Strained Muscle

A muscle strain occurs when there is over stretching of the muscles of a certain region. Due to this, the muscles may either become sore, or at times may even tear. In cases where the muscle is only over stretched, it is also known as a muscle pull. Muscle pulls are commonly seen in athletes, however, a strained muscle can also occur during routine activities. Athletes and people who play sports are, however, at an added risk of developing a strained muscle. It may occur anywhere in the body. Given below are the various symptoms and treatment options for dealing with a strained muscle.

Muscle Strain Symptoms

• The area affected may be bruised or red and swollen. This may occur due to the rupture of blood vessels in the region, which may spur on an inflammatory reaction.
• At times, you may mistake general muscle soreness for a strained muscle. However, you can rule out muscle soreness by checking if the muscle is painful even after adequate rest. Normally, muscles shouldn't pain after rest. Furthermore, if there isn't any history of trauma to the region, then you can rule out muscle strain.
• Sometimes, there may be localized pain, stiffness, some amount of discoloration and bruising around a muscle pull.
• Depending on the region of muscle strain, the symptoms will vary. A strained muscle in back will present symptoms like sharp stabbing back, difficulty bending and standing up, etc.
• Strained muscle in neck will cause difficulty in turning the head, stiffness in neck, and difficulty in bending the head sideways. It may even lead to referred pain in the shoulder region.
• Muscle strain in chest is commonly seen in athletes that go in for heavy mid-abdominal exercises.
• A muscle pull in the leg is a common phenomenon seen in long distance runners. Sometimes, it can even occur if you over exert yourself or if you do not wear proper running shoes.

Muscle Strain Treatment

It is easy to treat a strained muscle. The person basically needs a lot of rest so as to not aggravate the pull and thus, prevent landing up with a muscle tear. The basic treatment protocol consists of preventing any further swelling and redness. The treatment consists of:

• Adequate amount of rest important for the success of the treatment. If there is any kind of repeated activity, then the muscle does not get a chance to heal and recuperate, causing further delay in healing. Also, as much as possible, protect the muscle from any further aggravation and possible injury with the help of protective gear.
• Use ice over the affected region. This helps to constrict the blood vessels, thus, reducing the muscle inflammation and swelling. The redness decreases considerably when an ice pack is applied. You can also use certain non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to further recede the swelling.
• You can use compression to restrict the swelling as well. This will prevent the swelling from increasing in size. However, do not compress to such an extent that the area starts hurting or that the blood flow to the region gets compromised.
• Elevate the affected region. This helps to relax the muscle strain and keeps the blood flow at a normal rate.

This was all about strained muscle symptoms and treatment alternatives. However, if even after trying out all the above tips, if you still feel pain, then it might be possible that you have a muscle tear and not merely a muscle pull. Thus, if the muscle pain keeps increasing in intensity, then it is best to visit a doctor and get the condition diagnosed and treated at the earliest.