Muscle aches: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

Muscle aches and pains are common and can involve more than one muscle. Muscle pain also can involve ligaments, tendons, and fascia. Fascias are the soft tissues that connect muscles, bones, and organs.

Muscle pain is most often related to tension, overuse, or muscle injury from exercise or hard physical work. The pain tends to involve specific muscles and starts during or just after the activity. It is often obvious which activity is causing the pain.

Muscle pain also can be a sign of conditions affecting your whole body. For example, some infections (including the flu) and disorders that affect connective tissues throughout the body (such as lupus) can cause muscle pain.

One common cause of muscle aches and pain is fibromyalgia, a condition that causes tenderness in your muscles and surrounding soft tissue, sleep difficulties, fatigue, and headaches.

The most common causes of muscle aches and pains are:

• Injury or trauma, including sprains and strains
• Overuse including using a muscle too much, too soon before warming up, or too often
• Tension or stress

Muscle pain may also be due to:

• Certain drugs, including ACE inhibitors for lowering blood pressure, cocaine, and statins for lowering cholesterol
• Dermatomyositis
• Electrolyte imbalance, such as too little potassium or calcium
• Fibromyalgia
• Infections, including the flu, Lyme disease, malaria, muscle abscess, polio, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, trichinosis (roundworm)
• Lupus
• Polymyalgia rheumatica
• Polymyositis
• Rhabdomyolysis

For muscle pain from overuse or injury, rest the affected body part and take acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Apply ice for the first 24 to 72 hours after injury to reduce pain and inflammation. After that, heat often feels more soothing.

Muscle aches from overuse and fibromyalgia often respond well to massage. Gentle stretching exercises after a long rest period are also helpful.

Regular exercise can help restore proper muscle tone. Walking, cycling, and swimming are good aerobic activities to try. A physical therapist can teach you stretching, toning, and aerobic exercises to help you feel better and stay pain-free. Begin slowly and increase workouts gradually. Avoid high-impact aerobic activities and weight lifting when injured or while in pain.

Be sure to get plenty of sleep and try to reduce stress. Yoga and meditation are excellent ways to help you sleep and relax.

If home measures aren’t working, your health care provider may prescribe medicine or physical therapy. You may need to be seen at a specialized pain clinic.

If your muscle aches are due to a specific disease, do the things your provider has told you to treat the underlying condition.

These steps may help lower the risk for getting muscle aches:

• Stretch before and after exercising.
• Warm up before exercising and cool down afterward.
• Drink lots of fluids before, during, and after exercise.
• If you work in the same position most of the day (such as sitting at a computer), stretch at least every hour.

Contact your provider if:

• Your muscle pain lasts more than 3 days.
• You have severe, unexplained pain.
• You have any sign of infection, such as swelling or redness around the tender muscle.
• You have poor circulation in the area where you have muscles aches (for example, in your legs).
• You have a tick bite or a rash.
• Your muscle pain is linked with starting or changing doses of a medicine, such as a statin.

Call 911 or the local emergency number if:

• You have sudden weight gain, water retention, or you are urinating less than usual.
• You are short of breath or have difficulty swallowing.
• You have muscle weakness or cannot move any part of your body.
• You are vomiting, or have a very stiff neck or high fever.

Your provider will perform a physical examination and ask questions about your muscle pain, such as:

• When did it start? How long does it last?
• Where is it exactly? Is it all over or only in a specific area?
• Is it always in the same location?
• What makes it better or worse?
• Do other symptoms occur at the same time, like joint pain, fever, vomiting, weakness, malaise (a general feeling of discomfort or weakness), or difficulty using the affected muscle?
• Is there a pattern to the muscle aches?
• Have you taken any new medicines lately?

Tests that may be done include:

• Complete blood count (CBC)
• Other blood tests to look at muscle enzymes (creatine kinase) and possibly a test for Lyme disease or a connective tissue disorder

Muscle pain; Myalgia; Pain – muscles

• Muscle pain
• Muscular atrophy

Best TM, Asplund CA. Exercise physiology. In: Miller MD, Thompson SR. eds. DeLee, Drez, and Miller’s Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 6.

Clauw DJ. Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and myofascial pain. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 258.

