How To Relieve Muscle Pain In Chest
In most mild to moderate chest muscle strains, as with all muscle strains, RICE (rest, ice, compression and elevation) is the best first line of treatment. Rest: Stop activity, especially those that cause you to pull your chest muscle. Ice: Apply ice packs or heat to the injured area to help reduce pain.
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How long does it take for muscle pain in chest to go away?
How long can a muscle strain in the chest last? – This depends on the severity of the strain. If your strain is mild, expect it to resolve within a few days or weeks. Severe strains can take 2 months or longer to heal. If your chest pain sticks around for more than twelve weeks, it’s considered chronic and may be resulting from long-term activities and repetitive motions.
What can I do for chest muscle pain?
Rehabilitation – Rehabilitation involves doing certain exercises and movements that can restore your strength and flexibility, and help you maintain muscle function. Your doctor may show you certain exercises and develop a customized exercise plan. In some cases, your doctor may even refer you to a physical therapist or occupational therapist who provides these services.
Why do the muscles in my chest hurt?
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We do the research so you can find trusted products for your health and wellness. In most cases, a strained chest muscle can be treated at home. However, it’s important to know when to call your doctor if it does happen. Overview A strained or pulled chest muscle may cause a sharp pain in your chest.
- A muscle strain or pull happens when your muscle is stretched or torn.
- Up to 49 percent of chest pain comes from what’s called intercostal muscle strain,
- There are three layers of intercostal muscles in your chest.
- These muscles are responsible for helping you breathe and for stabilizing your upper body.
Classic symptoms of strain in the chest muscle include:
pain, which may be sharp (an acute pull) or dull (a chronic strain) swelling muscle spasms difficulty moving the affected area pain while breathing bruising
Seek medical attention if your pain happens suddenly while you’re engaged in strenuous exercise or activity. Go to the emergency room or call your local emergency services if your pain is accompanied by:
faintingdizzinesssweatingracing pulsedifficulty breathingirritabilityfeversleepiness
These are signs of more serious issues, like heart attack, Chest wall pain that is caused by a strained or pulled muscle often happens as a result of overuse. You may have lifted something heavy or injured yourself playing sports. For example, gymnastics, rowing, tennis, and golf all involve repetitive motion and may cause chronic strains. Other activities that may cause strain are:
reaching your arms above your head for long periods of time contact injuries from sports, car accidents, or other situations lifting while twisting your body falling skipping warm-ups before activity poor flexibility or athletic conditioning muscle fatigue injury from malfunctioning equipment (broken weight machine, for example)
Certain illnesses may also cause muscle strain in the chest. If you’ve recently had a chest cold or bronchitis, it’s possible you may have pulled a muscle while coughing. Anyone can experience chest muscle strain:
Older individuals are at higher risk of experiencing chest wall injuries from falls.Adults may be more likely to develop chest pulls or injuries as a result of car accidents or athletic activities.Children are the lowest risk group for chest muscle injuries.
If you’re concerned about your chest pain, or unsure if it’s a pulled muscle or something else, talk to your doctor. Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms, your health history, and any activities that may have contributed to your pain. Muscle strain is categorized as either acute or chronic:
Acute strains result from injuries sustained immediately after direct trauma, such as a fall or car accident. Chronic strains result from longer-term activities, like repetitive motions used in sports or certain job tasks.
From there, strains are graded according to severity:
Grade 1 describes mild damage to less than five percent of muscle fibers. Grade 2 indicates more damage: the muscle isn’t fully ruptured, but there is a loss of strength and mobility. Grade 3 describes a complete muscle rupture, which sometimes requires surgery.
In some cases, your doctor may order tests to rule out heart attack, bone fractures, and other issues. Tests may include:
X-ray magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) electrocardiogram (ECG)
Other possible causes of chest pain include:
bruising as a result of injury anxiety attacks peptic ulcers digestive upset, like esophageal reflux pericarditis
More serious possibilities include:
reduced flow of blood to your heart ( angina ) blood clot in the pulmonary artery of your lung ( pulmonary embolism ) tear in your aorta ( aortic dissection )
First-line treatment for mild chest muscle strains involves rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE):
Rest, Stop activity as soon as you notice pain. You may resume light activity two days after injury, but stop if pain returns. Ice, Apply ice or a cold pack to the affected area for 20 minutes up to three times a day. Compression, Consider wrapping any areas of inflammation with an elastic bandage but don’t wrap too tightly as it may impair circulation. Elevation, Keep your chest elevated, especially at night, Sleeping in a recliner may help.
