Muscle spasms?

Okay.. I know that this may be off the wall, but I just had a really strange experience. I was simply putting wet clothes into the dryer and all of a sudden a muscle in my back went nuts! It cramped and then it seemed as if I could not fully breathe (bottom portion of my left lung felt like it was totally empty). After about 30 seconds of panicking, I stood straight up and the muscle relaxed, but it is still feeling incredibly sensitive near my spine. How do you deal with this?? lol.. In other words, do I need to make a dr appt in the morning?? Or perhaps have the attitude "this too shall pass"? Any suggestions?

I had a muscle spasm in my upper back about 3 weeks ago that nearly killed me. I understand that moment of pain and panic. It happened when I rolled over in bed at 5 a.m. (you'd think my muscles would be relaxed then!).

I wound up with a knot in my back and subsequent pain in my chest from sitting in an akward position to alleviate the back pain. Ben Gay, heating pad, and ibuprofen helped some but by afternoon I was getting a muscle relaxant from the Dr. Skelanix worked great, but how do I know, I slept the whole time I was on it.

Well, on Monday, the muscle was feeling a little tense, but the majority of the pain was gone. Sunday night, well, that was a different story. (I think I moaned for most of the night, and it was not a GOOD kind, either.) Last night, I slept well, though, and woke up feeling much better. Of course, this site was my first stop and I was really feeling better about how I felt. lol.. Until I reached for the coffee pot. The muscle in question is on the left side, and I picked up the decanter with my right hand. Nothing major, but I felt the pinch again and thought, "oh no!! not again!". I sat it back down and the pain was gone... what in the world am I possibly doing ??

Randy, I noticed your post and I appreciate the idea. I have a treadmill and I walk about two miles a day already. I just can't possibly lie down all day, and I'm afraid that would make the muscle more tense anyway...

Any ideas?