HELP FOR MUSCLE PAIN AT STATE 11 SOFT TISSUE THERAPY IN SPALDING, LINCOLNSHIRE
If you're struggling with muscle aches or pains, you'll know how it can be painful, distressing, and stop you doing what you want to do; whether that's going to work or your favourite sport. At State 11, we specialise in helping people with muscle pain so they can get back to living their lives again.
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UNDERSTANDING MUSCLE PAIN, HOME TREATMENTS AND HOW SPECIALIST HELP AT STATE 11 CAN HELP YOUR RECOVERY
Content written by Greg Pritchard, RAPID NeuroFascial Reset Specialist, BTEC L5 Soft Tissue Therapy (CSSM), MFHT
Muscle pain, also known as myalgia, is a common condition that can affect anyone, regardless of age or fitness level; if you have muscles, you can have muscle pain!
As pain and injury specialists, we regularly treat muscle pain at State 11 Soft Tissue Therapy in Spalding.
Muscle pain can range from mild discomfort to severe pain, and can affect a specific area (like the calf muscles) or larger groups of connected muscles (such as the entire back).
Sometimes it is possible to identify a cause for the pain - such as a strenuous workout or a busy day doing DIY - but other times it can seem to come from nowhere. When muscle pain linked to a recent intensive physical effort is referred to as DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness).
Regardless of how it's been caused, muscle pain can range from mild to severe and can be localised to a specific area or widespread across different muscle groups.
WHAT CAUSES MUSCLE PAIN?
There are four main causes for muscle pain.
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Muscular overuse and Strain: Engaging in physical activities that you're not used to can cause muscle soreness. This is common in athletes, gym-goers and anyone who has an intensive bout of exercise or movement after a prolonged period of sedentary behaviour. It can be as predictable as workout out extra hard at the gym, or as unexpected as having to carry your toddler home after they fell over.
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Injury: Sudden, acute, injuries, such as sprains or strains following sport or a fall, can lead to immediate muscle pain. This type of pain often results from accidents or improper use of muscles, which is the scientific way of saying that you've tried to make your body do something it can't, or moved in a particularly awkward way.
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Tension and Stress: Psychological stress can cause muscle tension, particularly in the neck, shoulders, and back, as people struggling with stress will often adopt hunched postures for a prolonged period of time without much movement. This type of muscle pain is often associated with stress-related problems and health issues. This type of hunched posture can lead to problems with taking a full, deep, breath and even digestive issues due to the diaphragm not being able to move properly.
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Medical Conditions: Chronic medical conditions such as fibromyalgia, infections, and autoimmune diseases can also cause persistent muscle pain. People can often feel muscle pain when they have a cold or 'flu infection. Long Covid, while still relatively new scientifically, is also a common cause of persistent muscle pain.
HOME REMEDIES AND TREATMENT FOR MUSCLE PAIN
For most instances of muscle pain, home treatments can be very effective.
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Rest and Recover
Giving your muscles time to heal is crucial. Avoid strenuous activities that can exacerbate the pain. It's important to remember that "resting" doesn’t necessarily mean complete inactivity (which can often make the soreness worse, as well as increase mental stress); gentle movements and light physical stretching can help maintain your flexibility without straining the injured or sore muscles further. You can read about the medically approved "rest and recover" techniques, known as "Peace And Love" here.
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Heat Therapy
​Muscle pain often causes inflammation, which is part of the healing process. Without inflammation, healing cannot happen. After any initial inflammation has subsided, heat therapy can help relax and soothe sore muscles. There's many different ways to apply heat to an injured area. Using a heating pad, wheat bag or warm towel over the affected muscle for 15 - 20 minutes is a simple method. Hot water bottles should be used with care, as it can be easy to burn the skin; if a hot water bottle is used it should be wrapped in a blanket or towel so the heat is more diffused, and the skin regularly checked for reddening. Warm baths and showers can also be beneficial, especially when combined with the use of an arnica bath soak or arnica based shower gel. At State 11, we recommend Weleda Arnica Shower Gel, available at health food shops, some supermarkets, and Amazon.
