Back spasm

[Anonymous]

Ugh, I hate getting older. All I did was raise my arm to pull the milk out of the fridge and then my back spasmed and froze. WTF!?

I'm 43 and feel like an 80 year old.

I'm icing it. Do I try to stretch it out or just rest?

[Anonymous]

I would let it rest. Ice and rest are good treatments. Taking Tylenol and Naproxen will help reduce pain and inflammation. You can take them together.

A heating pad will relax the muscle, but increase inflammation and make it more sore. It's best to wait 24-48 hours to use heat.

[Anonymous]

I am around your age and have had similar issues and was under Dr. care for a bit. Two things I would suggest going forward to prevent the spasm. First, make sure you are drinking plenty of liquids and that your potassium intake is sufficient. At our age, we tend to lose potassium more quickly. Second, take on a short stretching routine every morning. As you sleep, your muscles contract. So, do things like fencer's strectches in the morning. Takes me less tan 5 minutes but it makes a big difference.

[Anonymous]

Thank you both!

[Anonymous]

Massage! Plus heat.