Treatment for Lumbar Sprain in New Jersey
If you are experiencing shooting pain in your lower back, stiffness, or difficulty walking, you may have a sprained back. The best way to verify the source of your back pain is to obtain a diagnosis from a renowned spine expert, like Branko Skovrlj, MD, at NU-Spine: The Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Institute.
People in Paramus, Woodbridge, Toms River, Jersey City, and Holmdel, NJ, can schedule a free magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) review with a board-certified neurosurgeon. Learn more about lumbar sprains and the treatments available at NU-Spine.
What Is a Lumbar Sprain?
A sprain occurs when muscles and ligaments, which hold bones together, move out of place. The lumbar refers to the lower back and the L1 through L5 vertebrae of the spine. Lumbar sprains are common because of the spine’s multiple points of connective tissue (or ligaments).
A lumbar sprain happens when you overexert your muscles by stretching them too far, causing small tears in the muscle tissue. Those tears weaken the muscles and, in turn, may not hold the bones of the spine in place properly. The spine becomes less stable, which causes lower back pain. Because nerves spread throughout the body through your spinal cord, a lumbar sprain could cause pain in other places of your body besides your back.
In some cases, patients do not have to engage in heavy physical activity to get a lower back sprain. Sprains can arise for even the smallest reasons, such as a severe cough.
Many individuals find it difficult to tell if their injury stems from a back strain or sprain. Visiting a spine specialist is the best way to determine the cause of your symptoms. The differences between a back strain and a back sprain include:
- Back sprain: A sprain is when the ligaments in the back tear
- Back strain: A strain is when a muscle is pulled, or there is an injury to the connective tissue between the muscle and bone
What Are the Symptoms of a Lumbar Sprain?
Symptoms of a sprain typically present as a sharp pain that worsens when you put pressure on the area. Back sprains often feel more painful than if you sprained other areas of your body. This is because the nuances of daily living make it difficult to rest and relax your back. Other symptoms of a lumbar sprain can include:
- Shooting pain when you move
- Muscle spasms
- Stiffness
- Decreased range of motion
- Bruising
- Difficulty walking or standing straight
How Do Lumbar Sprains Develop?
A lower back sprain is a common injury that can happen in an instant, even by just moving the wrong way. Lumbar sprains typically occur after placing too much stress on your lower back and the connective tissue around it. Since the lower back holds up the top half of your body, your back must support a variety of movements. It connects to your lower body to allow for activities such as walking.
Lower back sprains can be caused by many circumstances, including:
- Extreme physical exertion
- Falling
- Bending or crouching repeatedly
- Improper lifting of heavy objects
- Poor posture
- Emotional stress
- Being overweight or out of shape
- Sitting for long periods without movement
- Abrupt twisting or awkward motions
- Whiplash
- Sports
While you cannot prevent lower back sprains fully, you can avoid some of the risk factors that cause them.
Additional Causes for Lower Back Sprains
In some cases, lower back sprains are more than they appear — they can indicate another back problem. Even though rest can help, you must get to the root of the problem to find relief from symptoms. A lumbar sprain is more likely to occur if you have:
- Herniated discs
- Spondylosis
- Lumbar deformities
- Lumbar degenerative disc disease
- Flat back syndrome
- Pars defect
- Lumbar spinal stenosis
- Lumbar radiculopathy
If you experience frequent lumbar sprains, reach out to Dr. Skovrlj and the NU-Spine for a consultation.
Are There Nonsurgical Treatments for a Lower Back Sprain?
If you find that you have a mild case of lumbar sprain, there are some things you can try at home to alleviate the pain:
- Ice your back for 20 minutes every three hours for a few days to reduce pain and swelling
- Apply heat to your back after the swelling has gone down and after icing it for two to three days
- Take an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory to help reduce pain and swelling
- Use a back support
- Consider physical therapy, especially back stretches, if your doctor recommends it
If you experience frequent lumbar sprains, you can try to prevent them with these tips:
- Stop physical activity if you feel pain in your back
- Rest if low back pain increases after changes in workout routines
- Exercise and stretch your back muscles regularly
- Avoid sleeping on your stomach, wedging a pillow under or beneath your legs
- Bend at the knees, not at the waist, when picking up a heavy object
- Make diet and lifestyle changes if weight is the cause of your sprains
- Adopt good posture by sitting straight in chairs, with your back against the chair
If you are prone to back sprains, do not overexert yourself — these injuries take time to heal.
How Can Someone Avoid Lumbar Sprains?
If you are having chronic back sprains, they could be because of:
- A structural issue with the spine
- A disease
- Wear and tear due to overuse or age
If that is the case, your doctor might recommend surgery to help with your back pain. At NU-Spine, Dr. Skovrlj specializes in minimally invasive spine surgeries. This treatment provides many benefits, including less recovery time and fewer post-operative symptoms. Many patients can return home on the same day as surgery.
A few minimally invasive spine procedures for lumbar spine conditions include:
- Microdiscectomy: A procedure that can be done with just a local anesthetic. A small tube is inserted through an incision. Thin tools go through the tube to remove pieces of a disc if it is bulging, slipped, herniated, or otherwise causing pain.
- Revision spine surgery: Is necessary when previous surgeries were ineffective at treating the source of pain.
- Minimally invasive laminectomy: During this procedure, a vertebral bone is removed to relieve pressure on the nerves. This is an ideal treatment option if bone spurs or ligament tightness makes you vulnerable to sprains.
- Spinal Fusion: Combines two or more vertebrae into one to prevent grinding, compression, and pain. This procedure may be used if you are prone to lumbar sprains due to structural problems.
Lumbar sprains can create uncomfortable symptoms, seriously impacting a patient’s quality of life. Dr. Skovrlj uses the most effective treatments to return his patients to pain-free lives.
Schedule a Consultation With NU-Spine Specialists
People experiencing constant lower back pain who think they may be suffering from a lumbar sprain can rely on the services at NU-Spine: The Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Institute. The first step to relief from your symptoms is a consultation with board-certified neurosurgeon, Branko Skovrlj, MD. Specializing exclusively in spine surgery and treatments, our team uses minimally invasive surgical techniques that allow for less downtime for the patient.
NU-Spine has offices conveniently located in Paramus, Woodbridge, Toms River, Jersey City, and Holmdel, NJ — all equipped with innovative technology. To learn more, fill out the form below or contact us today.
