Content

• Steps
• Advice

A muscle strain occurs when the tiny fibers in a muscle are stretched excessively, resulting in a muscle tearing either part or all. All muscle strains are classified in either Level 1 (tearing a few muscle fibers), Class 2 (severe muscle fiber damage), or Class 3 (complete tearing). Most mild to moderate muscle strains heal after a few weeks. Recovery can be faster and more comprehensive if you do some home remedies or receive professional treatment.

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Recovering from muscle tension at home

1. 

   Work gently and let your muscles rest. Most muscle tension is caused by lifting heavy weights, doing something too often (repeating), moving incorrectly or experiencing injury (car crash, injury from sports). The first step to recovery from muscle tension (and most general musculoskeletal injuries) is rest. You can take a few days off from work or exercise and your muscles will recover faster if you rest in the right time. If a stretched muscle takes longer to recover, it could be due to a large part of the muscle being torn or a joint or ligament problem.
   • Pain that is not too severe but persistent is usually a sign of muscle tension, while severe pain and / or throbbing pain with movement is usually caused by joints / ligaments.
   • Moderate to severe muscle tension often causes a bruise to form quickly and show that some of the blood vessels that bring blood to the muscle have been damaged and leaking.

2. 

   
   
   Use a cold compress for acute muscle tension. If the muscle tension is acute (in a few days) it could be an inflammatory problem and should be addressed. When muscle fibers break, the immune system releases fluid containing white blood cells. White blood cells cleanse debris from damaged cells and connective tissue, and form a foundation for recovery. However, too much inflammation creates more intense pain pressure. Therefore, you need to use a cold compress (ice cubes or a frozen gel bag wrapped in a thin towel) as soon as possible because the low temperature will help constrict the local blood vessels and reduce the inflammatory response.
   • Cold compresses should be used for 10-20 minutes every hour (use longer if the muscles are stretched deeper or wider). Then, reduce the frequency of the cold compress as the pain and swelling subside.
   • Applying an ice cube to a stretched muscle and wrapping an elastic bandage or elevating the tension area will help prevent swelling.

3. 

   
   
   Apply hot and humid compresses for chronic muscle strains. If the tension persists and becomes chronic (lasting more than 1 month) then it is not the problem of reducing swelling most important. Of concern is muscle weakness, over-tension and lack of normal blood circulation, resulting in insufficient nutrients (oxygen, glucose, and minerals). At this time, the hot and humid compresses can help reduce muscle tension and spasm, increase blood circulation and promote healing of chronically stressed muscle tissue.
   • Apply a warm compress (one that can be microwave-heated) on the stretched muscle for 15-20 minutes, 3-5 times a day, until the tension is relieved. Herbal packs usually contain wheat or rice flakes, as well as soothing herbs and / or essential oils such as lavender essential oil.
   • Another way is to soak chronically stressed muscles in warm Epsom saline for 20-30 minutes as this significantly reduces muscle pain and swelling. The magnesium in the salt relaxes muscle fibers, and the warm water stimulates circulation.
   • Do not apply dry hot compresses (such as heating pads) to chronic muscle strains to avoid dehydration in the tissue and aggravate muscle tension.

4. 

   
   
   Take anti-inflammatory medication. As noted above, inflammation is a major contributor to symptoms associated with acute musculoskeletal damage such as muscle tension. So taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs in the early stages of an injury is a good way. Common anti-inflammatory drugs include ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), and aspirin. However, these drugs are usually not good for the stomach, so you should not take it for more than 2 weeks. Anti-inflammatory drugs only ease symptoms and will not speed up the healing process, but will make working and participating in other activities (at the appropriate time) more comfortable.
   • Do not give ibuprofen to children. Consult your doctor before taking any medicine or giving your child any medicine.
   • For more chronic muscle problems, you may consider taking a muscle relaxer (such as Cyclobenzaprine) to reduce muscle stiffness and / or contraction.

5. 

