Any suggestions for muscle pain relief?

2018-07-30T12:59:10-04:00

I have a PT test in a couple weeks and have been working on pushups and situps. Two weeks ago I pulled lower abdominal muscles. Fri and Sat I took a break, iced, stretched. I ordered a compression band to try that. Now the pain is just lower left abdomen more into groin area. Does anyone have recommendations for pain relief creams or gels or anything else to try? I did this in Jan in SLC too somehow - pulled hip flexor (higher up near groin) doing pushups but I was working on them far more there. Now I was just doing so many in the morning and at night and mostly doing the ones where you go down slow then come up fast (mostly on my knees with those). It just started to hurt about two weeks ago but seems more isolated to lower left side now. I think I can get through the PT test likely just doing the minimums on this one and I do the walk and it doesn't really hurt much when I walk. But it kills in pushups and wasn't in situps until yesterday. I found some suggestions on creams, using ice, stretches, etc. Just wondering what has worked for others to try.

Response by Maj Marty Hogan made Jul 30 at 2018 1:02 PM

2018-07-30T13:02:57-04:00

Rest, ice, and ibuprofen. Alternate heat and ice maybe. See the doc in case it is something worse SFC Kelly Fuerhoff . Lastly getting old sucks- sometimes rubbing dirt on it is all we can do. Before you get pissed- I am 53 and still running almost every day. It is hard to not run and sometimes I grin and bear it. Don't push pace, do less of the exercises that hurt, and if the doc states you need an extension talk to the commander/ shirt and see what can be done. Good luck and let me know how you are doing- cool?

Response by PFC Stephens Clark made Jul 30 at 2018 1:04 PM

2018-07-30T13:04:59-04:00

Bio Freeze, rub. Works miracles

Response by Capt Dwayne Conyers made Jul 30 at 2018 1:52 PM

2018-07-30T13:52:26-04:00

Jack Daniels

Response by MAJ Javier Rivera made Jul 30 at 2018 2:25 PM

2018-07-30T14:25:15-04:00

Single Malt Scotch! All jokes to the side, rest and recovery. Other than that will worsen it. Take a trip to your TMC and talk with your physician about it. An APFT can be postponed as long as it takes if you’re hurt.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 30 at 2018 4:49 PM

2018-07-30T16:49:20-04:00

See if there’s osteopathic manipulation by you it isn’t all that common it’s done only by osteopaths or DOs as their acronym is calledosteooaths are physicians not chiropractors or PTs many are also physiatrists along with MDs physiatrist is rehab med not PT that’s done now by DPTs by and large if you want proper help for that sort of thing trust me those are the two major clinical fields I’d suggest honest insurance is something else I’m unsure if the svcs have osteoporosis manip therapy (OMT), VA might, generally many hospirals have it as anoytpatient clinic generally private DOs rarely take insurance for it though hospitals are typically read to take most insurances in Genl with rare exceptions....

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 30 at 2018 4:52 PM

2018-07-30T16:52:11-04:00

And I’m not speaking of sports Med, that terminology is too vague, trust me both those fields I named would be pretty spot on, you might have a tear and need to be imaged, don’t try to handle it yourself beyond a point OK? I’m just offering a thought here honest....

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 30 at 2018 4:56 PM

2018-07-30T16:56:31-04:00

I read what you’d sent more thoroughly trust me have it looked at, wherever you are there should be a VA you could be referred out to if your clinic doesn’t have OMT or rehab Med before my total perm disability I was doctoral allied health though we shut my license sevl yrs ago however I trained at sevl VA hosts trust me we had numerous active duty patients on referral....

Response by SSG William Jones made Jul 30 at 2018 10:41 PM

2018-07-30T22:41:22-04:00

I got hurt in the desert in 1991, so they loaded me up with "Ranger Pills" and I went right back to work.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 31 at 2018 8:51 AM

2018-07-31T08:51:56-04:00

Have you tried tiger balm or Bio freeze? This has helped me with muscle pain.

Response by SFC Kelly Fuerhoff made Jul 31 at 2018 10:38 AM

2018-07-31T10:38:08-04:00

Update: I made an appointment with my PCM for next Monday after talking to my SEL (senior enlisted leader) for the Army. He said "Get that shit checked out." He had pulled his before and took a month to recover. Now I'm at the point I can't do more than one situp - which sucks. But I'd rather get it fixed then push through it and I hurt it worse during the APFT and then be screwed.

I tore an abdominal wall muscle during a diagnostic in 2013 but didn't know that's what it was til 6 months later of tests and hospitals and finally sent to a GI doc who told me it's likely that. That was probably the worst pain ever, I thought my appendix burst.

I'll say this - there's more concern on this one thread than I had from my platoon leader or PSG when I tore it in 2013. I was doubled over on a bench after finishing the run (the pain started halfway through it and I almost crawled back) and not one person in my platoon asked me if I was ok. I should have went to the ER that time but I figured they'd just tell me it's a cramp and go. 3 weeks later it still hurt, went in my PA thought I was shamming. Something got her to take me seriously and she thought that was a hernia, ruled it out. Had ultrasound, MRI and even a Hyda scan nothing. They finally sent me to GI and he told me torn abdominal wall muscle. Then I got pregnant not long after that...

Response by SFC Kelly Fuerhoff made Aug 6 at 2018 12:38 PM

2018-08-06T12:38:20-04:00

So since Friday no pain. At all. I went to my doc and he did an exam. Put in an ultrasound order which is scheduled for Wed. But he said it seems to have resolved itself. I've been doing minimum push-ups and sit-ups. No pain. No pain getting up and down. It's very strange. He doesn't think anything tore but get ultrasound to make sure. Hopefully I can still take pt test next week and get it done and not get hurt again.