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Any tips on how to deal with a pulled back muscle?

Metalhead

Metalhead

Video game and movie addict. All for gay pride.
V.I.P Member
That is my official doctor’s diagnosis. I turned down the option of narcotics to hell out with this. But I really want to finish taking care of the weeds in my lawn and this pain is making that not an option currently.

Ice helps for a short while.

Damn it, I wanted a more productive week than this.
 
Just from my own experience with this sort of thing:

First, take Advil (I have no idea if it's narcotic or not), or some sort of anti-inflammitory stuff. It aint really for the pain, it's just to keep inflammation down, which is the important part. That's what Advil is good at.

Second: I know I say this like every 5 seconds but drink a lot of water. Something... something flushes out toxins something. Okay I dont remember the exact science there, my physical therapist explained it to me and frankly I didnt really understand. But yeah, it does help. You gotta get a lot of it though.

Third: For icing, what I'd suggest doing is to ice the area for... about 20 minutes, and then immediately after you're done with that, go have a hot shower. Again, I dont quite grasp the science-y bits behind this, but this was another thing I was very specifically told to do.

Fourth: DO SOMETHING. Doesnt matter what: Just something that's gonna occupy your mind. Play a game or watch a movie. Bonus points if it's something that gets you laughing. Or just... you know, whatever hobby might come to mind. So long as it really engages your mind yet doesnt require you to do something that causes any further pain, go for it. You gotta take your mind off of this.

So... yeah. I go through this nonsense really often, and that's what works for me and what I was told to do.

There are other things that can be of use, but whether or not they'll actually do anything depends on the nature of the injury. Like, I use a foam roll a lot, that helps a ton, but that's for spinal issues... I have no idea if that works on muscle stuff (it might be worth looking into though). If you've never used one of those, it's this long hard roll of what I think is polystyrene and you lay on it so it's along your spine (with a pillow under your head). Which sounds kinda painful, but it's really the opposite, typically feels very satisfying to do.
 
Advil is not a narcotic. Narcotics require prescriptions. And narcotics scare me given my history of addictions.
 
My doctor pointed out my obesity to me. I need to lose 70lbs as fast as I can. All my fat is in my belly around my organs, tainting their ability to function. I am going to start a 1,800 calorie a day diet right now.
 
We are onboard and ready to support you. I think it's important to do a cheat day once a week so you don't feel deprived. I helped somebody get off insulin with a food plan. Basically l tried to give him a feeling of fullness with vegetables, popcorn, little pudding cups, or jello, applesauce. And a lot of banana smoothies with nonfat yogurt. Think when we were living in caves, we ate until we felt full, so that's why l tried to give him a feeling of fullness. (More psychological) Now l would have put protein powder in his shakes. I followed the 4oz rule or no bigger than your hand for meat, since he prefers meat. He really lost weight. Has kept it off. So you can do this.

His stomach took about a year to tighten up. He was mildly obese. Your skin will shrink, but it takes time.
You got this!!
 
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Aspychata said:
We are onboard and ready to support you. I think it's important to do a cheat day once a week so you don't feel deprived. I helped somebody get off insulin with a food plan. Basically l tried to give him a feeling of fullness with vegetables, popcorn, little pudding cups, or jello, applesauce. And a lot of banana smoothies with nonfat yogurt. Think when we were living caves, we ate until we felt full, so that's why l tried to give him a feeling of fullness. (More psychological) Now l would have put protein powder in his shakes. I followed the 4oz rule or no bigger than your hand for meat, since he prefers meat. He really lost weight. Has kept it off. So you can do this.

His stomach took about a year to tighten up. He was mildly obese. Your skin will shrink, but it takes time.
You got this!!
Click to expand...
I look in the mirror and I look like Chris Farley. I am fat and worthless and ugly today.
 
Metalhead said:
My doctor pointed out my obesity to me. I need to lose 70lbs as fast as I can. All my fat is in my belly around my organs, tainting their ability to function. I am going to start a 1,800 calorie a day diet right now.
Click to expand...

Just dont try to rush it. You could end up with more problems than you started with.

But it's a good idea overall, I think.

Lost 20 pounds myself actually (I'm at about 150 now) though I'm not too clear on how/why that happened.

But if I can manage some of that (accidentally or not) you can definitely do it as you seem like the very determined sort. You'll absolutely get there, I think.

Metalhead said:
I am fat and worthless and ugly today.
Click to expand...

Come now, I think you know better than to hit yourself with statements like this.

Positivity, not negativity, is what's going to get you to your goal.
 