Parekh R. Rhabdomyolysis. In: Walls RM, Hockberger RS, Gausche-Hill M, eds. Rosen’s Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 119.

Updated by: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

Treating Muscle Aches | Advil®

Muscle aches are something almost everyone is familiar with, whether it’s sore calf muscles after a long run or aches and pains when you have the flu. Pain levels can vary, as will muscle ache treatment, depending on the type of muscle aches you’re dealing with. Read on to learn more about muscle aches, what causes them, and how to get the relief you need.

What Causes Muscle Aches?

Muscle aches can be categorized into two different types: localized and systemic.ⁱ Localized muscle pain means that there’s one specific muscle or small part of the body that aches, whereas systemic muscle pain refers to when your entire body and system of muscles aches. Localized muscle pain most typically occurs as a reaction to a specific activity, like overuse from exercise or tension that comes from sitting hunched over a laptop all day. If you’re experiencing systemic muscle pain, it’s most likely caused by illness, infection, or is a side effect from medication.ⁱⁱ Some of the more common causes of both types of muscle aches and pains include fibromyalgia, lupus, muscle cramps, strains and repetitive strain injuries, medications—specifically cholesterol medications known as “statins”—Lyme disease, rheumatoid arthritis, hypothyroidism, and the flu or similar viral illnesses. ⁱⁱⁱ However, this list is not exhaustive—talk to your healthcare provider about your situation for an individual diagnosis.

Muscle Ache Treatment

Now that you’ve identified what might be causing your muscle pain, your next question is probably, “How do I treat it?” There are a number of home remedies that you can employ depending on the type and severity of muscle ache you’re experiencing.

How to Treat Localized Pain

For localized muscle pain that you suspect is related to overuse (sore core after a tough Pilates session, we’re looking at you) or injury, rest is the first step. If you’re dealing with soreness or a minor injury, apply ice to the area for the first 24 to 72 hours to help reduce pain and inflammation. After the 72-hour period, applying heat typically feels more soothing. Massage and gentle stretching are also helpful for treating muscle aches that stem from overuse.^iv You can also take an over-the-counter pain reliever like Advil Ibuprofen Tablets for fast and effective relief. However, it’s important to note that pain relievers like Advil are short term solutions for acute muscle aches—if you experience persistent pain or other complications after an injury, talk to you doctor.

Although muscle aches from overuse are unfortunately hard to avoid, there are a number of things you can do before your workout or an activity in which you expect to strain your muscles to help reduce some of the resulting soreness. Make sure to drink plenty of water before, during, after being active, and make sure to warm up before you exercise or start a physical activity and cool down afterwards.^v If you’re starting a workout, you can try a lower-impact or “lighter” version of the workout you’re about to do, such as taking a slow jog before embarking on a longer run. It’s also important to make sure you’re using the correct technique and form while you’re working out or doing a physical activity to avoid unnecessary strain and potential injuries. If you’re trying out a new piece of equipment at the gym, ask a trainer to show you how to properly use it.

Something else to keep in mind is knowing your limits, whether you’re at the gym or simply doing tasks around the house. If you’ve been scrubbing floors all day and are starting to feel tightness in your neck and shoulders, that means it’s probably time for a break. The same goes for a workout—pushing yourself to build strength and flexibility is great, but pushing yourself too hard can result in injury. Be patient with yourself—change doesn’t happen overnight!

How to Treat Systemic Muscle Aches and Pains

If you’re experiencing systematic muscle aches and pain due to a disease, you should consult your healthcare provider about the measures to take to treat the underlying condition.^vi You should also contact your healthcare provider if your muscle pain is not responding to your at-home treatments or seems severe, unexpected, or abnormal. This includes muscle pain that lasts for longer than three days, if you notice signs of infection like swelling or redness, experience poor circulation in the area of the muscle ache, are bitten by a tick, have a rash, or notice muscle aches and pains that correspond with starting or changing a medication. ^vii Seek immediate medical treatment if you experience trouble breathing or dizziness, a high fever and stiff neck, or extreme muscle weakness, as these may be signs of a more serious condition.^viii

We hope this guide to muscle ache treatment has helped you understand a little bit more about what might be causing your muscle soreness. However, this guide is not a substitute for seeing your healthcare provider. If you’re experiencing severe or unexplained muscle pain, talk to your doctor immediately. For more information and articles about health and wellness, check out more Tips & Resources from Advil.

