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A member asked:
Woke up with very painful muscle strain in right upper back near ribs... will heat application help loosen the muscle?
5 doctors weighed in across 2 answers
C before h: Hi Edward561 generally, cold first and heat later for injuries, even if you are not sure how you injured. Particularly young animals have active immune/inflammatory responses, and the cold slows things down. Heat is great later, or for infection. See your practitioner if things seem more complex, or feel more internal. And always check for skin changes.
Answered 1/28/2015
3.3k views
Yes: Heat can definitely potentially help in this situation. You may also want to try NSAIDs and stretching.
Answered 1/29/2017
3.3k views
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