Sprains and strains can strike almost anyone: athletes, weekend warriors, and travelers. A sprain is an injury to the ligaments, which attach muscle to bone; a strain is an injury to a tendon, which attaches a muscle to another muscle, or to the muscle itself.

If you sprain something (the most common site for a sprain is the ankle), you might hear a popping sound, but you'll definitely experience almost immediate swelling and pain. If you've strained a muscle or tendon (what many people call a “pulled muscle”), you'll feel immediate pain, and, over the next few hours, increasing stiffness and possible swelling. Both types of injury occur when the tissue is pulled past its normal range of motion and is either stretched or torn in the process.

Both sprains and strains can be handled at home, unless they are very painful or prevent you from walking or moving the injured area at all. Conventional medicine generally uses OTC pain relievers and anti-inflammatories.

Very painful injuries might be treated with a prescription-strength topical NSAID such as diclofenac (Flector Patch), which can cause skin reactions like itching and burning. Here are some herbal alternatives: