05/03/2021
Muscle strain, also referred to as pulled muscle, is a problem caused by the excessive stretching and tearing of the muscles. This is usually a result of fatigue, excessive wear and tear, and improper use of the muscles. This can happen in any muscle of your body but are more likely to affect the muscles in your lower back, shoulder, hamstring and neck. In mild cases of muscle strain, the muscle is not affected and only a few muscle fibres are stretched or torn. In severe cases, the muscle is affected drastically and becomes dysfunctional. The former can be easily managed with the help of some home remedies, whereas the latter may call for the need for proper medical intervention. Muscle strain treatment in Jaipur is offered at all the leading hospitals.
What are the symptoms that you need to look out for?
Various symptoms that indicate that you have a muscle strain include:
- Persistent muscle pain, especially when you try to move
- Muscle tenderness
- Swelling from injury or trauma
- Discolouration in the affected area
- Cramps or spasms
- Reduced muscular strength
- Popping sensation in the muscle
- Evident abnormality in the regular outline of the muscle
- Feeling knotted up
- Limited range of motion
Why you are experiencing muscle strains?
Acute muscle strains are a result of sudden and unexpected muscle injuries or trauma, which may be due to any of the following:
- Lack of proper conditioning
- Poor flexibility
- Excessive exertion and fatigue
- Not warming up before indulging in physical activities
Best doctors in Jaipur suggest that the risks of acute muscle strains are significantly elevated during cold weather season. The reason behind this is increased muscle stiffness. During winters, you need to send some extra time to warm up your body. This is most likely to happen when you slip, jump, run, lift heavy objects, throw something and don’t maintain a good posture.
Chronic muscle strains are caused by the repetition of certain movements that lead to excessive wear and tear of the muscles. This is caused by sports like rowing, tennis, golf and baseball, and wrong posture.
PRICE for Muscle Strain
Wondering how rice can help to manage muscle strains? PRICE, here, stands for Prevention, Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. The technique is highly recommended by experts from the best hospital in Jaipur.
- Prevention – It is very important to protect the injured person and the area that has been affected. If he/she is not in a condition to move around, arrange a stretcher or a crutch.
- Rest – It is important to understand that just like other parts of your body, your muscles also need rest to recover from the regular wear and tear. This is even more important if your movement is causing the pain to elevate. Though rest is important, too much of it is not good for you as it can weaken your muscles and slow down the healing process. Take complete rest for a day or two, and then, start using the affected muscle slowly and gradually.
- Ice – Applying ice or a cold pack on the injured muscle can help to reduce swelling. Do not apply the ice directly on the skin and wrap it in a towel doing so. Keep it there for a good 15 to 20 minutes. Repeat the cold therapy after every hour on the day of the injury. Do it after an interval of 4 hours, starting from the day following the surgery.
- Compressions – Compressions, again, help to reduce swelling. You can compress the affected area with the help of an elastic bandage, making sure that you do not wrap it too tightly, as this can impact normal blood circulation.
- Elevation – Keeping the affected area elevated can help to bring down swelling. Elevate the concerned limb to the level of the heart or above. This helps to lower the risks of excessive fluid accumulation.