Will exercise and prolonged sitting cause muscle soreness? In addition to wearing a pain patch, you can also do 8 things to relieve pain
The benefits of exercise are countless. In addition to sculpting your body and promoting physical health, it can also help relieve stress and stabilize your mood. However, how should we deal with the common problem of muscle soreness after exercise? Taiwan Food and Drug Administration explains that mild muscle soreness can usually be recovered quickly; if it is severe muscle soreness, you may feel pain after even a little movement.
What causes muscle soreness? “Moving or not moving” is risky
Taiwan Food and Drug Administration points out that there are many causes of muscle soreness, and there are roughly three common causes: first, excessive strenuous exercise. Especially if you have no exercise habits, no or insufficient warm-up before exercise, incorrect exercise postures or changes in original exercise habits, it may cause muscle soreness. Less used muscle groups, or excessive exercise, can easily cause damage and inflammation to muscle fibers and surrounding tissues.
Generally speaking, if a sports injury is caused by improper exercise, pain will often occur during exercise and last for a long time; muscle soreness that only appears 24-48 hours after exercise is delayed onset muscle soreness and will only last for a long time. Symptoms include muscle tightness, pain, stiffness, etc. for several days. The second is that maintaining the same posture for a long time will cause continued tightness of the muscles there. When muscles become stiff and sore due to tension, it often becomes chronic pain and gradually expands in scope, leading to recurring soreness.
Third, it is muscle stiffness or soreness caused by low temperature. If you are exposed to cold weather or low-temperature air-conditioning in summer without proper warmth, your muscles can easily become irritated and tightened, leading to muscle stiffness and soreness.
How to relieve muscle soreness? Taiwan Food and Drug Administration Reveals “8 Tips for Reducing Pain”
If people are already suffering from muscle soreness, the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration recommends that people take the following 8 measures to relieve soreness symptoms:
Cold compress: When overuse of muscles causes muscle heating, you can apply cold compress to the affected area for 15-20 minutes to reduce muscle swelling and inflammation.
Hot compress: When the muscles are not in a state of inflammation and swelling, you can use hot compress at a comfortable temperature to improve blood circulation and relax the muscles. It is recommended to use warm towels, heating packs, etc. to apply heat for about 10 minutes each time. If the time is too long, it may cause the blood circulation to deteriorate and cause the opposite effect.
Massage: It can help relax muscles, improve blood circulation and relieve pain. Use your fingers or massage stick to massage gently for about 10-15 minutes each time.
Stretch: Without overdoing it, simple stretches can help muscles relax and reduce soreness.
Drink more water: Replenishing the water required after exercise can promote body metabolism.
Supplement nutrition and protein: When muscles are sore, it is recommended to consume more nutritious eggs, brown rice, meat, liver, eel, green and yellow vegetables, beans, bananas, etc. to help relieve muscle pain.
Rest: Adequate rest can significantly improve muscle soreness. How long should you rest before exercising? It is recommended to proceed step by step depending on your physical condition, first reduce the intensity of exercise or start exercising other muscles first.
Use over-the-counter drugs: When muscle soreness is not caused by injury or other diseases or drugs, and the pain has affected daily life, consider using over-the-counter drugs to help relieve pain and inflammation.
What are some over-the-counter medications to relieve muscle soreness? Never use patches and oral medications together
What are some common over-the-counter drugs to relieve muscle soreness? Taiwan Food and Drug Administration states that “oral analgesics” (tablets, capsules, oral liquids, powders, etc.) can be roughly divided into two categories. The first category is Acetaminophen or Paracetamol, which is a common antipyretic and analgesic. agent, mainly used to reduce fever and relieve pain, but this ingredient has no anti-inflammatory effect. Use according to the recommended dosage when using, because these drugs are mainly metabolized by the liver; those who use excessive amounts, have abnormal liver function, or have drinking habits must be diagnosed and treated by a physician before use.
The second category is nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which have antipyretic, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory effects, but may cause side effects such as gastrointestinal ulcers and bleeding. Therefore, patients who have peptic ulcers, are taking anticoagulants, or are taking other drugs that can cause gastric discomfort are more likely to develop gastrointestinal discomfort, and must be diagnosed and treated by a physician before use.
In addition to oral analgesics, “topical pain relievers” are mainly applied, sprayed, and patched to release the effect. However, care must be taken not to use them on a large area to avoid systemic adverse reactions. In addition, the amount of pain patch used should be reasonable for adults. Take 2-3 tablets a day, use 1 tablet at a time, and remove it after 4-6 hours. Do not use it when the skin has wounds or damage, and it is not recommended to use it in combination with oral analgesics.
The Taiwan Food and Drug Administration reminds that when using over-the-counter medicines to relieve muscle soreness, you should follow the medication instructions and avoid overuse or incorrect use. If you have any questions or abnormalities, such as muscle soreness that is severe or lasts for a long time, you should seek help from a physician or pharmacist.
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