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Suffering From Muscular Pain And Strains? Ways To Get Relief

25th October, 2010 - Posted by health news - No Comments

Muscular pain relief begins with a proper diagnosis of the cause of the discomfort. That means figuring out exactly which muscle (or group of muscles) has been injured or damaged and how it occurred.

There are any number of possibilities. Strained muscles, ligament sprains, tendinitis, bursitis, gout, several forms of arthritis, sciatic nerve damage, nerve pain etc. – any of these conditions can feel like musclular pain. So until you have an accurate diagnosis, you can only guess how to get muscle pain relief.

Here are some time tested pain relief options that are available to you once you know what you’re dealing with.

Muscular pain can usually be grouped into two general categories:

* injury or wear and tear from overuse, inappropriate use, or repetitive motion, and
* damage caused by an injury during competitive athletics, accidents or some other form of trauma.

In either case, your doctor is likely to suggest one of any number of pain relievers. Non-prescription muscle pain relievers might include one of those listed below.

Acetaminophen – You’ll find acetaminophen at your pharmacy or on your grocery stores sheves packaged as Tylenol and Aspirin Free Excedrin. Acetaminophen works because it’s active in the parts of the brain that process “pain messages” from elsewhere in the body.

NSAIDs – NSAID is an abbreviation for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. One of the more commonly known names in this category is ibuprofen Popular brand names include Motrin, Aleve and Orudis KT. NSAIDs also come in a stronger prescription form.

Topical corticosteroids – Better known brands include Cortaid and Cortizone. Not only do these help relieve muscle pain, but they reduce the discomfort from some forms of arthritis. Usually, they can be found in creams, lotions or sprays that are placed directly on the skin. Some of the better known brands are Aspercreme, Ben-Gay, Icy Hot and Capzasin-P.

Once again, your physician may suggest a prescription muscle pain reliever if your degree of pain is severe enough.

Prescription corticosteroids are another possibility. These may come pill or injection form. Corticosteroids are especially helpful where there’s swelling, redness, and allergic reactions. But you have to be careful with these because they can cause strong side effects like headaches, upset stomach, sleeping problems and moodiness.

Muscles in need of strengthening and repair can usually benefit from physical therapy and exercise. Therapists teach patients how to build muscle strength and improve range of motion. They can also recommend ergonomic devices that make everyday chores safer or easier for your muscles to perform. Such ergonomic devices could include kitchen knives or desk chairs that are less likely to cause pain or discomfort when you use them.

Exercise can help relieve certain kinds of pain by strengthening your muscles and improving your range of motion, which reduces your risk of re-injury.

Many people love a massage – even if they don’t have muscular pain. There’s no question a massage improves circulation, soothes sore muscles and helps you relax.

Acupuncture has many committed believers who are convinced it can help relieve muscular pain. Even now, no one seems quite sure why this ancient tradition works – but for many people, it truly does. There’s some speculation that placing needles in certain points of the body releases substances that give the patient a sense of well-being and freedom from pain. Other doctors think the results are mainly psychological: if you’re convinced that it works, then it will work.

Sometimes you get muscular pain from bad posture. Or you develop habitual movements (like an irregular gait) that cause imbalances in your bones and muscles. Chiropractors help you isolate and correct these. Chiropractors can also help those who have been born with an improper spinal alignment that can cause pain in muscles and joints.

If you have muscular pain that doesn’t require a doctor’s attention, you can try some time-honored home remedies.

For example, an ice pack can help reduce inflammation from a muscle injury or condition. You don’t need to use one of those commercial ice packs from your pharmacy – some ice cubes in a plastic bag is all you need. Even a big bag of frozen peas will do the job. Your local pharmacy will no doubt carry a line of braces, bandages and wraps that can be helpful.

But once again, it’s important to identify the cause of your muscular pain in order to select the proper relief option.

Related topics: muscle sprains and muscular pain treatment. Neal Kennedy is a former radio and TV talk show host. To read more of his articles, click on chronic muscular pain.