Muscle Pain Relief

Muscle pain can be debilitating… Read about what the causes are and the methods for relieving them.

When 36 year old Aaron Powell, a software engineer by profession, woke up on Sunday morning and found that the muscles in his back and legs were killing him, he knew he would have to call it quits about joining his friends on the day long hiking trip they had planned. He knew what had brought on the pain in his muscles; he had been hauling furniture into the new apartment he had moved into, practically all through Saturday.

While everybody experiences the occasional muscle pain some time or the other in their lives, for people who suffer from chronic muscle pain, it can be an incapacitating condition, with the quality of life deteriorating to a great extent. Muscle pain may be caused by a specific injury, or due to muscular spasms, or because it affects the soft connective tissues surrounding muscles such as tendons, ligaments, and fascia, or it could be as a result of a broader condition, like arthritis. It can range in intensity from aches that come on infrequently to disabling, chronic pain.

Usually, muscle pain is linked to overuse, physical exertion, or injury due to exercise. In such cases, the pain tends to affect specific muscles, starting either during the activity or after it. Tension can also result in muscle pain.

In the United States, pain in the muscle is the second most prevalent reason for visits to the doctor. According to estimates, 80 percent of Americans experience muscle pain, of some type or the other, at some part of their lives or the other. People often push their muscles right to their limits, and sometimes even beyond that. If muscles are pushed to limits that are beyond their capacity, the fibers in them begin tearing.

In fact, severely overworked muscles can develop innumerable tiny tears. The body responds by repairing these small little tears, and this is what causes the familiar ache and tightness we feel when we get a muscle pain. While most of these just cause minor discomfort, others can result in permanent disability, especially when the back and neck are affected. While there are many therapies that can provide muscle pain relief, choosing amongst them is largely dependent upon the cause of the muscle pain, how severe it is along with its duration, and of course according to what the doctor prescribes or the patient chooses.

Prescription and Over-The-Counter Medicines

These medications, which include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen, or Tylenol, are used to alleviate muscle pain. Certain nutritional supplements may also be advised in order to provide muscle pain relief. For instance, magnesium and calcium supplements are used for treating leg cramps that develop in the night. Enzyme therapy, containing bromelain, are also used to treat certain kinds of muscle pain.

Massage and Bodywork Therapies

Bodywork therapies are highly useful for providing muscle pain relief and restoring full body function. Massage, in particular, is often recommended to relieve tension and pain, which helps to increase blood circulation, thus bringing nutrients and oxygen to the muscles that are affected and also help to carry away toxic substances. If there is a strain in a muscle, a massage can prevent the shortening of the muscle while it heals.

Some of the other effective bodywork therapies are:

Reflexology: Pressure is applied to various reflex points on the hands and feet which helps the body to heal itself.

Shiatsu: This involves pressure applied with fingers to certain points on the meridians of the body, which improves circulation and eases pain.

Feldenkrais Method: In this method, new ways of moving the body helps to relax tense or cramped muscles.

Rolfing: Connective tissue and muscles are manipulated, which realigns the body according to the field of gravity.

Trained practitioners are required to perform these therapies.

Aromatherapy

In this therapy, essential oils from certain herbs and plants are used for muscle pain relief, along with any inflammation or spasms that may accompany it. The oils are usually applied with compresses or gentle massages. Some of them can also be added to warm bathwater. Some of the common essential oils used for muscle pain are: helichrysum, ginger, peppermint, marjoram, and thyme.

At-Home Remedies

At-home remedies like ice packs are also effective for relieving muscle pain, as are physical aides like wrist wraps and back braces, which hold bones and joints in their correct positions, thus helping to reduce strain being put on the affected muscles.

Exercises for Muscle Strengthening

Physical therapists or doctors also usually prescribe certain exercises, which help in increasing muscular flexibility and strength. A physical therapy course is also useful for educating patients about the importance of using ergonomic tools, like padded chairs, which help to reduce strain on muscles. Therapists also teach patients the correct ways of sitting, lifting, walking, or doing work that requires repetitive movements, in order to prevent problems in the future.

By Rita Putatunda Published: 9/29/2007

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