Chiropractic Adjustments for Muscle Spasms in Bradford

A muscle spasm is a muscle that tightens hard and will not let go. In the back or neck it can stop you in your tracks. Spasms are often the body's way of guarding a joint that has been strained or is not moving properly. At WellCare Medical in Bradford, chiropractic adjustments for muscle spasms address the joint underneath the spasm as well as the muscle itself, so the area can settle and move normally again.

• a sudden awkward movement, such as bending and twisting to lift something
• a joint in the spine that has become irritated or stiff
• overuse, fatigue or working in one position for too long
• an underlying problem such as a disc injury or a pinched nerve

The spasm itself is protective, but once it sets in it becomes painful in its own right and keeps the joint from moving, which keeps the muscle guarding.

A chiropractic adjustment restores movement in the joint the muscle is protecting. When the joint moves freely again, the nervous system tends to turn the guarding down. During an acute spasm, treatment is gentle:

• low-force adjustments or mobilization, chosen to suit how sore you are
• soft-tissue and trigger-point work to ease the tight muscle bands
• advice on heat or cold, comfortable positions and how much to move
• simple breathing and mobility exercises to start as soon as you can tolerate them

Once the spasm has eased, strengthening exercises help stop it from coming back.

Your chiropractor first rules out anything more serious, then finds which joints are involved by checking how you move and where you are tender. Treatment on the first day is often brief and gentle. You will be told what to do over the next 48 hours, which matters as much as what happens on the table.

Seek urgent medical care if a back spasm comes with loss of bladder or bowel control, numbness around the groin, leg weakness, fever, or chest or abdominal pain. A spasm after a significant fall or collision should also be checked by a doctor.

Spasms respond well to combined care. Deep tissue massage for lower back pain and acupuncture both help tight muscles let go, and physiotherapy builds the endurance that prevents repeat episodes. For the full range of care, see chiropractic treatment in Bradford.