Pulled Back Muscle
Back pain is one of the most common reasons for doctor's visits in New York City. One of the most common reasons for back pain is a pulled-back muscle. Dealing with a pulled muscle in your back hampers multiple areas of your life. The overstretched or torn muscle can deliver just a slight twinge or severe back muscle pain.
Your pain doctor specializes in helping you treat a pulled muscle in your lower back. He considers your lifestyle, range of motion, and other factors to help you return to your previous injury-free life. He educates you to prevent this type of injury from recurring. In our sports injury clinic, our doctors and pain management specialists offer the most advanced pulled-back muscle treatments.
Pulled Back Muscle NYC — SPIN Sports Pain Specialists
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What Causes a Pulled Back Muscle?
Pulled back muscles usually occur due to some type of injury. Your body is stressed or unable to perform a certain movement. The muscle can't handle the workload. The injury can be due to a number of reasons including:
- Overuse of the muscle
- Overloading the muscle
- Sports injury including back or neck injury
- Weak muscles
- Poor lifting techniques
- Falls
- Unexpected twisting
- Repetitive motion. It can take weeks or months to develop into a pulled muscle, even if the strain on your muscles is low.
- Remaining in a static position for long periods. This causes back and neck problems as muscles become fatigued and strained.
- Lifting or working when fatigued
- Poor posture
Injury results in inflammation. Inflammation is a normal part of the healing process. But if the swollen tissue is tender, it can press on nearby nerves causing pain. If the injury occurs from overuse, such as raking the yard, shoveling the driveway, or throwing a ball, the injury heals with rest. If you do not rest, chronic problems set in.
What Are the Symptoms of a Pulled Muscle in the Back?
Strain from overuse and overextension occurs in your lower back, especially with any kind of twisting motion. A pulled muscle in the lower back results in pain, inflammation, muscle weakness, back muscle spasms and stiff muscles. This is your body trying to prevent further injury.
Depending on the severity of the strain, swelling, and bruising, you may lose your ability to move. The recovery time for healing depends on the severity of the sprain. Your adherence to your pulled back muscle treatment can speed up healing. You may need six to eight weeks of rest and other therapies.
Persistent back pain should be evaluated with a thorough consultation and examination. A pain physician will give you an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan. It may be a symptom of a serious illness or condition that needs a full evaluation by a pain management doctor. Your doctor formulates an appropriate workup of a back muscle pain treatment.
When Should You See Our Pain Specialist If You Have a Pulled Muscle in Back?
Most back strains and pulled back muscles resolve themselves with time and rest. There are instances when medical treatment is necessary. Make an appointment with your doctor if:
Your NYC sports and pain specialist gives you a thorough exam. He asks about your medical history, including any recent accidents. Once your doctor reaches a diagnosis, he may suggest some additional treatments for your pulled back muscles.
Back pain can be related to underlying spinal pathology or nerve root problems. Spinal pathology is any disease or injury related to the back. It can range from a herniated disk to scoliosis. Nerve root problems result in radiating pain caused by a compressed nerve. According to a study on PubMed possible red flag conditions indicating underlying spinal pathology or nerve root problems include:
Onset age < 20 or > 55 years
Non-mechanical pain (unrelated to time or activity)
Thoracic pain
Previous history of carcinoma, steroids, HIV
Feeling unwell
Weight loss
Widespread neurological symptoms
Structural spinal deformity
Indicators for nerve root problems
Unilateral leg pain > low back pain
Radiates to foot or toes
Numbness and paraesthesia in same distribution
Straight leg raising test induces more leg pain
Localized neurology (limited to one nerve root)
Call our office to make an appointment with Dr. Melepura pulled-back muscle treatment specialist in Midtown New York. If you experience any of the above symptoms it could be a sign of a serious condition(s). A trained back pain specialist like Dr. Melepura is familiar with the signs and can make an accurate diagnosis. He provides an individualized treatment plan for your back pain.
What Are the Pulled Lower Back Muscle Treatments?
Most treatments for pulled-back muscles focus on symptom management and support for your back as it heals. Compliance with your doctor's recommended back muscle pain treatment encourages quicker healing and a greater chance of complete recovery.
Treatments for a pulled muscle in the back include:
- Rest, but not for too long
- Cold therapy applied for 15 to 20 minutes every four hours for the first few days
- Compression with wraps
- Keeping muscles elevated with your head propped up when resting
- Gentle stretching
- Gradual strengthening exercises
- Prescription pain relievers
- Massage or hydrotherapy
- Light chiropractic manipulation
- After inflammation is reduced, heat therapy
- Reducing stress
- Better posture techniques
- Activity modification
- Warming up before any physical activity
- Being patient
Your New York City back pain specialist Dr. Melepura may recommend several of these therapies at once to encourage relaxed and healed back muscles. Following your doctor's advice encourages the treatment for a pulled-back muscle to be successful. Dr. Melepura is among the best pulled-back muscle pain treatment doctors in NYC.
Prevention Is the Best Course
Anyone can overdo an exercise routine or other activity. But to avoid the need for later pulled lower back muscle treatment, follow these suggestions:
Find good core strengthening exercises.
Develop and adhere to proper posture.
Incorporate proper lifting techniques.
Continue healthy stretching and strengthening back exercises.
Your pain specialist in NYC helps determine which pulled lower back muscle treatment best heals your back pain. Moving forward, the prevention of future injury helps keep you healthy and pain-free.
Ready to find relief from your pulled back muscle?
Dr. Melepura's Midtown Manhattan clinic offers same-day appointments for evaluation and treatment.
Real Stories from our Patients
Dr. Febin Melepura, MD
Double Board-Certified Pain Specialist
Meet Dr. Febin Melepura — Your Pulled Back Muscle Specialist in NYC
Dr. Febin Melepura, MD is a double board-certified interventional pain management specialist and the founder of the Sports Pain Institute of New York. He completed his residency and fellowship training at New York Presbyterian Hospital / Columbia University Medical Center, one of the nation's leading academic medical centers.
He holds dual board certifications from the American Board of Anesthesiology and the American Board of Pain Medicine, and has treated more than 7,500 patients and performed over 5,250 procedures throughout his career. He has been named a Top Pain Management Doctor in New York and one of America's Top Doctors™ by Castle Connolly.
Dr. Melepura's approach to pulled back muscle treatment is rooted in precision: identify the exact source, treat it with a targeted injection, and get you back to your daily life as quickly as possible.
Ready to Book an Appointment?
Same-day appointments available. Call (212) 621-7746 or book online.
What Our Pulled Back Muscle Patients Say
"Able to make an appointment to see Dr. Melepura on short notice… attentive to my concerns… Jazmin was also very kind and helpful."
"Excellent hospitality, listener and explainer… highly recommend the doctor and the place."
"Dr. Melepura is the best! He worked with me to find the optimal solution to my shoulder pain while I was preparing for a fight!"
"Lovely, bright and modern… doctor and staff were kind… felt my concerns were heard."
"Helpful and friendly staff who gladly follows up with you if and when needed. Dr Melepura was very helpful and professional as well as provided me with excellent information and feedback."
"Dr Febin is fantastic! Highly recommend him and his practice the Spin clinic. The doctor is a good listener, kind, attentive and gave me great advice. "
"Dr.Melepura was very efficient and interpersonal, felt like he was understanding the problems I was having and explained the processes to take to rehabilitate. I would recommend."
"I felt listened to and truly understood by Dr. Melepura. Started PT the very next day. They were very friendly and I didn't feel rushed at all. Already recommended them to my friends who have or continue to play through pain."