Muscle pain is also known as myalgia and is mostly associated with sprains or strains. This pain can originate in any muscle of the body or across many muscles. It can be caused by overexertion or overuse of muscles. Depending on the cause, the severity of this pain may range from mild to severe. A few symptoms associated with muscle pain may include redness at the site of injury, tenderness, swelling, or fever.
Muscle pain can happen at all ages, irrespective of gender. While lifestyle is among the leading causes, it’s most common among people new to sudden strenuous activities.
This article will cover an in-depth analysis of what causes muscle pain and what the possible treatments are.
Classification Of The Pain
On the basis of the duration of pain:
Acute Pain
Acute pain usually arrives after obvious tissue damage and is nociceptive in nature. Here, the pain can be clearly located and resolved upon healing. It clearly warns individuals about the situation and is therefore protective in nature.
Chronic Pain
This pain usually persists for months or years. There are changes to the nerve functions and transmissions. The pain serves no purpose and shows no warning signs.
Further, the pain can be classified into nociceptive and neuropathic pain.
Nociceptive Pain
This pain is activated in the presence of stimuli and is a very high-threshold pain. It is a normal psychological pain associated with the warning signal that something is threatening the person’s bodily tissues.
When a person comes in contact with hot, cold, or sharp objects, they can feel the pain. It needs instant action, like pulling your hands off the hot plate. Some examples of nociceptive pain include sprains, strains, broken bones, lower back pain, or burns.
Neuropathic Pain
This pain is considered abnormal and is a disease of the nervous system. This pain is experienced due to the transmission of pain signals in the absence of damage or inflammation to actual tissues, like fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, and tension headaches.
This pathological pain occurs when there are heightened sensory signals in the central nervous system and a low threshold of pain.
What Is The Difference Between Muscle Pain And Muscle Soreness?
After a physical exercise or any activity, muscle soreness peaks after 24–72 hours. This pain might last 2–3 days and occur due to safe or small damage to the muscle tissue. It is known as delayed onset of muscular soreness, or DOMS. During this time, your muscles may be sensitive to touch and feel tight and achy. Initially, the movement may be a bit uncomfortable, but stretching can help decrease soreness.
In contrast, you might experience muscle pain during or within 24 hours of physical activity. Pain may feel sharp and be located in your muscles or joints. If you suffer pain even after a period of rest, this may be an indication of an injury. You should consult a medical professional in such a case and get proper treatment.
Causes Of Muscle Pain
Muscle pain can be caused due to:
- Hyper or hypothyroidism
- Infections
- Hypokalemia
- Fibromyalgia
- Autoimmune conditions
- Side effects of any medications
- Too much stress
Symptoms that may occur with muscle pain include joint pain, muscle cramps, and muscle spasms. Let us look into it in detail.
What Types Of Infections Cause Muscle Pain?
Bacterial, fungal, and viral infections can cause myositis, a condition causing inflammation in muscles. Bacteria and viruses may invade muscle tissues directly and release substances that damage muscle fibres. A few types of muscle pain caused by infection include: common cold, malaria, dengue fever, hemorrhagic fever, ebola, muscular abscess, roundworm, Lyme disease, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, or polio.
What Autoimmune Disease Causes Muscle Pain?
When your immune system attacks the healthy cells of your body and tissues by mistake, you are likely to suffer autoimmune disease. Autoimmune diseases such as inflammatory myopathies, lupus, dermatomyositis, polymyositis, Devic’s disease, adrenal insufficiency, chronic fatigue syndrome, herpes, HIV, hypokalemia, or multiple sclerosis can cause muscle pain. Autoimmune muscle pain usually occurs in adults aged 40–60 or in children aged 5–15 years. It is more likely to occur in women than in men.
Symptoms Include
- Muscle weakness, particularly in the upper arms, hips, and thighs.
- Joint ache and inflammation
- Difficulty in swallowing
- Fever, fatigue, and weight loss
- Raynaud syndrome: Here, fingers suddenly become very pale and tingle or become numb in response to a cold or emotional upset.
What Types Of Injuries Cause Muscle Pain?
The most common causes of muscle pain from injuries are sprains and strains. A muscle pain is an injury to a muscle or tendon (a fibrous tissue that connects muscle to bone). It occurs when a muscle is overstretched or pulled, or as a result of fatigue, overuse, or improper use of muscle. Muscle strain is most common in the lower back, neck, shoulder, and hamstring.