SOURCES

By clicking any of the links below you will be taken to an external website that is independently operated and not managed by GSK. GSK assumes no responsibility for the content on the website. If you do not wish to leave this website, do not click on the links below.

i. Mayo Clinic. Muscle Pain Causes. https://www. mayoclinic.org/symptoms/muscle-pain/basics/causes/sym-20050866. Accessed 07/16/20. Referenced text highlighted in source document.

ii. Ibid.

iii. Ibid.

iv. MedlinePlus. Muscle aches. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003178.htm. Accessed 07/16/20/. Referenced text highlighted in source document.

v. Ibid.

vi. Ibid.

vii. Ibid.

viii. Mayo Clinic. Muscle Pain – When to See a Doctor. https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/muscle-pain/basics/when-to-see-doctor/sym-20050866. Accessed 07/16/20. Reference text highlighted in source document.

Treatment of muscle pain in St. Petersburg

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More than half of the world’s adults suffer from muscle pain. Often these pains occur in the muscles of the neck, back, arms and legs. They can be caused not only by injuries and sprains, but also by infections, neurological and autoimmune diseases, as well as taking certain medications.

Our clinic treats muscle pain of various etiologies. To start treatment for muscle pain, you need to make an appointment with a neurologist. The doctor will conduct an examination, prescribe the necessary treatment or refer you for an examination to clarify the diagnosis (for example, if you suspect an infectious nature of the pain).

Depending on the cause, muscle pain can be treated with medication or physiotherapy. Having determined the cause, the doctor will prescribe the necessary drugs that relieve pain and restore metabolic processes in muscle tissue. However, in some cases, it is enough to undergo physiotherapy procedures: manual therapy, acupuncture or therapeutic massage sessions.

Muscle pain consultation:

+7 (812) 407-18-00

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• Neurologists with extensive clinical experience
• Accurate diagnosis of the cause of muscle pain
• Complete neurological examination

Causes of muscle pain

As a rule, the most common causes of muscle pain are sprains and microtraumas, as a result of which muscle tissue or tendons are torn. Also, muscle pain is often the result of a violation of metabolic processes against the background of any diseases (for example, colds), excessive physical exertion or nervous strain.

Neuromuscular diseases

In addition, there are a fairly large number of neuromuscular diseases and pathological conditions that cause muscle pain, for example:

• stroke;
• polymyositis;
• dermatomyositis;
• muscle infections;
• polymyalgia rheumatica;
• amyotrophic lateral sclerosis;
• multiple sclerosis;
• Parkinson’s disease;
• Lyme disease;
• rhabdomyolysis.

These and many other neuromuscular diseases may be accompanied by weakness, inflammation, skin rashes, impaired coordination and balance, and stiffness of movement.

Pain as a symptom of a disease

Pain in the muscles often indicates a variety of diseases, a symptom of which is, for example:

• oncology;
• angina;
• fibromyalgia;
• renal insufficiency;
• electrolytic disorders;
• systemic lupus erythematosus;
• myocardial infarction;
• hypothyroidism.

Other causes

Other causes of muscle pain include vitamin B12 and D deficiency, certain medications (such as ACE inhibitors to lower blood pressure or statins to lower cholesterol), and alcohol or other drugs .

To prescribe treatment for muscle pain, it is necessary to determine the exact cause of its occurrence. In our clinic, you can undergo an examination according to a full neurological protocol, as well as, if necessary, consult with a cardiologist, gastroenterologist and neuropsychiatrist.

Treatment of muscle pain in our clinic

As a rule, the treatment of muscle pain is prescribed by a neurologist already at the initial appointment. The doctor will listen to complaints, conduct an examination, including palpation and percussion, and draw up a course of treatment. Treatment may include medication, dietary changes, and physical therapy.

Examination

If symptomatic pain is suspected, the doctor may prescribe a highly informative examination or refer you to a doctor of a different specialization (for example, a rheumatologist, cardiologist, gastroenterologist) for an examination.

