At this point, instead of icing the injury, you can apply a hot pack for 3 minutes, then a cold pack for 1 minute. Repeat this six times, for a total of 24 minutes. Perform this treatment twice a day until your leg is recovered enough to jog for five minutes without pain. Be aware that this treatment is not completely understood, and some doctors prefer to switch entirely to hot treatments. In general, cold treatment reduces blood flow, while heat increases it. Increased blood flow encourages healing but also increases swelling, so heat should not be used while the injury is still painful and significantly swollen. Cautiously begin using one or both of the following stretches, but stop or reduce the amount of stretching immediately if you feel pain at any point. The goal is to slightly stretch the injured area, not to increase your flexibility, so keep these stretches lighter than they normally would be. To begin with, hold each stretch for no more than 10 seconds, relax, then repeat for a set of three to six stretches, depending on your comfort. Do this several times per day.  Place your foot on a low table or a chair, and stretch forward from the hip into a comfortable, relaxed position with a gentle stretch at the back of your leg. Lie on your back and lift your leg vertically, or as high as is comfortable. Gently pull back on your thigh with your hands, with your knee slightly bent. If you can stretch without pain, begin additional exercises to get your muscles back to full strength. Ideally, you should consult a doctor to learn which exercises will focus on your injured muscle with minimal risk of damage. If you do not have access to a doctor, try the following once every one to two days, but stop immediately if you experience pain:  Lie on your back and bring your knee up to a slight angle. Contract your thigh muscle with about 50% of its maximum force, hold for thirty seconds, then relax and repeat several times. If still pain-free, repeat with your knee at a narrower angle, bringing your foot back up toward your hip. Sit on a wheeled chair or stool and place both heels on the floor, flexing your hamstrings to pull yourself forward. After a few days of this, try using just the heel of the injured leg. After this stage is done, you should be able to jog for a few minutes without pain, and have an almost normal range of movement. A slight pulled hamstring can get through this stage in one to ten days, while a more significant injury can last two to three weeks. An injury that involves a massive tear and severe pain can take many weeks to heal, or may even require surgery.

Summary: Switch to hot/cold treatment. Begin gentle stretching exercises. Perform muscle strengthening exercises. Continue once you've almost reached normal function.


According to some sources, the grade of hair extensions does not indicate the quality of the hair at all, but rather the length of the strands. For example, in a bundle of 18 inches (45.72 cm) hair extensions, not every strand will measure the full 18 inches (45.72 cm). The higher the number of strands per bundle that measure the full length, the greater the grade of the hair. Look carefully through your bundle to evaluate the proportion of full-length hairs to shorter-hairs.  Grade A (1A) hair will have 50% or less full-length strands. Grade AAA (3A) will have around 70% full-length strands. Grade AAAAA (5A) and up should have at least 90% full-length strands. Single-drawn hair bundles, and bundles that are essentially gathered together once, and then trimmed to the desired length (such as 18 inches/45.72 cm). This process results in around 50% of strands that are the full-length of the bundle. Double-drawn hair extensions appear thicker and fuller. The bundles are processed twice, achieving closer to 90% of strands that are full-length. Fold a bundle of hair extensions in half and look for shorter hairs popping out. If you see this, most likely the hair has been single-drawn.  If the non-uniform length of hair does not bother you, single-drawn hair is a more cost-effective option. Both Remy and non-Remy hair can be either single or double-drawn. The higher the proportion of full-length hairs in a given bundle are the thicker the bundle will be. Furthermore, higher grade double-drawn hair should have a completely uniform thickness from top to bottom. If the bundle of hair seems to grow thinner towards the bottom, it is of a lower grade.

Summary: Measure the length of the strands. Distinguish between single-drawn and double-drawn. Compare the thickness of different bundles.


Your doctor can run a blood or urine test to check the mercury levels in your body. Make an appointment to see your general practitioner, and explain that you’d like them to perform a blood or urine test to check your mercury levels.  A mercury blood level test is more appropriate for checking someone after a suspected acute exposure to mercury, while a 24-hour urine mercury level test is better for checking someone for low-grade or long-term exposure to mercury, such as from mercury exposure on the job. Mercury serves no role in the human body, so technically there shouldn't be any mercury in your bloodstream. However, studies have shown that amounts of mercury greater than 85 micrograms per liter (µg/L) pose harm.  You can get home tests for mercury, but it is recommended that you undergo professional medical testing if you have serious concerns about poisoning. People who work in industrial settings or who have been tasked with cleaning up mercury spills have the highest risk of coming down with mercury poisoning. If you suspect that you may have been inhaling mercury and have noted some problematic symptoms, describe them to your doctor. Common symptoms that emerge shortly after contracting mercury poisoning include:  Vomiting and nausea Shaky hands Stomach cramps and diarrhea Tightness in your chest and coughing Chelation therapy is the primary form of medical treatment used to remove mercury (and other heavy metals) from the body. This may be indicated if your mercury level from a blood or 24-hour urine test is above 100 mcg/L or if you are showing symptoms of mercury poisoning. During chelation therapy, your doctor will give you drugs that bind to the mercury in your bloodstream and allow your body to pass the mercury out through urine.  Some of the medications are taken via oral capsule, and others are injected intravenously.  The most common chelation treatment is with a synthetic amino acid injection. Drugs that have been medically approved for use in chelation therapy in the U.S. include dimercaprol (BAL), succimer, deferoxamine, edetate calcium disodium, and penicillamine. If you have seriously high levels of mercury in your body, your doctor may advise that you receive a high dosage of chelating drugs. Some of these drugs can have serious and unpleasant side effects. If you’re going to be receiving a heavy dosage of a chelating drug, talk with your doctor and make sure you’re willing to experience the side effects.  Side effects of, for example, the drug deferoxamine include lung injuries or infections and very low blood pressure. If you’re concerned about the side effects, ask your doctor if they can prescribe you one of the milder chelating drugs or see if they can start you off on a lower dosage. Chelation therapy is the only medical method to counteract mercury poisoning. Although some of the side effects may seem severe, they are much better than living with mercury poisoning!
Summary: Make a doctor’s appointment to have your mercury levels tested. Tell your doctor if you have any symptoms of mercury poisoning. Undergo chelation therapy if your mercury levels are dangerously high. Discuss chelation’s side effects with your doctor before treatment.