Muscle Pain Relief

Finding the best option for muscle pain relief starts with figuring out the pain cause. That means identifying exactly which muscle hurts and how you hurt it. 

It's not always easy. Tendinitis, bursitis, gout, ligament sprains, several forms of arthritis, sciatica, and another number of other conditions can feel like muscle pain. So until you know exactly what's wrong, you can only guess how to get relief.

Once you've gotten an accurate diagnosis, pain relief options become more clear.

Over the counter muscle pain relief

You can usually group muscle pain causes into two general categories:

• injury from overuse, inappropriate use, or repetitive motion, and
• injury from competitive athletics, accidents or some other form of trauma.

In either case, the intensity of the pain can range from mild to severe. In instances like these, your doctor will probably recommend medications. Non-prescription possibilities would include the following.

Acetaminophen the better known brain names for this pain reliever Tylenol and Aspirin Free Excedrin. Acetaminophen relieve muscle pain and soreness because it's active in the parts of the brain that process "pain messages."

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs NSAIDs like ibuprofen relieve muscle pain by reducing inflammation. Popular brand names include Motrin, Aleve and Orudis KT.

NSAIDs also come in a prescription formula which is somewhat stronger.

Topical corticosteroids These are also widely known as Cortaid and Cortizone. These not only help relieve muscular pain but they also work with some forms of arthritis. Usually, they can be found in creams, lotions or sprays that are placed directly on the skin. Well known brands include Aspercreme, Ben-Gay, Icy Hot and Capzasin-P.

Prescription muscle pain relief

Your doctor may decide to prescribe a muscle pain reliever if your pain is severe enough.

Once again, NSAIDs in prescription form have become very popular. They relieve pain and reduce swelling with few side effects for most people.

Corticosteroids are another prescription option. These may come pill or injection form. Corticosteroids work for swelling, redness, and allergic reactions. But you have to be careful with these because they can cause strong side effects like headaches, upset stomach, sleeping problems and mood changes.

Physical therapy and exercise

Physical therapy is designed to help repair and strengthen body parts that have been injured or weakened by disease. Therapists teach patients how to build up strength and improve range of motion. They can also recommend ergonomic devices that make everyday chores safer or easier for your muscles to perform. Examples light be ergonomic chairs or kitchen knives that work more efficiently.

Exercise can help relieve certain kinds of pain by strengthening your muscles and improving your range of motion, which reduces your risk of re-injury.

Massage

Some people can't live without an occasional massage - or at least they think they can't. There's no question a massage soothes aching muscles and helps them relax.

Acupuncture

As with massage, acupuncture has many advocates who believe it can help relieve muscular pain. Even now, no one seems quite sure why this ancient tradition works. Some doctors think the needles may trigger certain substances in the body that give you a sense of well-being and freedom from pain. Other doctors think the results are mainly psychological: if you think it's working, then it's working.

Chiropractic

Sometimes you get muscle pain from bad posture or you develop habits that cause imbalances in your bones and muscles. A chiropractor specializes in helping you identify and correct these. You may have also been born with slightly improper spinal alignment that can cause pain in muscles and joints. Once again, a chiropractor can help alleviate your pain by correcting these.

Home remedies for muscle pain relief

If your muscle pain is relatively minor, you can use some tried and true home remedies to get relief.

For instance, an ice pack can help reduce swelling from a muscle injury or condition. If you don't want to get one of the kind you find in a pharmacy, you can just buy a couple of bags of frozen peas. They work pretty well too.

Your local pharmacy will no doubt carry a line of braces and wraps that can be helpful.

But once again, it's important to know the cause of your muscle pain in order to choose the correct relief option. In most cases, you need to get the help of your doctor to identify the exact cause of your pain.