In cases where muscle pain is symptomatic, it may be necessary to consult a cardiologist, gastroenterologist or neuropsychiatrist. Since, for example, pain in the muscles of the chest or back can be a sign of serious diseases of the cardiovascular system.

The appointment of treatment for muscle pain may require a highly informative examination, including, if necessary: ​​

• complete blood count;
• biochemical blood test;
• ultrasound;
• electroneuromyography;
• radiography;
• MRI or CT;
• biopsy.

Laboratory research methods help to identify infectious diseases and inflammatory processes, pathology of internal organs (for example, kidneys, liver). Ultrasound perfectly visualizes ruptures of muscles and tendons, as well as inflammatory processes. MRI and CT can detect problems in deep-lying muscles. ENMG – captures nerve conduction disorders and degenerative processes. A biopsy is prescribed in extreme cases, when other methods have not revealed signs of any muscle disease.

Treatment of muscle pain

Usually NSAIDs, analgesics, muscle relaxants, topical ointments and gels are prescribed for complex treatment of muscle pain. It is also possible to carry out therapeutic blockades by the injection method, which have anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and restorative effects directly in the location of the affected area. As additional methods of treating muscle pain, a doctor may recommend sessions of acupuncture, manual therapy or therapeutic massage.

Medical and physiotherapeutic treatment is effective for complaints of the following types of muscle pain:

• pain in the muscles of the legs;
• pain in calf muscle;
• pain in the muscles of the arms;
• pain in back muscles;
• thigh muscle pain;
• pain in neck muscles;
• pain in the muscles of the shoulder.

It is important not to neglect the treatment of muscle pain already at its first manifestations. If the treatment of muscle pain is not started in time, it is possible to involve target organs in the pathological process, up to muscle atrophy and premature death as a result of the development of diseases of the central nervous system, cardiovascular, respiratory and digestive systems.

Treatment of muscle pain in St. Petersburg is carried out at: st. Marata, 78. You can make an appointment with a neurologist around the clock by calling +7 (812) 407-18-00 or using the schedule on our website.

Muscle pain prevention

Update date: 01/14/2022

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Fedosova Svetlana
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Myalgia: symptoms, causes, treatment

General practitioner

Ablyazov

Irshat Ravilevich

Experience 23 years

Therapist-district of the highest category. Member of the Russian Scientific Medical Society of Therapists.

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Pain in the muscles can be of a different nature in severity and duration, but they are all united by the concept of “myalgia”. Statistics prove that muscle pain is one of the most common reasons for seeking medical help. Moreover, it is able to partially or completely immobilize the patient, interfering with his daily activities. In addition, the total weight of muscle fibers in the human body is about 40-50%, so any discomfort causes noticeable inconvenience and requires immediate action to relieve pain.

Causes of muscle pain

Muscle tissue is present not only in the composition of the musculoskeletal system, but also lines the structure of internal organs – the intestines, stomach, bronchi, etc. Therefore, pain can have various causes caused by the influence of external or internal factors:

• Injuries of various nature. This may be stretching, rupture or detachment of connective tissues, which is dangerous for the development of an inflammatory process, a hematoma, or the appearance of symptoms of contractures that complicate movement.
• Intense physical activity with relatively weak muscles or refusal to warm up before starting an intense workout.
• The development of rheumatic diseases, which are characterized by damage to the muscular and skeletal system along with connective tissue.
• Inflammatory processes in muscle fibers of an infectious or undetermined nature, often indicating epidemic myalgia.
• Taking medications, resulting in an inflammatory process or partial necrosis of muscle fibers. these symptoms make you refuse to continue the course of treatment.
• Effects of intoxication when muscle pain is accompanied by fever, sore throat and signs of respiratory infections.
• Neurological pathologies, making themselves felt by weakness and soreness of muscle tissue.
• Deficiency of potassium and magnesium, impeding the passage of nerve impulses to muscle fibers and their involuntary contraction, causing severe pain.
• Pathologies of the vessels, due to which the muscles experience the consequences of “oxygen starvation”.
• Metabolic and endocrine disorders causing swelling and muscle pain.
• Mechanical damage or hypothermia, the consequences of a serious stressful situation that causes muscle spasms and a decrease in pain threshold.

