Did I Pull A Muscle?

One very common source of pain is our muscles and joints. When people experience pain it is muscles that usually get the blame. If the pain is truly muscular there will be an activity or injury that you will recall. 

What is muscle injury:

A muscle injury is called a “strain”. Minor muscle injuries will recover on their own within 2-4 weeks. If the injury is more advanced, then massage therapy, physical therapy and corrective exercises/stretches may be needed. If there is not a clear picture of what caused the muscle pain, the question we should be asking ourselves is “Why are my muscles hurting?”

Muscles do what they are told, both consciously and unconsciously by our brain/nervous system. When muscles become painful without a clear mechanism of injury it is usually because they are reacting/responding to an injury somewhere else. If a muscle is “tight” for what appears to be no good reason, the muscle is “guarding” something else, usually a joint. The body will use muscle tightness in an attempt to prevent further injury of a joint problem. The most common joints that “guard” muscles are the joints of your spine. 

What is Referred Pain:

The next source of muscle pain is what’s called “referred pain”. This can come from many sources but a common root issue is a “subluxation” of the spine. This can cause inflammation of a nerve root “neuritis” and this irritation causes pain to be felt in the muscles and joints they control. This can be perceived as achy, dull, burning, numb or tingly pain. 

Mistake that you should never make:

One of the most dangerous things to do is let a problem go unaddressed. Even with minor injuries it is a good idea to be evaluated by a chiropractor or other healthcare provider so that the proper care can start right away and get you feeling better sooner rather than later.

Be healthy and well,

Dr.Redman