How to Naturally Treat a Muscle Strain
Our muscles play an essential role in several aspects of bodily function. We use them multiple times throughout any given moment, often without even thinking about it. Even blinking our eyes is possible due to the various muscles in the eyelids.
When a muscle is strained (as opposed to a sprain, which occurs in ligaments), it can be excruciating and make even subtle movements difficult. The good news is that with proper chiropractic care and natural treatments, muscle strain can be remedied safely, reducing symptoms.
This post goes over the following:
- What a muscle strain is, and how you get them
- Tips to prevent muscle strain
- Tips to safely reduce muscle strain pain at home
- Chiropractic methods for effective muscle strain treatment
- And more
If your muscles are underperforming, weak, or unable to function in the manner they should, read on to learn about muscle strains and what you can do about them.
What is a Muscle Strain?
When a muscle or the tissues that connect muscle to bone are pulled, strained, or stretched unnaturally, the result is called a muscle strain, which can lead to various pain points.
Common symptoms associated with a muscle strain include:
- Sudden and shocking muscle pain that ranges from dull to severe
- Muscle achiness or tenderness
- Muscle spasms and cramping
- Weakness of the affected muscle
- Pain that worsens during use
- Inability to use the muscle
- Swelling or inflammation in and around the affected muscle
While these symptoms often arise in the low back or hamstrings, they can occur throughout the body.
Reasons you may experience a muscle strain include:
- Improper warm-ups and cool-downs before and after sports or physical activity
- Forcing too much effort from the muscle
- Poor flexibility
- Pushing through pain
- Poor training
- Overexerting the muscles
- Muscle fatigue
- Regular physical activity or overuse, such as with hobbies, occupation, or athletics
- A traumatic event, such as a sports injury or car accident
How to Help Avoid a Muscle Strain & How to Relieve It if You Get One
While some lifestyles depend on targeted muscle demand that can’t be avoided, there are ways you can protect your body by improving your movements and habits.
Tips to help prevent muscle strain:
- Stretch regularly
- Properly warm up before and cool down after physical activities
- Stay hydrated
- Adhere to correct lifting techniques
- Learn and use good posture and movement patterns
- Use the correct equipment for physical jobs or when working out
- Rest overused muscles
- Get quality sleep so your muscles can restore and recover
- Listen to your body and stop activities that cause pain or overly stress the muscles
If you’re suffering from a muscle strain, these chiropractor-approved solutions can help:
- Ice, compress (wrap), and elevate (above the heart) the injured muscle to reduce swelling, bruising, and inflammation
- Gently stretch and massage the muscle to promote the healthy circulation of nutrients and oxygen and garner soothing properties
- Apply heat to the affected muscle to encourage relaxation in tense tissues
Chiropractic Methods to Safely Treat Muscle Strain in League City
In our League City chiropractic clinic, we offer numerous chiropractic solutions. Your goal is to get pain-free and move without restriction; ours is to ensure you can maintain that. We will find the reason behind your pain so the optimal healing strategy can be designed.
Our care team provides support for patients of all ages and lifestyles suffering from muscle strain. Let us learn about your symptoms, provide a comprehensive assessment, and create a healing plan based on your needs.
The chiropractic solutions we offer to help relieve and heal muscle strain include:
- Chiropractic adjustments
- Dry needling
- Manual therapy
- Physical rehab
- Taping
- Sports chiropractic
- Myofascial decompression and cupping
- And others
You receive much more than just in-clinic treatments when you work with us. We provide comprehensive guidance on posture, exercise, movement patterns, and more, so you leave us armed with the tools to keep your body safer.
We understand that you don’t want to live with pain, and you don’t have to. Achieve lasting results with chiropractic care.
Book an appointment with our League City chiropractic clinic to relieve your muscle strain symptoms at the source. Let’s get you active and living life with intention.
