A muscle pull, or strain, can happen virtually anywhere on the body, usually due to sudden or repetitive stress. Accidental falls, blows and occupational or sports injuries often are causes of strain symptoms that come on all at once or that build over time. Anytime little-used muscles are employed, the risk for strain grows. Working around the house or garden, or "overdoing it" during weekend workouts can damage muscle tissue. Often, the signs of a strained muscle are more obvious than the cause.
Acute Pain
Pain is the most noticeable strain symptom. Sudden, or acute muscle pulls and chronic overuse injuries will both display acute pain, which lasts intensely for a short period of time. Discomfort may begin immediately following a traumatic injury, such as a slip and fall.
Alternatively, it may reach a noticeable threshold after days, weeks or months of overstress, as in a baseball pitching injury. NYU Langone Medical Center reports that acute pain increases when the affected area is moved. Acute pain persists until inflammation diminishes and tissue begins to mend.
Muscle Spasms
Severely strained muscles can spasm in an attempt to immobilize the affected tissue to prevent further stress, the Maryland Spine Center reports. Spasms are involuntary contractions that tighten and won't release. They also produce a burning, acute pain that usually fades within a few minutes.
Heat and Redness
The body's inflammatory response kicks in right away in an acute injury, sending white blood cells to the muscle pull site to self-treat it. Increased blood flowing to the strained muscle can make the area hot to the touch and add a blush to the skin, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Swelling
Strain symptoms often include local swelling, the Cleveland Clinic notes. Chemicals from the active white blood cells can leak fluid into the strained muscle tissue, making it puff up and feel jelly-like under the skin.
Weakness
Severe muscle pulls separate the fibers of muscle tissue and make them less effective at doing their jobs. The National Institutes of Health notes that this weakness, combined with pain restricts the patient's range of motion. Extreme strains can disable whole muscle groups and may make moving impossible.
Soreness
After acute muscular pain diminishes, patients with pulled muscles often experience lingering soreness for a lengthier period. The Cleveland Clinic reports that strain symptoms may fade from moderate, throbbing muscle pain to more generalized soreness and stiffness as inflammation subsides.
