Muscle aches occur when the muscles have been overly strained and exerted. Swelling occurs, muscles feel sore and the physical movement of the muscle will feel limited. Muscle aches can generally be treated and cured at home and rest is essential. If the pain in the muscle occurs for longer than three days there may be a strain present, but, in general, muscle aches last for approximately two days.
Cause
When the muscles are overly strained, little tears occur in the muscle fibers. The muscle tends to swell due to fluids building in the tear and pain is felt as the muscle is stretched. This pain usually lasts for approximately two days and during this time the muscle feels tender and sore to touch. It may feel painful to move and use the muscles during this time.
Solution
By increasing the circulation and blood flow through the muscle, you can help to break down and remove the buildup of fluids and acids which are causing the pain. Therefore any activity that involves increasing warmth and blood flow through the area will help to both ease the pain of muscle aches as well as encourage the muscle to heal faster.
Treatment
The pain of muscle aches can be treated using any over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen. There are a variety of medicated creams that you can rub on the aching muscles. These creams feel like heat when applied and are available over the counter from any drugstore. Massage is an extremely popular treatment for muscle aches. Massage stretches the muscle, increases blood flow and encourages lymphatic drainage.
Cures
To ease the muscle aches and assist the healing process, you can soak the muscle in a warm bath, apply a heat pack or sit in a sauna. This will help to relax the muscle and increase the blood flow. Stretching is an extremely effective way of increasing blood flow and warmth through the muscle, but care must be taken to not overdo it. Light exercises such as walking also assists in repairing the muscle. Essential oils such as rosemary and black pepper will also help to reduce pain when applied to the muscle.
Prevention
To prevent straining and muscle aches, warm and stretch the muscles prior to exercise. Take five to 10 minutes to stretch and warm the muscle gradually, building the intensity of exercise slowly. Avoid the sudden impact of high-intensity physical activity. Avoid overexerting the muscles for long periods of time. Be sure to cool down after exercise gradually decreasing the intensity and stretching for five to 10 minutes again.
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