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Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers
If you're considering taking medications, please make sure that they're suitable for you and any pre-existing health conditions you may have. Anti-inflammatory medication (ibuprofen) is often recommended by some medical professionals, but as inflammation is part of the healing process, using anti-inflammatories will end up slowing down healing. The British Medical Journal advises caution with the use of anti-inflammatories when it comes to muscle injury (you can read more about the Peace and Love methodology around treating injuries here). Non-anti-inflammatory medication can reduce discomfort whilst not reducing inflammation.
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Gentle Stretching and Exercise
Light stretching exercises can help reduce your muscle tension and improve flexibility. Activities to consider include yoga and tai chi, which are particularly beneficial for managing muscle pain and can also help reduce any anxiety that might have started to occur around the injury. If taking part in a class, it can be useful to advise the instructor of your injury, as they will be able to provide modified movements. Engaging in regular, low-impact exercise helps keep the muscles active and prevents stiffness. This is part of the "Peace And Love" approach, which you can read about here.
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Massage Therapy
Massaging the affected muscles can improve blood flow and reduce muscular tension. Self-massage can be carried out by at home with hands, or a foam roller, or a massage gun. It is important to be aware that massage guns can be particularly powerful, and actually aggravate injury if used incorrectly. If you choose to use a massage gun, please make sure you follow the instructions in relation to where on the body it can be used).
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Hydration and Nutrition
Staying hydrated, drinking enough fluid, is crucial for muscle health. Dehydration can lead to muscle cramps and increased pain. You should make sure to drink plenty of water, especially after exercise. Although many people believe that sport-style drink supplements are healthy, some are very high in salt, which can raise blood pressure dangerously high. They should be used with care and the ingredients carefully checked.
Eating healthily can be hard when you are in pain, as it is easy to turn towards "comfort foods", but maintaining a balanced diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods like fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins, can support muscle recovery.
WHEN TO SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP FOR MUSCLE PAIN
The average length of time for some muscle pain to get better by itself, without any external treatment, is around twelve weeks (three months).
However, it is not always possible to simply wait around for the injury to heal at that speed. Many people need to get back to work, or want to get back to their sports or hobbies faster.
If you have tried home remedies like applying heat, following the "Peace And Love" approach, but you're not getting enough improvement, or change isn't happening quickly enough, you may decide to seek out professional help.
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GPs can generally offer stronger, prescription only painkillers (although if these are anti-inflammatory based, they can slow healing), although these will often come with side effects that may make taking them difficult.
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GPs can also refer patients to NHS physio services, where you may be prescribed exercises or receive other therapy depending on local protocols.
You can also seek private help, like us here at State 11.
HOW STATE 11 IN SPALDING WILL HELP WITH YOUR MUSCLE PAIN.
At State 11, we help people with muscle pain regularly.
Because we are BTEC Level 5 Soft Tissue Therapists, we're trained to deal with acute, or "new", injuries, as well as long term pain. Our experience has shown us that while "massage" and "sports massage" is often promoted (by massage therapists) as a good treatment for muscular pain, it is actually very slow in providing long term pain reduction or restoration of movement.
Because we want to help our clients get back to living their lives as quickly as possible, we use a revolutionary therapeutic technique called RAPID NeuroFascial Reset to help our clients with muscle aches, pains or strains. RAPID works with your body's nervous system, increasing production of Substance P, which helps your body heal faster as well as reducing pain. At State 11, we're RAPID NeuroFascial Reset Specialists, which means we're trained in the most advanced RAPID techniques.
We may also use additional methods, such as sports taping, cupping or LED Phototherapy where appropriate, to help with your pain and get you on the road to recovery again.
WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY:
REAL REVIEWS FROM PEOPLE LIKE YOU!
Fiona says:
After a single session working on my lower back (after sciatica) I was already feeling loads better but then I had a follow up appointment a week later and the next day, after a 4.5 hour drive, I walked 25 miles through the West Country hills. Add walking poles and a decent pair of boots to Greg's healing hands and now I feel invincible.
Alicia says:
Absolutely amazing service. I had an awfully painful lower back and visited State 11 yesterday and it's feeling so much better already. Very friendly and welcoming and Greg is great at his job and funny too.
Emma says:
OMG I can't recommend these guys enough folks they are just fab in every way. Don't get me wrong, my treatment to my back absolutely killed but I'm sort of pain free if you discount the sore bruised feeling which is already disappearing and then on top of that they gave me fab advice on my menopause and hopefully the doctor will follow it and get me sorted on that too!!