Feel Better Fast

Pulled or Sore Muscle 

• Follow the acronym RICE: rest, ice, compression, and elevation.
• Gently stretch after severe pain is gone, to maintain range of motion and prevent stiffness.
• Take ibuprofen to alleviate pain and swelling for two to five days after the injury.
• Try a topical analgesic cream (such as Tiger Balm), which can relieve pain.
• Soak in a hot bath three or four days after the injury. Moist heat brings oxygen to the tissues and helps loosen muscles.

• Put heat on the muscle right away. Heat may feel good, but in the first 24 to 48 hours use ice to reduce inflammation.
• Undergo a rigorous massage; in the wrong hands, you could end up feeling worse.

• Walking is painful or the soreness hasn’t improved in a week. You may have a hematoma (a bleeding bruise) in the muscle or a ruptured tendon.