With home treatment, your symptoms from mild pulls should subside in a few weeks, While you wait, you may take pain relievers to reduce your discomfort and inflammation, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB) or acetaminophen (Tylenol). If you have chronic strain, you may benefit from physical therapy and exercises to correct muscle imbalances that contribute to strain.
- In more severe cases, surgery may be needed to repair torn muscles.
- If your pain or other symptoms aren’t going away with home treatment, make an appointment to see your doctor.
- You should avoid strenuous exercise, like heavy lifting, while you’re in recovery.
- As your pain lessens, you may slowly return to your previous sports and activities.
Pay attention to any discomfort or other symptoms you experience and rest when necessary. Your recovery time depends on the severity of your strain. Mild pulls may heal as soon as two or three weeks after injury. More serious strains can take months to heal, especially if you’ve had surgery.
- Follow any specific instructions your doctor gives you for the best results.
- Trying to do too much too soon may aggravate or worsen your injury.
- Listening to your body is key.
- Complications from chest injuries may affect your breathing.
- If your strain makes breathing difficult or keeps you from breathing deeply, you may be at risk of developing a lung infection,
Your doctor may be able to suggest breathing exercises to help. Most chest muscle strains can be treated at home, If your pain doesn’t get better with RICE, or if it gets worse, call your doctor. To prevent chest muscle strain:
Warm up before exercising and cool down afterward. Cold muscles are more vulnerable to strain. Take care when engaged in activities where you’re at risk of falling or other injury. Use handrails when going up or down stairs, avoid walking on slippery surfaces, and check athletic equipment before using. Pay attention to your body and take days off from exercise as necessary. Tired muscles are more susceptible to strain. Lift heavy objects carefully. Enlist help for particularly weighty jobs. Carry heavy backpacks on both shoulders, not on the side. Consider physical therapy for chronic strains. Eat well and exercise. Doing so may help you maintain a healthy weight and good athletic conditioning to lower your risk of strain.
How do I know if chest pain is muscular?
What are the symptoms of strained chest muscle? A strained chest muscle usually causes pain in the chest area that gets worse with movement or coughing. ‘You may notice pain or tenderness along the chest, tenderness when touching the injured muscle, pain with arm movements and difficulty moving the arm,’ Chapman said.
How do you know if chest pain is just muscular?
Does the pain change while taking a deep breath or exhaling? Cardiac Cardiac pain does not change during deep breathing. Muscular Deep breathing can cause sharp, shooting pain (if the discomfort starts in the muscle).
Does ibuprofen help chest pain?
Chest-wall pain usually lasts only a few days, and aspirin or ibuprofen may help relieve it. (Remember, however, never give aspirin to anyone younger than 20.) A shooting pain that lasts a few seconds or a quick pain at the end of a deep breath is usually not a cause for concern, either.
Why can’t I relax my chest?
What does chest tightness caused by anxiety feel like? – There are different ways to describe chest tightness that is caused by anxiety. For some people, it may simply feel as though they have pulled a muscle in their chest. For others, it may feel like:
- A dull and constant ache
- A sharp, cramping, shooting pain
- A burning feeling deep in the chest
- An uncontrollable muscle twitch
- A numb sensation
Chest tightness is more likely to occur when anxiety or stress comes on suddenly rather than building gradually. If you are experiencing any chest pain for the first time, you should immediately seek professional medical help to ensure an accurate diagnosis and treatment.
How long does chest wall pain last?
Signs and symptoms – Following an injury to the chest wall, people frequently experience pain when coughing, taking deep breaths and when laughing. It can also be uncomfortable to move in bed and walk. Although chest wall injuries can be painful, you can expect this discomfort to improve over a period of 3-6 weeks. This may take longer for more severe injuries.
Can muscular chest pain come and go?
Lung injuries – An injury to the lung might include a collapsed or punctured lung, Another potential lung-related cause of chest pain is pulmonary embolism, wherein a blood clot from elsewhere in the body travels to the lungs, causing chest discomfort.