Note: Determining the exact source and cause of muscle myalgia is often difficult. Moreover, the problem may be hidden in the structure of muscle fibers or be a symptom of endocrinological, rheumatic or neurological diseases, and also indicate the penetration of an infectious agent into the body.

Symptoms

The majority of persons who have encountered tangible discomfort in muscle tissues indicate the attenuation of unpleasant sensations in the resting position and in their high intensity during movement. In this case, the nature of pain sensations can be aching or sharp, pulling or drilling, squeezing or dull, spilled. Unpleasant sensations are accompanied by stiffness of movements, a noticeable thickening and tension of muscle tissue in the area of ​​pain. Often, muscle pain radiates to other parts of the body and leads to impaired sensation in the body or in the limbs.

Classification of muscle pain

Depending on the severity of the manifestation, there are:

• Acute intercostal myalgia. It occurs as a result of mechanical damage to the muscles, with injuries and physical exertion, as well as with the development of infectious diseases. The intensity of discomfort fluctuates over a wide range, and the pain completely disappears in 3-6 days.
• Chronic pain lasting several weeks, their occurrence and persistence indicates myofascial syndrome.

Types of myalgia are grouped by degrees:

• 1 degree – local pain, which makes itself felt when exposed to a damaged or inflamed muscle. Seals are felt in the fibers, and when probing, involuntary twitches occur.
• 2 degree – the pain is spontaneous and pulling in nature, muscle strength decreases, the pathological process partially captures the subcutaneous layer.
• 3 degree – severe pain during activity and rest, exciting a group of muscles. Muscle strength is reduced by 30% or more.

Diagnostics

The primary diagnosis can be made already during the examination of the patient and the collection of anamnesis. When planning the diagnosis and developing a course of treatment for muscle myalgia, the doctor focuses on the presence of the following important criteria:

• thickening of muscle fibers;
• intense contraction as a reaction to external irritation;
• violation of coordination between different muscle groups.

The nature and characteristics of the manifestation of pain make it possible to make a preliminary diagnosis and narrow the range of diagnostic measures to identify the main cause of discomfort. The list of laboratory methods for symptoms of myalgia usually includes:

• complete blood count with leukocyte formula;
• blood test for trace elements and electrolytes;
• determination of the level of thyroid hormones;
• detection of signs of the so-called acute phase indicators, characteristic of the course of rheumatic diseases;
• tests for the state of the immune system;
• detection of specific enzymes released during damage to muscle tissue.

Instrumental methods for diagnosing traumatic and wandering myalgias are ultrasound and myography. Also, the patient can be referred for a differentiated diagnosis, which allows to exclude poly- and fibromyalgia.

Methods of treatment

The most effective for myalgia is a combination of medication and physiotherapy. The first includes the intake of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, the second – warming procedures, the use of ointments and gels of local action, massage, hot compresses, physiotherapy exercises. Additionally, multivitamin complexes may be prescribed.

Prevention

To avoid the appearance of pain in the muscles allow:

• full physical activity with preliminary warming up of the muscles;
• changing the diet in favor of dishes with a high content of vitamins and microelements;
• prevention of physical and emotional stress and overload;
• change of the type of professional activity.

For other recommendations for the prevention of muscle pain, contact your doctor.

Diagnosis and treatment of myalgia in the clinic JSC “Medicina”

If you often suffer from back pain, refrain from using folk remedies and seek professional medical help. At your service are the best specialists of the clinic with extensive practical experience, its own diagnostic center and an outpatient clinic for undergoing prescribed medical procedures. Here, every visitor is attentively treated, offering a full range of available recovery methods and strictly monitoring the condition of patients. An appointment is made by phone or in virtual mode through the center’s website.

Questions and answers

Myalgia: what is this disease?

Myalgia combines different types of pain in the muscles. The causes of discomfort can be caused by various reasons, however, all of them are considered by this branch of medicine. Moreover, the muscular apparatus makes up to 40% of the weight of the human body, and any pain quickly makes itself felt by restrictions in movement, difficulties in performing daily activities and the inability to lead a normal lifestyle.