You may shy away from a trip to the emergency room. Going to a doctor might not be all that appealing to you either. There may be another option. Some sports injuries can be managed without the aid of a professional. Here are 5 home remedies to help ease the pain of a sports injury.

The number one injury suffered in all sports is one form or another if a pulled muscle. The ankle, the knee, the shoulder, the back, you name it and if it‘s got a muscle it’s possible to pull it during sports play. While you can’t make the muscle heal faster, there are a few things you can do right in the comfort of your own home to ease your pain while the muscle heals.

Ice: Icing an injury right away can help reduce the swelling. Did you forget to make ice cubes and you don’t own an icepack? No problem, grab a bag of your favorite frozen veggies and use that instead. In truth, a bag of veggies will conform to the shape of just about any part of your body better than an icepack will.

Wrap: If possible, wrap the muscle. This will also aid in reducing the swelling and help support the muscle and reduce the amount of stress placed on it.

Epsom Salts: Pour two cups of Epsom Salts in a warm bath and soak for 30 minutes. The salt will help to reduce swelling, and the heat of the water will improve circulation which will decrease the amount of muscle spasm.

Potato Pack: Yup. You heard that right. A great home remedy to help ease the pain from a sports injury that affects the back is to grate a potato and spread it out over a thin cotton cloth. Lay another thin cotton cloth on top and place on your back.

Eucalyptus Oil: If you can’t do it yourself, have someone gently massage the muscle and the surrounding area with eucalyptus oil. It will relieve the pain and relax you at the same time.

You may also want to apply heat to the muscle as well. A hydroculator or some other form of moist heat will work much better than a dry heat source. Haven’t got a hydroculator? Not a problem. Take some white rice and fill a cotton sock with it. Microwave it for one minute intervals until it is hot enough. Apply to the muscle.

Any muscle pain that doesn’t subside within a couple of days or gets worse should be addressed with your doctor. You may have done more damage than you think. It’s better to be sure rather than to aggravate the injury and make it worse.

Trudi Buck writes about how to find mri technician schools.