How long does a pulled muscle take to heal? If you only have a minor (grade I) muscle strain, it should heal within a few weeks. Moderate (grade II) muscle strains may take several weeks to months to heal completely.
you have pain, tenderness or weakness – usually around your ankle, foot, wrist, thumb, knee, leg or back. the injured area is swollen or bruised. you cannot put weight on the injury or use it normally. you have muscle spasms or cramping – where your muscles painfully tighten on their own.
To help simplify diagnosis and treatment, doctors often classify muscle strains into three grades, depending on the severity of muscle fiber damage: Grade I strain. In this mild strain, only a few muscle fibers are stretched or torn. Although the injured muscle is tender and painful, it has normal strength.
Key Differences Between Torn and Pulled Muscles
In contrast, strained muscles typically represent mild to moderate overstretching without complete tearing. Symptoms: Torn muscles often present with sudden, intense pain, swelling, and bruising, and may include a 'popping' sensation at the site of injury.
Grade 2 muscle strain: While this is more serious than a grade 1 muscle strain, your muscle hasn't completely torn. Still, you'll have less strength and motion in that muscle, and maybe some swelling and bruising.
It's important to note that you should never massage a strained muscle that hasn't been given 72 hours to rest. Massaging a freshly-strained muscle can actually increase inflammation and even cause further injury, so be sure to wait at least three days before attempting any massage therapy.
Muscular pain often feels localized, tender to the touch, and worsens with movement or specific activities. It may also be accompanied by muscle spasms or visible signs of inflammation. Internal pain , on the other hand, may feel deeper, more widespread, and unrelated to movement.
You can often treat a pulled muscle at home. But not all strains are alike: A severe tear might need medical care or even surgery. Follow your healthcare provider's advice to ensure a smooth recovery.
Get medical care right away or go to the emergency room if you have muscle pain with: Trouble breathing or dizziness. Extreme muscle weakness with problems doing routine daily activities. A high fever and stiff neck.
Herniated Disc: A herniated disc may cause numbness, tingling, or weakness in the limbs, particularly in the extremities (such as the feet or hands). Muscle Strain: Muscle strains do not typically cause neurological symptoms like numbness or tingling.
Even with mild strains, it's important not to overdo it. Swimming, walking, and stretching are good activities to begin with, increasing intensity gradually. Moderate to severe strains require a longer recovery period.
Heat And Cold Packs
Alternating ice and heat therapy can be an effective way to ease muscle and joint pain. This method can help increase blood flow to muscles, loosen stiff joints and distract the brain from pain.
After an acute injury, ice should be used to minimize swelling for the first two to three days. After this period, heat can be used to increase blood flow and assist the natural healing process. Applying heat too early may cause additional swelling by increasing blood flow to the injury.
This is a personal preference. Some feel acetaminophen works better for them, whereas others find ibuprofen better relieves a headache. Muscle ache or pulled/strained muscle. Ibuprofen typically works better for this kind of pain relief, due to the anti-inflammatory effects.
Joint and muscle pain represent two different medical conditions. While muscle pain is pain felt when the body is in motion, joint pain is more often felt when the body is at rest.
Massage can assist the healing of damaged fibers by increasing blood circulation. Increased blood circulation provides an increase of oxygen and nutrients to an area. An increase of oxygen and nutrients can help repair fibers, decreasing inflammation and pain. Massage can help reduce muscle tightness caused by DOMS.
Gentle stretching to the area can be beneficial, but the key is to keep it gentle. Avoid any prolonged sitting, bending, heavy lifting, twisting, or driving - all of which can make the pain worse. Giving the area of pain a rest, at least for the next 24 hours, will most likely be beneficial.
Their study found that, as we age, the lines of communication to the stem cells of our muscles deteriorate and, without the full instructions, it takes longer for injured muscles to heal. Even then, the repairs aren't as good.
A back specialist can typically diagnose a mild strain or sprain by reviewing your symptoms and learning how your injury occurred. Depending on the severity of the pulled back muscle, they may recommend additional treatments, such as: Prescription medications for pain or inflammation. Muscle relaxant drugs.
Do pulled muscles hurt to touch? Pulled muscles involve the tearing of muscle fibers, and while this pain is felt deep within the muscle, it can also hurt to touch. Pulled muscles can cause the site to inflame and swell, as well as feel tender.