Treatment for Muscle Injuries

Muscle injuries are not fun. Everyone probably experiences a muscle injury at some point in life.

But how do you care for a muscle injury? How can you prevent muscle injuries in the future?

We will address muscle injuries and present pertinent information on this webpage. Please keep reading to learn more. If you know that you have a muscle injury, and are looking for treatment from pain management doctors, please contact us at our location nearest you.

What are Muscle Injuries?

Muscle injuries are commonplace when people suffer from overuse complications or other injuries. Two common types of muscle injuries are called muscle sprains or muscle strains.

When a tendon or muscle is torn or stretched, it is said to be a muscle strain injury. When a ligament is torn or stretched, it is said to be a muscle sprain.

Both types of muscle injuries can produce pain and other symptoms.

Common Symptoms of Muscle Injuries

The severity of symptoms sometimes depends on the degree of the sprain, strain, or injury. Other factors include the size of the tear, bleeding complications, or bruising complications.

Symptoms of muscle injuries include:

  • bleeding
  • bruising
  • mild to severe pain in the affected muscle area
  • swelling
  • redness near the affected area
  • open cuts or wounds near the affected area
  • muscle weakness
  • tendon weakness
  • inability to use the affected muscle

What Causes Muscle Injuries?

Sports aren’t the only reasons why people suffer from muscle injuries. An acute muscle strain (that happens suddenly) can occur because of:

  • muscle fatigue
  • muscle overexertion
  • poor flexibility
  • improper or lack of stretching before physical activity

A chronic muscle injury (that happens with repetitive movement) can occur because of:

  • improper posture when sitting and standing
  • holding your neck or back at an awkward position for an extended time period
  • repetitive movements during sports (such as pitching, playing golf, tennis, or rowing)

Treatment and Care Options

A doctor will determine the extent of the muscle injury in order to figure out the best treatment options. He or she will also determine if crutches or a brace are needed in order to let the body heal better and faster.

Rehabilitation or physical therapy may also be needed, as well as days off of work on your part.

Your doctor will also give you certain instructions for at-home care (below in the next section).

Managing and Living With Muscle Injuries

Medical treatment and at-home treatment for muscle injuries are fairly the same. The recommended protocols for managing and treating muscle injuries include:

  • applying ice packs to the injured muscle
  • applying heat to the injured muscle
  • stretching the affected muscle frequently and properly
  • taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications when needed
  • resting the muscle when possible
  • elevating the injured muscle
  • applying compression to the muscle by lightly wrapping it to decrease inflammation
  • stretching on a daily basis