There are several things that can be done to help relieve the pain of sore muscles.   1.  Applying heat packs or heat wraps.  Heat packs should not be used for more than 20 minutes at a time, but may be used several times  a day.  If you use a therapeutic heat wrap, be sure to follow the directions on the package.   2. There are a number of different types of external analgesic creams and gels that may be helpful.  They usually contain capsaicin, methyl nicontinate, camphor, menthol, or methyl salicylate.  Your pharmacist should be able to recommend which would be best for your particular problem.   3.  Internal analgesics like ibuprofen, acetaminophen or naproxen sodium can help with pain relief.  It's pretty much a personal preference.  For me, ibuprofen seems to work better for muscle pain – but everyone is different, so you'll just have to try them and see which is most effective for you.    If you think your muscle pain is from over-using or injuring the muscle, the best thing you can do is rest it and try not to use it any more than absolutely necessary until it can heal. If the pain continues for a long period of time or is too severe to be helped by these suggestions, you need to see a doctor and find out what is causing it.