Have you pulled a muscle?
Muscle damage commonly renders people in pain. Yet, as we take part in different activities, such as lifting heavy objects, playing sports, or even doing tasks repeatedly, it becomes difficult to avoid muscle strain. When you pull a muscle, though, it causes you an immense amount of discomfort and even limits your ability to complete certain tasks.
But what if you don't want to go to the doctor? How do you get a muscle pull remedy?
We'll answer these questions below. Keep reading for our top 5 tips for useful pulled muscle treatments!
1. Know When to See the Doctor
Before you start any home remedies for pulled muscles, you need to know when to seek medical help.
When you first get a suspected pulled muscle, quickly assess your condition. Did you hear a popping sound with the injury? Have you been rendered unable to walk? Is your pain unbearable, or did you get a fever shortly afterward?
If so, you should refrain from pursuing home remedies and see your doctor as soon as possible. This is because manipulating a muscle, in this case, might result in more damage and pain.
Likewise, you should seek medical help if your pain doesn't lessen after 24 hours, especially if you have attempted to take care of the harm on your own. In addition, go to your doctor if your pain came about as the result of a vehicular accident or extreme mishap to ensure no serious damage has been done.
2. Take Anti-Inflammatory Medication
The primary symptoms of pulled muscles consist of swelling and pain. As such, you can take over-the-counter, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines as a muscle pull remedy. These include ibuprofen and naproxen.
Before you take the medication, though, you need to take into consideration your overall health. Should you have a history of gastrointestinal bleeding, be on blood-thinning drugs, or have kidney disease, anti-inflammatory medications may have adverse effects on your health.
If you are unsure about whether or not you can take anti-inflammatory medication, you should consult a medical professional before putting any in your body.
These medications can be purchased without a prescription, however, making them ideal for those who do not believe a visit to the doctor is necessary.
3. Elevate the Injury and Use Ice
Do you want to know one of the best remedies for pulled muscles? Fortunately, many people already have the necessary tools in their homes, so you can easily treat yourself without needing to go to the doctor.
When healing at home, you should place ice on your injury. To do this, put ice in a bag, wrap it in a cloth, and place it on top of the affected area. You also can use ice packs if you have them available.
Put the ice compress on the area for 20 minutes every hour you are awake. Ice reduces swelling and pain, helping you cope with your injury and recover more quickly.
Whenever possible, elevate your injured area. This mitigates swollenness as well.
4. Rest
In our modern society, you might feel the temptation to keep going and getting things done while you heal. After all, you probably have a job to attend to, a house to keep up, and children to care for, and you probably think you don't have time for rest.
Yet, our bodies heal more effectively when we take the time to rest. Our bodies take a break from the strain we put them through, giving them the chance to recuperate. In addition, our bodies have the capability to repair themselves when we rest, making it essential that we take breaks, especially when we're injured.
So, when you have a strained muscle, think about how you are going to rest the injury. Some people may be able to rest for longer periods of time than others, but the more you rest, the faster you will heal. So, take a look at your schedule and pencil in rest whenever you can.
Take a day off from work if you can, and perform as many responsibilities as you can while not using the affected muscles. If needed, ask for help from family members and loved ones while you recuperate.
Sleep also improves your ability to heal, so try to take a nap if you can and get a full 8 hours of rest every night.
5. Do Stretches
When you have injured muscles, doing targeted stretches helps you release some of the pain.
It's important to note here that you should not attempt stretches if you believe your pain may come from another underlying injury or condition. Instead, you should seek the help of a medical professional.
Yet, if you are certain your pain comes from a pulled muscle, performing stretches may help you heal.
For a pulled muscle in neck, tip your head down and touch your chin to your chest. Then, touch your left year to your left shoulder and your right ear to your right shoulder.
If you've pulled a hip muscle, lie with your back to the floor and pull your right knee up toward your chest. Hold it there for 10-15 seconds, and then repeat it with the left knee.
Finally, for your hamstrings, stand with your legs wide apart and slowly bend over. This should create a light stretch in the backs of your legs.
If any of these stretches become too painful, take them at a slower rate.
Do You Want a Muscle Pull Remedy?
So, do you want a muscle pull remedy that remains easy to access?
When you pull a muscle, you should seek out remedies to expedite your healing process. You should know when to see a doctor, take anti-inflammatory medication, elevate the injury and use ice, rest, and perform stretches to get your muscles back to their regular, painless functioning.
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