What are Some Home Remedies for a Pulled Muscle?

health wellness

A pulled muscle is a painful injury that is caused when muscle fibers become torn. Pulled muscles are usually caused by engaging in physical activity without properly warming up first. They can also occur when a person who is not in shape does something that is strenuous to the muscles.

Although any muscle can become injured, the hamstring is the most commonly pulled muscle. The hamstring runs along the back of the thigh from the knee joint to the buttocks. Regardless of where the pulled muscle is located, it results in severe pain that becomes increasingly worse. It may also become bruised a couple days after the injury occurs.

While nothing can be done to make a pulled muscle heal faster, there are several ways to treat a pulled muscle at home in order to reduce the pain and improve function. The first step is to place an ice pack on the injured area immediately. This will help reduce swelling and, therefore, pain. Next, the pulled muscle should be wrapped in an elastic bandage to help reduce the amount of stress placed on the muscle.

Rubbing arnica cream on the affected area is a homeopathic remedy for a pulled muscle. This cream is safe for people of all ages and absorbs quickly into the skin. It is known to relieve muscles that have been overexerted or injured. Stretching is another pulled muscle treatment, though it is important to be careful, as it can also worsen the injury if done too soon. When stretching a pulled muscle, it should never be pushed to the point that it causes pain.

Applying heat to the pulled muscle can also be beneficial. Moist heat, such as that from warm bath or shower, is better than dry heat from a heating pad. A warm bath can soothe the pulled muscle and reduce the pain. This is because the heat helps improve circulation, as well as your body’s metabolism. It also relaxes the pulled muscle, which decreases muscle spasms and stiffness in the ligaments and tendons.

Adding Epsom salt to the warm bath can also benefit the pulled muscle. Epsom salt has long been known for its ability to ease muscular aches and pains.

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19
i pulled my hamstring dancing. it's not unbearable but it hurts every so often. i have a showcase tomorrow and i'm gonna take part because i have worked so hard for it, but how do i make it more usable without it being sore? tablet for muscle aches and pains? ice or heat or both?
- anon42361
18
i pulled an arm muscle during football practice. i really need to heal but i can't stop practicing. what should i do?
- anon42203
16
hey, i am a competitive cheerleader and i pulled my hamstring about two weeks ago. my coach was stretching me and when i got up my hamsting began to hurt and now it has been over two weeks and it hurts really bad. i have tried motrin, bengay, icy hot! Help! i have cheer tryouts in three days!
- anon39297
15
I have a pulled muscle that just started hurting two weeks ago. What happened is that a month ago I fell off a treadmill and had a nasty sore on my arm that tooks weeks to heal, and now this pulled muscle si in the same area. What can be done about? It is very uncomfortable and limits what I can do with my arm and hurts very bad when I try to excerise it. Cold and hot pads have not worked.
- anon38619
14
What's an American Sports Week? I'm American and curious...
- anon34792
13
I woke up with pain in the centre right side of my back and my mum said I pulled a muscle. Tomorrow at school I have an American sports week and I don't know if I can go in.
- anon34746
12
My wife and I were playing soft ball last night and she pulled/strained both of her quads as she ran past first base. Looking back on it she had been working in the Texas heat all day and had not consumed enough water/liquids. I think this caused most of the problem as she was dehydrated... Drink non-caffeinated drinks and stay hydrated before playing sports.
- anon34313
11
I pulled my hamstring while playing kickball at Physical Education when the coach didn't make us do exercises, and all that you write points to what happened to me.
- anon32045
10
*Youch*, I pulled a muscle in my hamstring playing competitive soccer. I have my practice Tuesday, Weds, Thurs, and Fri then a game on Saturday.
- anon29308
9
I pulled a muscle in my lower back yesterday playin softball. I swung the bat as hard as i could and it pulled but it hurt so bad i went down cryin. I don't cry unless it hurts. I just want the pain to go away before Monday cuz we have our first game.

Also i have a slight pulling in my arm but i don't know what it is. Any suggestions?

- anon28729
8
i think it might be a pulled muscle but i dont exactly know. It started bothering me 3 days ago and the pain has got worst. I was salting my drive way and when I went inside it started hurting. it hurts to raise my arm and the pain is spreading to my elbow.
- e4nike
7
I have just been getting a very sharp like stitch pain on the lower left side of abs and not sure if

it is a pulled muscle or not, but do feel the pain

worst when walking.

And have had the carmera down cause the pain felt like a ulcer for a start under the left ribs ,

and got told it is not a hernia which I thought it

could have been cause I do a lot of weightlifting.

What do you think it could be ?

- anon22986
6
Icing isn't a good idea, usually warm compresses are good for relaxing the muscle and you have to stop using it as much as u did b4 so it can heal. Take some motrin, rest for a couple days, start stretching it and make sure to train it to become stronger so it doesn't happen again.
- anon21761
5
i play football and i pulled a muscle. it feels like a bruise when I press it. i've had it for a week and a half, been icing it, stretching it. how can i get this pain to go away? its messing up my performance in the field.
- chris21393
3
I pulled a muscle in my calf just over a week ago. I am using arnica pills as part of the treatment and have just begun putting weight on my foot today as well as gentle stretches. The doc advised me that recovery time would be around 3 weeks. As I am not one for sitting still I am hoping the arnica will speed up the process!!!!
- jenni
2
How long is the healing time for a pulled muscle?
- anon11185
1
OK, this is going to sound incredibly weird, but an aunt of mine (yes, she's from the "old country"...in a place where olives are abundant) swears by the healing properties of olive oil and vinegar. She recommends it for many things including...pulled muscles! In fact, my brother pulled a muscle while visiting her once, and she gave him her special concoction. He says it helped! Perhaps it was the placebo effect but in any case it can't hurt to try!
- malena

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Written by Shannon Kietzman
Last Modified: 20 August 2009

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