How long does it take for a pulled back muscle to heal?

Compared to many other kinds of back injuries, a pulled muscle is usually straightforward to diagnose and easy to treat, and symptoms usually resolve within 4 to 6 weeks. Some severe muscle injuries, such as a complete muscle tear, can take months to heal.

What is the fastest way to heal a pulled back muscle?

To speed the healing, you should: Ice your back to reduce pain and swelling as soon as you injure yourself. Do it for 20-30 minutes every 3-4 hours for 2-3 days. You can also ice your back after physical activity.

How do you know if you pulled a muscle in your back?

Common Pulled Back Muscle Symptoms
  1. Local swelling.
  2. Muscle spasms.
  3. Tenderness when touched.
  4. Cramping.
  5. Intense or dull pain.
  6. Pain with specific movements.
  7. Tightness or stiffness in the muscles.
  8. Pain relief in resting positions.

Should I stretch a pulled muscle?

Should you stretch a strained or pulled muscle? Like we mentioned above, the best thing to do for your pulled muscle is to rest it. Physical Therapist Lewis says “You would want to avoid stretching the muscle for a few days to allow the acute injury to begin to heal.

Is walking good for lower back pain?

The simple movement of walking is one of the best things we can do for chronic lower back pain. Ten to fifteen minutes of walking twice a day will help ease lower back pain. Substitute this activity for a more vigorous type of exercise if you prefer and/or are able.

Should I go to the doctor for a pulled back muscle?

If your back pain is from a recent strain or mild injury, your primary care doctor can probably help. But if the pain is severe, ongoing, or accompanied by other symptoms such as numbness or tingling in your arms or legs, it may be time to see a back doctor.

Do you ice or heat a pulled muscle?

Typically, cold is most appropriate for acute injuries and heat is a better chance for chronic injuries. Placing an ice pack on an acute injury immediately helps to reduce pain and swelling because ice is a vasoconstrictor.

Should I massage a pulled muscle?

Massage can help a range of injuries including sprains, strains, broken bones and muscles tears. Using a variety of massage techniques, massage can stretch out tightness and loosen scar tissue. Using massage as part of injury rehabilitation can increase healing rate and shorten recovery time.

Does a pulled muscle hurt all the time?

After straining a muscle, you may experience muscle spasms, weakness, and pain. Sometimes, the area surrounding the muscle will cramp and swell, and you’ll struggle to move a muscle or won’t be able to use it at all. Severe strains, like a partial or complete tear, are very painful.

Is a heating pad good for a pulled muscle?

Use a heating pad or a warm towel to help relieve muscle aches and tension. Be sure not to cause yourself more pain and avoid burns by using a towel between the heating pad and your skin. As with ice, only apply heat for about 20 minutes at a time.

What is the best tablet for muscle pain?

Drugs used to treat Muscle Pain
Drug name Rating Rx/OTC
View information about Paracetamol Paracetamol 9.7 Rx/OTC
Generic name: acetaminophen systemic medicine class: miscellaneous analgesics For consumers: dosage, interactions, side effects
View information about Advil Advil 6.2 Rx/OTC

Should I ice a pulled muscle?

Rest the strained muscle. Avoid the activities that caused the strain and other activities that are painful. Ice the muscle area (20 minutes every hour while awake). Ice is a very effective anti-inflammatory and pain-reliever.

What is best for back pain heat or cold?

When you have back pain from exercise or exertion, use cold therapy immediately after the activity to reduce tissue damage, inflammation, and pain. After a 24-hour period, use heat therapy to encourage tissue healing.

What’s best for sore muscles heat or ice?

Heat boosts the flow of blood and nutrients to an area of the body. It often works best for morning stiffness or to warm up muscles before activity. Cold slows blood flow, reducing swelling and pain. It’s often best for short-term pain, like that from a sprain or a strain.

How sore is too sore?

“My rule is that working out with a little bit of stiffness or soreness is okay. If it’s a 1, 2 or 3 out of 10, that’s okay. If it’s getting above that, or the pain is getting worse during activity, or if you’re limping or changing your gait, back off the intensity of the workout.”

What is better for muscle pain Tylenol or Advil?

This is a personal preference. Some feel acetaminophen works better for them, whereas others find ibuprofen better relieves a headache. Muscle ache or pulled/strained muscle. Ibuprofen typically works better for this kind of pain relief, due to the anti-inflammatory effects.

Is a hot bath good for sore muscles?

Combining a warm bath with self massage can work wonders for consistently sore muscles, especially relieving pain in the back. Often people are reluctant to hop into a warm bath when their pain is bad, thinking that the raised temperature will aggravate the inflammation, when really it is often one of the best cures.

Can heat make back pain worse?

If you have truly pulled or strained your lower back muscles, applying heat will cause inflammation. Heating inflamed tissues will make your pain worse and certainly won’t help things get better any time soon. Another scenario when heat therapy is not a good idea is if you are already sweating.

Why do hospitals use Tylenol instead of Advil?

Because hospitals use competitive bidding to purchase drugs, they usually stock only one brand of each kind. Hospitals prefer acetaminophen — the active ingredient in Tylenol — because it has fewer side effects than aspirin.

Why do doctors recommend Tylenol over Advil?

Deciding which one is best for you may come down to your type of pain and your medical history. Advil reduces inflammation, which reduces pain. It works best on pain caused by inflammation, such as pain from RA. Tylenol works to lower your body’s pain threshold.