Herniated Discs Causing Muscle Spasms In Your Lower Back? How To Alleviate The Pain

If you've been diagnosed with a herniated disc, surgery might not be your only treatment option. There are some natural alternatives you can try before you opt for surgical intervention. Even if your doctor has recommended surgery, you can still use these natural alternatives to alleviate the pain and discomfort while you await your surgical date. You might not realize this, but muscle spasms in the large muscle along your lower back are often the most painful symptom associated with a herniated disc. Here are several methods you can use to reduce the muscle spasms in your lower back:

Relax Through Meditation

You might not realize this, but meditation can be quite an effective tool for reducing pain associated with muscle spasms. If you're not comfortable sitting cross-legged on the floor, that's okay. There are other ways to meditate. Simply find a quiet place to be alone with your thoughts. Choose a position that's comfortable for you, close your eyes, breathe deeply, and allow your mind to relax. As you allow your mind to relax, and focus on eliminating the pain, you'll feel the muscles loosen, and the spasms subside. Try this method as often as necessary to control the spasms.

Apply Heat to the Affected Area

Muscle spasms associated with herniated discs respond well to heat. You can use either dry or moist heat to treat the spasms. For dry heat, place a heating pad on your back, lay back, and relax. Leave the heating pad in place for about 30 minutes at a time. For moist heat, soak a towel in hot water, wring it out well, and place it directly on your back. Leave the moist towel in place until it begins to cool down. You can repeat the towel application as needed to reduce painful back spasms.

Try Aqua Therapy

If your back spasms respond well to warmth, but you prefer a better way to relax away the pain, consider using aqua therapy. This method works well when you have access to either a spa, hot tub, or whirlpool tub. Turn the jets on, and soak in the warm water for about 15-20 minutes at a time, several times a day. The warm, whirlpool action of the water will loosen the spasms so you can relax.

Talk to Your Doctor About Epidural Steroids

If other methods aren't working, and the pain is becoming unbearable, it's time to talk to your doctor about epidural steroid injections. Epidural steroid injections bring relief by reducing the inflammation and providing pain relief to the affected area.

If your herniated disc is causing muscle spasms in your lower back, use the tips provided here to loosen your muscles, and reduce the pain. Check out a website like http://swfna.com for more information and assistance.