Unless it is crippling pain i always keep moving and work through it. my thought is it will work out and keeps the muscles strong. a warm rub helps too.

Stretch and then stretch some more. It'll work itself out if you do nothing. Depends on how motivated you are.

Of course, my recommendations don't jive with anyone else's. It's just how I solve my own stiff back muscles.

Ask your doctor to recommend an anti inflammatory and have bed rest. If it doesn't give you relief, see a physiotherapist to relieve the stiffness. Hope you're better soon

I soak in a hot bath with Epsom Salts. Some people can't take aspirin but that helps me also.

When I was playing sport it was about blood flow. Ice to reduce blood flow the first few days to stop swelling then heat to increase blood flow to improve healing. Light stretches after a couple of days to maintain flexibility. Many anti-inflammatories screw with your kidneys, so they are ok if your kidneys are otherwise ok. Don't overdo them.

I pulled a muscle in my rib cage and when I contacted my doctor he said it would take up to 6 weeks to heal. He said initially use cold packs to make sure there's no swelling then switch to heat. Breathing was a pain so I was not very active for the 1st week. I was delighted that it healed in 3 weeks instead of 6.

As another poster cautioned you, please be sure it is a pulled muscle instead of something to do with your disk.

IANAD (I am not a doctor), but generally -- ice for 24hrs, heat after that.