muscle spasms shown in xray?

Hey yall! I hurt my back 3 weeks ago, and had an xray done and it came back and they said it showed a muscle spasm. This was relayed to me by a girl at the front desk of the dr's office, so she couldn't answer any questions. What I'd like to know is, how do they see a "muscle spasm" on an xray? I thought xrays only showed hard masses, such as bone. How could they come to that conclusion from an xray?

Somethin doesn't sound right, but for my muscle spasms & arthritis (yes at 23 I have arthritis) i use this stuff called "Biofreeze" and it eases the pain. Not a cure, but I hope it helps you!

I've tried to google the topic but still can't really get an answer and still haven't got an answer from the drs office.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index...

usually when they do an x-ray if it doesn't show a cause for the pain they chalk it up to "muscle spasms" considering that you heard it from the girl at the desk she probably needed to have said "the x-ray showed nothing and they think it is a muscle spasm" chances are they prescribed an anti-inflamitory medication such as a strong prescription of ibprofen and personal recommendation is to freeze a bottle of water and have somone roll it up and down your back with it for a few minutes at a time to relax the muscles

in pain wrote:

Hey yall! I hurt my back 3 weeks ago, and had an xray done and it came back and they said it showed a muscle spasm. This was relayed to me by a girl at the front desk of the dr's office, so she couldn't answer any questions. What I'd like to know is, how do they see a "muscle spasm" on an xray? I thought xrays only showed hard masses, such as bone. How could they come to that conclusion from an xray?

They cannot see soft tissue on xray only bone. They always say muscle spasm first, then if you don't get better and continue to complain they will do mri and ct scans which will show everything.Trust me I have had 10 back surgeries over the last 18 years. I am also a nurse. Don't give up if you don't get better demand more testing. Get 2 or 3 opinions if they say you need surgery.For knoe use heat and ice, anti inflammatories and rest........

Lori wrote:

<quoted text>
They cannot see soft tissue on xray only bone. They always say muscle spasm first, then if you don't get better and continue to complain they will do mri and ct scans which will show everything.Trust me I have had 10 back surgeries over the last 18 years. I am also a nurse. Don't give up if you don't get better demand more testing. Get 2 or 3 opinions if they say you need surgery.For knoe use heat and ice, anti inflammatories and rest........

actually they haven't prescribed anything for me. It's a little annoying too. The nurse called this afternoon and said my ins. approved an MRI, and I go and get that tomorrow. So, does an MRI show what's wrong then?

-miss difficult- wrote:

Somethin doesn't sound right, but for my muscle spasms & arthritis (yes at 23 I have arthritis) i use this stuff called "Biofreeze" and it eases the pain. Not a cure, but I hope it helps you!

I had heard that if a person has arthritis they have a greater chance of being Bipolar. Do you know it this is true?

in pain wrote:

<quoted text>actually they haven't prescribed anything for me. It's a little annoying too. The nurse called this afternoon and said my ins. approved an MRI, and I go and get that tomorrow. So, does an MRI show what's wrong then?

If you have a soft tissue injury it will show, such as bulging disk etc...Make sure you get some type of anti inflammatories or muscle relaxers. Are you having any pain down your legs, is pain worse when sitting? I wish you the best...

Princess Me wrote:

usually when they do an x-ray if it doesn't show a cause for the pain they chalk it up to "muscle spasms" considering that you heard it from the girl at the desk she probably needed to have said "the x-ray showed nothing and they think it is a muscle spasm" chances are they prescribed an anti-inflamitory medication such as a strong prescription of ibprofen and personal recommendation is to freeze a bottle of water and have somone roll it up and down your back with it for a few minutes at a time to relax the muscles

this sounds so familar(spelling?) if they don't know or just want to shut you up-its a muscle spasm

Billy wrote:

<quoted text>I had heard that if a person has arthritis they have a greater chance of being Bipolar. Do you know it this is true?

Seems possible ~ look how much I get aggravated. BTW ~ you comin for cornbread this weekend?

I suggest you find a Dr with a staff that is more informative with you

in pain wrote:

Hey yall! I hurt my back 3 weeks ago, and had an xray done and it came back and they said it showed a muscle spasm. This was relayed to me by a girl at the front desk of the dr's office, so she couldn't answer any questions. What I'd like to know is, how do they see a "muscle spasm" on an xray? I thought xrays only showed hard masses, such as bone. How could they come to that conclusion from an xray?

A Muscle spasm will show in an X-ray. While it is true X-rays are used to image bones the regular curvature of your spine is changed when you are experiencing muscle spasms. Much like a muscle becomes flexed and hard when you get a cramp or "charlie horse" when the muscles in your back spasm it will cause rigidity in the spine which ar very limber.

yup, muscle spasm can be seen through an AP view of the lumbar spine for example.. the orientation of the facets will look different as they would be tightly pressed against each other even if the spine is in a normal relaxed standing/sitting posture.

Billy wrote:

<quoted text>I had heard that if a person has arthritis they have a greater chance of being Bipolar. Do you know it this is true?

What you need is a week with painful arthritis and you would NOT be making fun.

Lori wrote:

<quoted text>
They cannot see soft tissue on xray only bone. They always say muscle spasm first, then if you don't get better and continue to complain they will do mri and ct scans which will show everything.Trust me I have had 10 back surgeries over the last 18 years. I am also a nurse. Don't give up if you don't get better demand more testing. Get 2 or 3 opinions if they say you need surgery.For knoe use heat and ice, anti inflammatories and rest........

Actually you can see soft tissue on an x-ray. You can see much more than bone on x-rays. Although you cannot actually see a muscle spasm, there is a change in density that can indicate a possible muscle spasm. And like a few people before have said, if there is no obvious cause for your pain and discomfort, such as a fracture or a degenerated disc, then they will chalk it up to muscle spasms, which are very common.

Why don't you try getting a massage? It might help.

Just got an X-ray at work. I injured my lower back. He said that it's a muscle spasm and from the side view of the X-ray, showed no lumbar curve, or not as much curve, like u'd see in a healthy back. The spasm has straightened it to some degree.

Nick wrote:

Just got an X-ray at work. I injured my lower back. He said that it's a muscle spasm and from the side view of the X-ray, showed no lumbar curve, or not as much curve, like u'd see in a healthy back. The spasm has straightened it to some degree.

. That's nice dear.

I had severe neck pain(rt cervical region) along with pain in rt arm and rt scapular region.I was asked 2 take a spine xray(lateral nd posterior view)...for accurate flexion my radiologist asked me to carry 2cans with water(abt 2.5 kg each).This aggrevated my pain.is der any other method to flex the neck properly than carrying a heavy load????