Lung injuries might cause breathing problems. The pain might follow a blow to the chest, such as from a fall or vehicle accident. Lung injuries can be life threatening, so they require immediate medical treatment. Mild pain may go away on its own without medical care if there are no other symptoms. More severe pain, however, usually requires treatment.
A person needs medical care if chest pain occurs after a blow to the chest or alongside any other symptoms of a heart attack. To diagnose the cause, a doctor may:
ask about the person’s symptoms and medical history examine their chesttake a blood sampleadminister X-rays or other imaging tests
Home treatments can be helpful if emergency care is not necessary. These include:
applying an ice pack to the chestusing heat packsmassaging the areadoing gentle stretchestaking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen
Many causes of chest wall pain are not a cause for concern. However, when chest pain does not go away on its own or gets worse, a person needs medical care. Look out for symptoms of a heart attack or other conditions that require emergency care.
How do you sleep with a pulled chest muscle?
Keep Your Torso Neutral and Minimize External Pressure – If you struggle to fall asleep because of pain from an intercostal muscle strain, consider changing your, The ideal sleep position should keep the spine properly aligned, with the torso in a neutral position that protects against unwanted twisting or added weight on the injury.
Why does my left chest muscle hurt?
Chest pain on the left side is often due to muscular injury, but it can also indicate a heart attack, a lung problem, or inflammation of the lining around a person’s heart.
Is chest pain usually nothing?
Chest pain can stem from many health issues. Some are quite serious, while others may be nothing to worry about. Sometimes, chest pain indicates a blocked artery and a heart attack. This is an emergency situation, in which the heart is not receiving enough blood and oxygen to function correctly.
Does sleeping on chest cause chest pain?
3. Chest injury – If the muscles and bones of your chest wall have been strained or injured in some way, any type of movement of your torso can cause pain. As a result, you may experience chest pain at night while sleeping, particularly if you frequently change positions or fall asleep on your chest.
Can chest muscles hurt for months?
Share on Pinterest Chest pain that comes and goes might be due to a heart problem or respiratory or digestive issues. Pain in the chest that comes and goes may signal a problem with the heart, respiratory system, or digestion. Also, in some people, it occurs during panic attacks,
- There is no way to accurately self-diagnose chest pain based on symptoms alone.
- See a doctor if chest pain keeps coming back, gets worse, or accompanies other symptoms.
- Pain that lasts for weeks or months is unlikely to be caused by a life-threatening emergency.
- The issue is more likely related to the muscles or skeletal structure.
Heart problems are less likely to cause pain that:
lasts for only a few momentsis relieved by taking medicationgoes away when taking a deep breathonly affects a specific point on the chestis relieved when the area of the chest is massaged
Many types of chest pain come and go. Even the pain of a heart attack may temporarily get better, then return. To better understand the cause of chest pain, look carefully for other symptoms, and keep in mind any risk factors for medical conditions. Below are common causes of chest pain:
Can muscular chest pain come and go?
Lung injuries – An injury to the lung might include a collapsed or punctured lung, Another potential lung-related cause of chest pain is pulmonary embolism, wherein a blood clot from elsewhere in the body travels to the lungs, causing chest discomfort.
Lung injuries might cause breathing problems. The pain might follow a blow to the chest, such as from a fall or vehicle accident. Lung injuries can be life threatening, so they require immediate medical treatment. Mild pain may go away on its own without medical care if there are no other symptoms. More severe pain, however, usually requires treatment.
A person needs medical care if chest pain occurs after a blow to the chest or alongside any other symptoms of a heart attack. To diagnose the cause, a doctor may:
ask about the person’s symptoms and medical history examine their chesttake a blood sampleadminister X-rays or other imaging tests
Home treatments can be helpful if emergency care is not necessary. These include:
applying an ice pack to the chestusing heat packsmassaging the areadoing gentle stretchestaking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen
Many causes of chest wall pain are not a cause for concern. However, when chest pain does not go away on its own or gets worse, a person needs medical care. Look out for symptoms of a heart attack or other conditions that require emergency care.
Does chest pain go away with rest?
Angina. Angina is a condition where the blood supply to the muscles of the heart is restricted. Chest pain caused by angina is usually triggered by physical activity (exertion). It usually gets better with rest after a few minutes.
