text: pulled muscle? my mum has just pulled a muscle washing her hair, its down her left side, she is in pain and it's taking her breath away? what could this be? should she see a doctor? if it's confirmed that this is a pulled muscle, go out quickly and buy a tube of arnica gel, preferably a.vogel or roberts. these are the ones available at health shops and better chemists. i don't find the weleda so effective.   as you rub it in to the pulled muscle the skin feels very cold and within five minutes there is quite a dramatic reduction of pain. keep massaging it in a few times a day and the pain will go quicker than if arnica not used. arnica gel is used by physios on sports injuries to muscles.