If symptoms persist or get worse after a few days, your injury might not be as minor as you thought. It's time to have a provider examine it. Triggers new symptoms. If you develop nerve-related symptoms like numbness, tingling, sudden weakness or difficulty controlling certain muscles, you may have nerve damage.
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.
Orthopedic urgent care clinics are ideal places for receiving treatment for muscle strains that don't require surgery. Orthopedic urgent care doctors may prescribe medication to help control the pain and reduce inflammation and the RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) method to do at home.
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.
When to see the doctor. Mild strains can be treated at home. See a doctor if your symptoms worsen despite treatment — especially if your pain becomes intolerable, or you experience numbness or tingling.
Unless the condition is addressed, the injury may develop into permanent muscle damage, which not only decreases its physical functionality and performance but can also release proteins into the bloodstream. This condition then affects the body's kidneys and can lead to fatal complications.
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.
Muscle strains (pulled muscles) are common but painful injuries. 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.
Strains in lower back muscles can be treated with light, low-impact exercise to maintain range of motion and build muscle strength. Walking, cycling and swimming are also effective ways to stay active while recovering from lower back muscle strain.
"Not surprisingly, the pressure is lowest when you're lying down." But there is more pressure on the discs when you're sitting than when you're standing. "In fact, if I come into the exam room and a patient is standing, rather than sitting, my suspicion that the person has a disc herniation goes up a lot," he says.
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as ibuprofen, naproxen, or acetaminophen (Tylenol) also help reduce pain and swelling. As the pain decreases, you can use heat on the muscle. Stretching and light exercises to bring blood to the injured area can also be useful.
For back pain without severe symptoms like numbness, tingling, or weakness in the legs, urgent care can provide appropriate treatment. These symptoms typically indicate less serious conditions that can be managed with pain relievers, physical therapy recommendations, or rest.
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.
However, you should consider visiting an urgent care center if you experience any of the following symptoms after a muscle strain: Persistent pain or pain that radiates down the legs or arms. Joint pops or cracks when the injury occurred or if you move the affected area post-injury.
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.
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.
Try some of these home remedies for muscle strain to help speed up the healing process: Apply heat packs for 10-15 minutes for two days following an injury, then apply it less often. Avoid using any weight on the affected limb and avoid walking more than necessary until healed.
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.
Signs of pulled back muscle are that the pain is usually dull and aching. You'll find it feels like it is in the back and often gets work if you don't rest that area. With a slipped disc, the pain is much sharper. It can even feel like it's radiating through the back, into the shoulders or surrounding areas.
Urgent care centers are equipped to provide immediate relief and management strategies for sudden back pain. Common treatments include pain relief medications, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or muscle relaxants.
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.
They can diagnose the problem and create a treatment plan, which could include medication, physical therapy, or other therapies. Physiatrists are experts in managing chronic pain and can help improve your mobility and quality of life.
With a pulled muscle, however, the pain is usually immediate. “The pain from a pulled muscle is intense, sharp, and localized to where the injury occurred and can also be associated with swelling, bruising, and difficulty moving the joints nearby,” said Gregory.
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.
Tumors of the musculoskeletal system, both benign and malignant (known as sarcomas), frequently occur in the first 2 decades of life. Symptoms typically involve pain in or around the joints and muscle aches.