A muscle strain from overactivity or injury can stretch or tear a muscle. While torn muscles may need a doctor's care, most minor to moderate strains respond to home treatment within a couple of weeks. People with acute injuries, such as strains from heavy lifting or unusually vigorous sports activity, can benefit from short-term therapies. Those with chronic muscle pain should first seek pain relief and then concentrate on strengthening the areas weakened by overuse.
Restrict Activity
The University of Maryland Medical Center suggests resting for a day or more, elevating the strained area above heart level whenever possible. Easing back into exercise when pain subsides, rather than remaining immobile, is also recommended.
Reducing Swelling
Strained muscles produce an inflammatory response that results in painful swelling. Home treatment with cold compresses can reduce this symptom.
Reusable gel packs kept in the refrigerator can be placed directly on the muscle for pain relief. The University of Buffalo Sports Medicine Center suggests 30-minute sessions every four hours or so during the first three days after a strain. A compression bandage can also act as a remedy for swelling.
Heat Treatments
When inflammation diminishes, the strained muscle may be sore, stiff and painful when moved for a number of weeks. Warm compresses may then offer ongoing pain relief. Reusable gel packs can be microwaved for warmth and applied just like cold home treatments.
The University of Maryland Medical Center notes that alternating cold and warm applications eases stiffness and soreness. For pain that lingers, MayoClinic.com suggests topical capsaicin remedies in cream, gel or patch form.
Professional Massage
Recurrent muscle strains or deep muscle pain can benefit from massage therapy. Anecdotal evidence supports massage's effectiveness at relieving pain in humans. Swedish or sports massage lengthens muscles, releasing tension and improving circulation.
Although scientists know that increasing the flow of blood, oxygen and nutrients aids in the recovery of damaged tissue, few massage clinical trials have been conducted on humans. An Ohio State University study funded by the National Institutes of Health found that massaging strained muscles in rabbits improves function and hastens a return to health.
