Muscle Pain

Muscle Pull - Important Things to Know

About

Tearing or overstretching of a muscle or a tendon.
Can affect all muscles, but more common in the neck, lower back, strings, and shoulders. [1]
- Self-diagnosis possible
- Usually self-treatable but medical treatment recommended to rule out any complications
- Imaging and lab tests rarely required for diagnosis
- Usually resolves within weeks

Muscle pull or strain is very common. It can affect any muscle or tissue joining a muscle to a bone known as tendons. A muscle strain is more common in the muscle present in the back of the thigh or lower back.
Undue pressure on any muscle while indulging in daily activities or any other physical activity can cause a muscle strain. It can lead to tearing of muscle or tendon fibers, which can lead to pain, damage in the blood vessels, and irritation.
Ages affected - it can affect people of all ages and all genders.

Symptoms

Self-diagnosable
Symptoms include swelling, redness, or bruising due to an injury, sudden pain, soreness, and muscle spasms.
People may experience
Weakness, a stiffness of the affected muscle, pain while moving the muscle, or inability to move the muscle.

Treatment

Self-care
Rest, applying cold compression (ice packs), applying heat, gentle stretching exercises, keeping the affected muscle elevated while at rest

Medications
Anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce pain and swelling, only if prescribed by a healthcare expert.

Specialist
Consult a mfine expert if the pain does not subside within a week or there is bleeding involved or movement is causing too much pain.