1. Put it to Rest
Since a pulled muscle represents a muscle strain, you must rest it immediately. You have partially or completely torn the tendon that is responsible for attaching a muscle to a bone. It hurts! You must cease the activity that caused the muscle to strain, and you must ensure that you do not perform any other movements that will put any strain on the injured tendon. If you have a highly active job, your pulled muscle may require some time off of work, but this leave of absence is contingent upon the degree of damage and whether you are able to modify your activity to continue your normal daily activities.
2. Get Out the Ice Packs
As much as you are tempted to apply heat to the affected area, don't! Heat is notorious for increasing inflammation and swelling. Allow ice to be your choice. Ice reduces the flow of inflammatory mediators to the affected area while constricting blood flow in the region. Apply ice to the affected area in 20-minute increments, and then remove it for 20 minutes throughout the course of the day. Many people feel that ice not only makes the affected area feel better, but studies have shown that it helps keep inflammation and swelling as minimal as possible. If you do not own an ice pack, use a bag of frozen vegetables. They work just as well.
3. Compress the Site
It might be best to couple your ice with a compression device such as an ACE bandage. ACE bandages will also help reduce swelling and inflammation while allowing movement of the affected joint. It is important to apply the ACE bandage so that it is neither too loose nor too tight. If there is an open wound, you should have this pulled muscle evaluated in the emergency setting to reduce the likelihood of infection and to rule out any other problems in the area.
4. Elevate It High
Whether the muscle strain is in the upper or lower part of the body, you must do everything possible to elevate it above the level of the heart. When you elevate above the level of the heart, it will allow blood to return to the heart in a quick and efficient manner while reducing blood flow to the injury itself. You might need to use several bedroom pillows to achieve this. After an acute injury, you want to keep the injured area elevated continuously.
5. See a physician
If you are unable to move, have a fever, have an increase in pain or find that your home-treatment strategy has failed, you more than likely need professional medical attention. Your physician will rely heavily on your history to determine what muscle is injured. He or she will also order imaging to determine the extent of the injury. If your injury is severe enough, your injury may require surgical intervention.
