Muscle Pain, Treatments, Self-Care Methods and Remedies
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Finding effective muscle pain treatments can be ultra important for getting out of bed with a smile on your face if you have muscle pain, also known as myalgia.
We at Voltarol understand that when we’re in pain, we have a way... of retreating from our normal activities. In other words, our worlds get a little smaller. So, what can be done? Here we outline some first-line muscle pain treatments and home remedies for you.
Muscle pain can affect adults and can appear anywhere in the body, be it shoulder pain, back pain, neck pain, or leg pain, etc. It is often caused by blunt trauma to the muscle (think banging your knee on the coffee table), a strain, overexertion (if you lifted something heavy and tweaked your back), or something more systemic like fever.
- NSAIDs
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, are suitable for relieving pain from injuries, such as muscle strains, sprains, or tears. Voltarol gels and medicated plasters contain the NSAID, diclofenac, which will help get you back on the path to joyful movement. Because it’s not just movement, it’s connecting with the world around you and being truly present for the moments that matter.
- Paracetamol
Fever can be associated with muscle pain. That is why fever associated with the flu, for instance, causes aches and pain in your body. Paracetamol, such as Panadol, may be taken in order to lower your fever and manage the symptoms of cold or flu while your body recovers. Panadol Advance 500 mg Tablets contain paracetamol. Always read the label.
- Muscle relaxants
Muscle relaxants can be used to treat acute muscle injury. They help by releasing the muscle fibres, thus relieving tension that may cause pain while the injury heals.
- Antibiotics or antifungals
If your muscle pain is caused by an underlying infection, antibiotics or antifungals will be prescribed to treat bacteria or fungus causing the infection. Consult your doctor for a prescription.
- Prescription vitamin D
Nutritional deficiencies, particularly a lack of vitamin D, are sometimes the culprit behind myalgia. When this is the case, your doctor may prescribe you prescription-dose vitamin D to take in order to bring your levels back into normal range. If you think this might be the case contact your healthcare professional.
Self-care and home remedies for muscle pain
What about non-medicated treatments that help muscle pain? There are a number of effective home remedies that you may try on their own or in conjunction with medication in order to get some relief and get moving freely again.
The first thing you could try ...as an at home remedy for muscle pain if you've injured yourself (but you don't think it's bad enough to see a doctor or go to hospital), is RICE. RICE stands for rest, ice, compression, elevation.
Rest
Rest is necessary for tissue repair. Continued weight bearing and movement can aggravate an already injured muscle. Get comfortable and... get ready to stay sitting or lying down for the first few days after a muscle sprain, strain or tear.
Ice
Cold can be helpful in reducing acute pain and inflammation in the first few days after an injury. Apply an ice pack or bag of ice to your sore muscle throughout the day. Never apply an ice pack directly to your skin. Instead, wrap it in a thin towel and then place it on your affected area.
Compression
Compression can help reduce swelling. Consider carefully wrapping your injured muscle with an elastic bandage. A word of caution – be sure not to wrap the bandage too tight or apply excessive compression, as this can interfere with blood circulation. That would be no good.
Elevation
Elevation also helps reduce swelling. Elevate your injured muscle while resting.
Other muscle pain remedies include:
- Massage
Especially in the case of overexertion, massage can be helpful for releasing tight muscles and helping them relax. This can be particularly soothing in the case of neck pain, back pain, or shoulder pain. Added bonus: it’s a great way for you to kick back and get pamper yourself.
- Mindfulness meditation
So much of pain is mental. Often the anxiety and obsessing over how much something hurts can intensify our perception of the pain. Staying in the moment with some meditation – concentrating on the here and now and not ruminating over the what-ifs of pain – can go a long way in putting pain in its place.
- Stretching
Keeping muscles stretched and limber can eliminate muscle pain caused by pulled, tight muscles as a result of overexertion.
- Heat patch
Heat can be used to relieve muscle pain (hello hot water bottle), and heat patches are a convenient way to get this on the go. For example, our Voltarol Heat Patch can be used to effectively and naturally provide pain relief and deep muscle relaxation for muscle pain, back, neck and shoulder pain. Voltarol Heat Patch is applied directly to the skin, on the site of your muscular pain. With continuous low-level heat that lasts for up to 8 hours, you can feel extended pain relief for up to 24 hours*!
How does Voltarol work to relieve muscle pain
So, how exactly does Voltarol work? Most Voltarol products contain diclofenac, a powerful NSAID, that relieves pain and fights inflammation at its source.
Unlike pills, Voltarol gels and medicated plasters are applied at the point of pain. This way, the diclofenac can reach deep into the tissue after topical application, so it acts where you need it. It targets the source of pain beneath the site of application for pain relief that will have you saying ‘aaaah.’
Voltarol gels are effective on muscle trauma and injuries - what does that mean? Sprains, strains, bruises, and in backache, also injuries caused by sport activities. Voltarol Medicated Plasters are similarly effective on acute strains, sprains and muscle trauma.
Our Voltarol heat patches, on the other hand, are non-medicated and contain iron, which heats up when it comes in contact with the air. Each patch provides 8 hours of therapeutic, penetrating heat that works to unwind tight, aching muscles and increases circulation to help soothe pain away.
Gels
- Open your tube of Voltarol Gel by twisting off the cap
- Squeeze out an amount ranging in size from a from a one penny to two pence coin, depending on the size of the affected area
- Gently rub into the skin above where you are experiencing body pain
- Apply Voltarol gel as indicated on the label
- Start to regain your joy of movement.
Voltarol 140mg Medicated Plaster
Medicated plaster:
- Make sure your skin is clean, dry, and non-greasy.
- Tear open the individual plaster sleeve.
- Peel back the plastic backing.
- Gently press the plaster onto your affected area, adhesive side down.
- Smooth out the plaster to ensure it is lying flat against your skin.
- Only use one medicated plaster at a time, even if you have multiple areas you’d like to treat.
Voltarol Heat Patch
- Make sure your skin is clean, dry, and non-greasy.
- Tear open the sleeve just before you’re ready to use the patch.
- Remove the plastic backing.
- Place the heat patch – adhesive side down – on the painful area of your back, neck, or shoulders.
- Press firmly but gently to make sure the patch is on smoothly and in the correct position.
- Start to regain your joy of movement.
Voltarol dosage to relieve muscle pain
Always follow the Voltarol dosage instructions listed on the individual product information, which is in the package of your Voltarol gel, plaster or patch.
How long does Voltarol take to relieve muscle pain
It doesn’t take long for Voltarol muscle relief products to get to work.
For neck pain, for instance, a study shows that Voltarol gel reduces the pain felt upon movement, after just one hour of application; and that it cuts pain in half within 24 hours. Voltarol gel as a muscle rub provides pain relief 2x faster than non-medicated gel and is 3x more effective than a placebo, studies on neck pain have shown.
Explore Voltarol products for pain relief
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Health, wellness & your pain
Pain is rarely just physical nor is it always solved by taking medicine alone. Voltarol is your ally in helping you take more control of your pain journey, from the way to sleep, to what you eat, mental wellbeing and complementary pain relief therapies.