   Try light stretching exercises. Stretching is mainly used to prevent injury, but you can also do it when you have an injury (be careful and moderate). When the initial pain from acute muscle tension subsides after a few days, you can do some gentle stretching exercises to help your muscles stay strong and prevent cramps. Start practicing 2-3 times a day and hold the stretch for 15-20 seconds while breathing deeply. The more you need to stretch for chronic muscle tension. Increase the frequency to 3-5 times a day and hold the stretch for 30 seconds until the discomfort subsides.
   • When properly stretched, muscle pain will not be felt the next day. The still sore muscles mean you've stretched your muscles excessively and need to work harder by reducing the intensity.
   • The most common cause of "excessive muscle relaxation" is muscle relaxation while the muscles are cold. Therefore, you need to stimulate blood circulation or apply heat to the muscles before stretching.
   advertisement

Part 2 of 2: Seeking help as your muscles recover

1. 

   Deep massage. If home remedies aren't as helpful for post-tension recovery as you might think, or simply want to help your muscles recover faster, you can visit a masseuse for a deep tissue massage. . Deep massage is beneficial for mild to moderate muscle tension because it helps reduce muscle spasm, fight inflammation, and relax. Start a 30-minute massage session and let them massage it as intensely as you can bear. A massage therapist can also perform acupressure therapy that focuses on damaged muscle fibers.
   • Always drink enough fluids after a massage to flush the lactic acid and byproducts of inflammation from your body. If you don't drink enough fluids, you may experience a mild headache or nausea.
   • If the cost of a professional massage is too expensive, try a tennis ball or massage roller instead. Depending on the position of the muscle tension, you can roll over the tennis ball or the roller until the pain is less.

2. 

   Ultrasound therapy methods. Ultrasound therapy machines generate high frequency (inaudible) sound waves by vibrating crystalline materials, thereby creating a therapeutic effect on soft tissues and bones. Although it has been used by doctors, physiotherapists and chiropractors for more than 50 years to treat many musculoskeletal injuries, the mechanism by which this method affects tissue is unclear. Ultrasound produces a thermic effect in certain modes, beneficial for chronic muscle tension, while also reducing inflammation and promoting healing in completely different modes (pulse mode) to Treatment of acute muscle tension. The ultrasound frequency can be varied to penetrate the body through the surface or much deeper, which is very useful in treating shoulder and lower back strains.
   • Ultrasound treatment is painless and lasts about 3-10 minutes, depending on whether muscle tension is located and whether muscle tension is chronic or acute. Treatment is repeated 1-2 times daily for acute muscle tension, or less for chronic muscle tension.
   • A single ultrasound treatment can sometimes help significantly reduce muscle tension. However, it usually takes 3 to 5 new treatments for significant results.

3. 

   Consider muscle stimulation treatments. Another effective treatment for acute and chronic muscle tension is muscle stimulation. Electrical electric stimulation is the process of placing electrodes on damaged tissue to transmit electric current and cause muscle contraction. For acute muscle tension, a muscle stimulator (depending on the mode) can help reduce inflammation, pain, and numb nerve fibers. For chronic pain, electric stimulation also enhances muscle strength and "re-trains" muscle fibers, which helps muscle fibers to contract more synchronously and effectively.
   • Physiotherapists, chiropractors and sports physicians are health professionals who often use electric muscle stimulation.
   • Electromechanical stimulators can be purchased at medical equipment supply stores, stores that specialize in rehabilitative products and can be purchased online. This device is more affordable than an ultrasound device but is to be used only under the supervision and consultation of a healthcare professional.

4. 

   Consider infrared therapy. Infrared radiation is also in the field of frequency therapy. The use of low energy (infrared) light waves helps speed wound healing, reduce pain and inflammation, especially due to chronic trauma. Infrared rays (through a handheld device or a steam room emit infrared rays) can penetrate deep into the body and improve circulation as it helps generate heat and dilate blood vessels. Treatment takes about 10-45 minutes, depending on whether muscle tension and muscle tension are acute or chronic.
   • In some cases, the patient may experience significant pain relief within hours after the first infrared treatment. However, the effect will be different in each case.
   • The pain relief effects usually last for long, weeks or even months.
   • Chiropractors, physiotherapists, and masseurs are health professionals who often use infrared therapy.
   advertisement

Advice

• To prevent muscle tension, you should do warm-up exercises before doing any vigorous exercise.
• Poor care can weaken muscles and become more prone to tension.
• Muscle fatigue caused by intense exercise is also susceptible to injury.