You are important here. I don't see your weight. I just see somebody struggling to deal with emotional issues, and sometimes food comforts us. I know sometimes l eat my feelings, those feelings l don't accept.

Make a goal like 5 lbs every 4 or 6 weeks. And pick a reward in 4 or 6 weeks so that you feel great! Maybe a new pair of pants a size down. You could buy a nice pair of jeans or pants one or two sizes down and hang them where you see them. Preferably by the fridge or cupboard so that you can reflect on what your goals are when you are cruising the kitchen for a food hit. :)

When you see some progress, take a selfie, so when you feel tempted to wipe out the entire pizza, take a look at your picture to show yourself you are making progress.

Don't lay guilt trips on yourself.
 
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I was surprised to learn that l had to develop abs to prevent back problems. So maybe the gym has a crunch machine you can do slowly!
 
Or I could take a harakiri blade and carve the fat of my frame with it. I don’t like pain enough to try that route, though.
 
Twenty years ago I was in a bad car accident.
The back muscle spasms continued unabated for over a month.
My HMO just wanted to try different pain killers, which just masked the problem.
But one worker there offered acupuncture to me-- no hesitation on my part!
He probed in the back area with me telling him which direction it was located.
Then ZAP! as if a big capacitor had discharged when he hit the golden spot.
What relief! There was a corona of soreness in the area, but the pain was 10% of previous.
Healed up and haven't had any pain like it since.
We're all different, what worked for me may not for you, but an idea?

In any case- may you have a quick and total recovery.
 
I believe in acupuncture. It resolved my daughter's TMJ.

Just start with a goal. You can do this. Think of a reward, maybe a new game in 6 weeks. Set a reasonable amount to lose.

And plenty of caffeine to get you thru those difficult days. Don't give up.
 
Jeff T said:
But one worker there offered acupuncture to me
Click to expand...

Ya know, I've always been curious about this. Is it like, a real thing that actually works? It's one of those things where whenever I hear of it, it's usually like "well it's just a pseudoscience, not really a real thing", that sort of stuff.

At the same time though, I've never been the skeptical sort myself. But I dont have experience with it (seriously you could not pay me to go through with it, I hate needles) to really understand much.
 
Some tips from a bloke who's suffered more than his fair share of injuries in life:

Do not take any painkillers, they prevent you from feeling if you're doing any damage while trying to heal.

The only way damaged body components heal is by your blood carrying the necessary repair materials to the injury. When muscles are not being used no blood flows through them so no healing can take place.

What you need to do is very very gently exercise the muscle. Absolutely no strain, just gentle movements. With back injuries this is easier to do in water because that takes most of the weight off of your spine.
 
I second what @Outdated advises. I've also had more than my fair share of injuries too. Overworking an injured muscle or joint can result in permanent problems, as I have found :-(

The best way forward is to keep mobile, but don't put any strain on your back. Pain killers are ok as long as you aren't using them to dull the pain to proceed with heavy work. Pain is a warning signal (as I'm sure you are aware) to prevent you from doing more damage to the effected area.

I pulled something in my back a few years ago. Actually, I think I dislocated a rib during a nasty coughing fit. It was sore and stiff. I just tried to continue as normal and did some work on my car. I had to take a break due to the pain mostly so I took a seat in my car with it's super comfy bucket seats. As soon as I rested into the seat I heard a rather comically loud cracking sound, it was like something you'd hear in a cartoon. The pain that followed was some of the worst I have ever experienced. But still I continued to tidy up and drive home. The next day I ended up in hospital and my back/rib has never really recovered.

So that is one of my cautionary tales about ignoring pain and overdoing things. Rest up and don't run before you can walk.
 
Well, speaking from the perspective of a one time national level athlete,...(1) If the injury is fresh,...alternating cool and hot compresses. (2) Make sure you are getting enough calcium, magnesium, and potassium in your diet to keep the accessory muscles from tightening up. (3). Once you are out past 72 hours or so, you should consider a few rounds of a good sports/deep tissue massage to break up the knot you have/will have. If you have a foam roller, that would be my second option,...and you can do that several times a day, as needed. (4). Stretch out/massage accessory muscles like hamstrings and glutes,...as these will tighten up as well.
 
There’s a lot of good info already posted. I will just add that I did acupuncture after a car accident and it did really work. Like anything else, you have to find a good practitioner.

You might also to these patches: Salonpas. OTC in drugstores. I have found these patches effective for muscle pain.
 
I am on an anti-inflammatory diet at this second. I had fresh pineapple alongside a spinach salad for lunch and I started taking a turmeric supplement. It seems to be helping with the back.
 
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