Pulled Muscle vs Pinched Nerve: Difference and Comparison

Every day, we are prone to harming ourselves. A torn muscle or a pinched nerve may both produce intense pain and affect your movement.

It is vital to be able to distinguish between a pinched nerve and a pulled muscle in order to obtain the proper treatment and return to activities safely.

Key Takeaways

1. A pulled muscle is a strain or tear of the muscle tissue, while a pinched nerve is caused by pressure on a nerve.
2. A pulled muscle causes pain and stiffness in the affected area, while a pinched nerve causes pain, numbness, or tingling sensations along the path of the affected nerve.
3. A pulled muscle heals on its own with rest and time, while a pinched nerve may require medical treatment to relieve the pressure on the nerve.

Pulled Muscle vs Pinched Nerve

A pulled muscle, also known as a muscle strain, is an injury to the muscle or tendon that occurs when it is stretched too far or torn. This can happen during physical activity or sudden movements. A pinched nerve occurs when a nerve is compressed or squeezed by surrounding tissue.

A pulled muscle occurs when a muscle is forced to stretch and overextend beyond its normal capacity.

Overuse, improper technique during a workout, lifting an object that is excessively heavy, causing you to strain the muscle, and failing to properly warm up and cool down when exercising are all causes of pulled muscles.

A pinched nerve occurs when the surrounding tissues put too much pressure on the nerve or as a result of swollen wrist tendons, in the back, when a nerve in the lower spine is compressed,

in the neck as a result of shoulder and radiating arm pain and as a result of compression of the nerve root when the nerve exits the spine.

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Pulled Muscle	Pinched Nerve
Definition	Muscle is stretched beyond its capability	Pressure is applied to a nerve by the tissues surrounding it
Causes	Improper workout form, lifting heavy things	Muscle spasm or swollen tendons in wrists
Symptoms	Soreness, swelling, pain in the muscle	Tingling “needles” sensation, numbness, burning pain
Treatment	Ice treatment, elevate muscle by wrapping in bandage	Alternate ice and heat treatment, stretching the affected area
Severity	Less severe	More severe; can lead to nerve damage

What is Pulled Muscle?

When a muscle is pulled, it is aggressively stretched and overextended beyond its usual limitations.

Overuse, incorrect form during a workout, lifting an object that is excessively heavy, and forgetting to warm up and cool down before and after exercise are all common causes of a torn muscle.

Swelling in the strained region; dull aching, tightness, and soreness; stiffness and weakening in muscle after injury; painful, throbbing feeling; localized pain in muscle; and discomfort

while moving or utilizing muscle are all symptoms of a pulled muscle. Muscle discomfort can also be managed using foam rollers (which assist decrease pain), massages, and heat treatment.

If you have a pulled muscle, rest the muscle first, then ice the injury for 20 minutes per hour. Elevate the injured muscle and wrap it in an elastic bandage to minimise swelling.

You can apply heat to the afflicted region after a few days.

If the discomfort does not go away, make an appointment with your physical therapist.

The physical therapist uses pain-relieving methods to treat a torn muscle and takes you through stretching and strengthening exercises to help you gradually restore flexibility and mobility without aggravating the muscle.

What is Pinched Nerve?

A pinched nerve arises when surrounding tissues apply too much pressure (compression) to a nerve, restricting it and interfering with its function.

When a nerve is pinched, the supply of nutrients to the nerve is decreased, and the neuron membrane’s capacity to convey sensation to the brain begins to deteriorate.

This causes the tingling, numbness, and radiating pain associated with pinched nerves. Sharp, searing pain; numbness and sudden episodes of weakness; tingling feeling; no swelling; pain that spreads to other regions of the body; and chronic pain that lasts for a lengthy period of time are all symptoms of a pinched nerve.

Pinched nerves are most commonly found in the arms, hands, legs, back, neck, and feet. In rare cases, people have also reported numbness and lack of feeling in various body regions.

Nerve pain can also be severe and generally worst in the evenings or at night.

Rest and alternate between ice and heat treatments to ease discomfort if you have a pinched nerve. You can stretch softly and move around lightly.

However, in order to safely minimize your discomfort and restore function and movement to the nerve and surrounding tissues, you must contact a physical therapist for a pinched nerve.

Main Differences Between Pulled Muscle and Pinched Nerve

1. A pulled muscle is a muscle that has been stretched beyond its capabilities, whereas a pinched nerve occurs when pressure is applied to a nerve by the surrounding tissues.
2. A pulled muscle may be caused by improper workout form, lifting heavy things, etc. Muscle spasms, swollen tendons, etc., may cause a pinched nerve.
3. Symptoms of a pulled muscle have soreness, swelling, and pain in the muscle, and the symptoms of a pinched nerve are a tingling, needle-like sensation, numbness, etc.
4. A pulled muscle can be treated by ice treatment and elevating muscle by wrapping it in a bandage. A pinched nerve can be treated by alternating ice, heat, and stretching the affected area.
5. A pulled muscle is less severe, whereas a pinched nerve is more severe and may lead to nerve damage.

References

1. https://europepmc.org/article/med/3940934
2. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/036354659602406S02