How Muscle Strains Are Treated

People in Tampa who are active in sports or daily exercise routines are prone to incurring common injuries like muscle strains.

Muscle strains are overstretched tendons or muscles. A lot of activities require exertion of force. That's why, when the strength exerted is beyond your normal range, you feel pain the next day. In the worst cases, the muscles or tendons are fully torn, causing a popping sound accompanied by excruciating pain.

Palm Wellness Center provides an accurate diagnosis and permanent treatment for mild to severe muscle strains. 

Treatments For Muscle Strain

R.I.C.E. Method

For normal muscle strains, effective treatment can be done at home using the RICE Method.

RICE stands for:

• Rest – Complete rest is needed. Avoid strenuous physical activities to help heal the injured muscles.
• Ice – Apply cold packs to the affected area to help reduce the inflammation and lessen the pain.
• Compression – Use a compression bandage to help support the injury. 
• Elevate – One way of reducing the swelling is to elevate the affected area.

Oral Medications

Muscle strain causes discomfort. Part of the treatment includes taking oral medications to reduce pain and inflammation. Pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs like naproxen and ibuprofen are prescribed. However, there are adverse effects of these medications that can affect people with existing health conditions. That’s why you need to consult your doctor first before taking these medicines.

Surgery

Immediate surgery may be needed for higher grade muscle strains to control the damage.

See a specialist if the pain persists,  if you feel any numbness, or if medications still don’t work.

Physical Therapy 

After days of experiencing muscle strain, the most effective solution is to consult a therapist. Physical therapy enables healing to the strained muscles. Therapeutic exercises are one of the interventions for rehabilitation, especially for patients who have undergone surgery from torn muscles. Exercises should not involve strength training. Instead, low-impact exercises are recommended and performed by therapists and chiropractors. This is to keep the muscles moving while trying to help them heal.