administered under the guidance of a professional physician, and medications should not be used blindly.)

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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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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.