About this topic
A muscle strain happens when the muscle is stretched too much. Some of your muscle fibers may be torn. You are more likely to have a muscle strain if you play sports. People who do heavy work outs are also likely to have this kind of injury. Sometimes, it is caused by stretching too much. You can also strain your muscles by using them too much without enough rest. Care of your muscle strain may depend on how bad it is. ‚
View OriginalView Original
What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Rest. Allow your injury to heal before you do slow movements.
- Place an ice pack or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel over the painful part. Never put ice right on the skin. Do not leave the ice on more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time.
- Prop the sore muscle on pillows to help with swelling.
- Wrap your muscle with an elastic bandage (ACE bandage). This will help to lessen swelling. Take off the bandage if you notice any numbness or tingling in your fingers or toes. This may mean the dressing is too tight.
- You may slowly start stretching your muscle when it feels less swollen or painful.
What follow-up care is needed?
Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits. ‚
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help with pain and swelling
Will physical activity be limited?
You may have to limit your activity. Talk to your doctor about the right amount of activity for you. ‚
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
- Do warm-up exercises before and cool-down exercises after playing sports.
- Drink lots of water during and after a workout.
- Wear proper clothing or footwear when you are playing sports.
When do I need to call the doctor?
- The pain or swelling in your muscles gets worse
- Health problem is not better or you are feeling worse
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my condition.
- I can tell you what may help ease my pain.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have more pain or swelling.
Where can I learn more?
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases ‚
http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Sprains_Strains/default.asp ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