Symptoms Include
- sudden onset of pain
- soreness
- limited range of movement
- bruising or discoloration
- swelling
- a “knotted-up” feeling
- muscle spasms
- stiffness
- weakness
Causes Of Muscle Strain
- not warming up properly before physical activity
- poor flexibility
- poor conditioning
- overexertion and fatigue
- slip or lose your footing
- jump
- run
- throw something
- lift something heavy
- lift something while in you’re in an awkward position
- sports like rowing, tennis, golf, or baseball
- holding your back or neck in an awkward position for long periods of time, such as when you work at a desk
- poor posture
Mild pain can be easily treated with ice, heat, and anti-inflammatory medications, whereas for severe pain, consult your doctor.
What Medications Cause Muscle Pain?
As we grew older, diseases like arthritis became so common that we often blamed them for our muscle pain. But sometimes we have to give it a closer look to identify the cause of muscle pain if it continues over a period of time.
Here are a few medications that cause muscle or joint pain:
- Statins: These drugs can help lower cholesterol levels and are also effective in reducing the risk of a heart attack or stroke.
- Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs): These medicines are sold in the form of ibuprofen (Advil) and naproxen (Aleve) and are helpful in easing inflammation and pain.
- Opioids: They can be used to relax the body and relieve symptoms of an illness, an injury, or a surgical procedure, such as post-surgical pain, severe pain due to trauma or disease, coughing, and diarrhoea.
- Certain antidepressants, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a class of selectors, can sometimes cause headaches as they activate the same brain receptors that can also bring on a headache.
- Injectable Osteoporosis Medications: Osteoporosis is a condition that weakens your bones, and teriparatide injections are used to treat osteoporosis in women who have undergone menopause, are at high risk of fractures (broken bones), and cannot use other osteoporosis treatments. Joint pain can be a side effect of this medicine.
- Other medications used in cancer treatment, such as high blood pressure medication, can also cause muscle pain.
What Neuromuscular Disorders Cause Muscle Pain?
Neuromuscular disorders affect the nerves that control your muscles. It affects the voluntary muscles, can be genetically inherited, or may develop over a period of time as a complication of some health conditions, like autoimmune diseases.
Voluntary muscles allow you to talk, walk, eat, or blink. Some of the neuromuscular disorders include amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), Lambert-Eaton syndrome, multiple sclerosis, peripheral neuropathy, or myasthenia gravis.
Symptoms Include
- weakness in the muscles
- muscle atrophy
- muscle cramping
- stiffness (spasticity) in the muscles
- muscle pain
- difficulty breathing
- difficulty swallowing
- issues with balance and movement
- trouble with vision
Here, the risk factors may include age, family history, or history of smoking.
What Other Conditions Cause Muscle Pain?
- Fibromyalgia
- Stress and tension
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Imbalance of electrolytes
- Compartment syndrome
- Minor injuries
How Do You Diagnose Muscle Pain’s Causes?
If the cause of your muscle pain is unknown, doctors may suggest some tests for it. Here are a few tests the doctor may ask for:
- Blood Test: This test can help determine your enzyme, hormone, and electrolyte levels and check for signs of infection.
- CT scan, MRI, or X-ray can identify muscle damage.
- Electromyography (EMG): It can measure the electrical activity in nerves and muscles and evaluate nerve and muscle function.
- Muscle Biopsy
Treatment For Muscle Pain
Muscle pain that occurs due to any physical activity is a signal of a pulled muscle. In that case, you can go with the R.I.C.E. therapy.
Rest: When your doctor advises, take a break from your regular activities and start light stretching.
Ice: Apply ice to the affected area to reduce swelling.
Compression: Use stretchable bandages to provide support for your affected area.
Elevation: Elevate your affected area above your heart level, especially at night, to help gravity lessen swelling.
Further, you can try complementary therapies such as acupuncture, massage, or meditation for additional relief. You can also go with products such as cream, patches, gel, or oral pain relievers such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), or naproxen sodium (Aleve).
When Should I Call The Doctor?
Muscle pain from a mild illness or minor injuries can be cured at home, but if the pain gets severe, consult a doctor. Here is when you should connect with your doctor:
- Chest pain
- Trouble breathing and dizziness
- A high fever and stiff neck
- Numbness or tingling in limbs
- A severe injury that keeps you from moving
Takeaway
Muscle pain is a curable condition, but if you neglect underlying conditions, it might lead to irreparable paralysis. It is suggested that you seek clinical support as soon as possible for recurring symptoms
We hope this article on muscle pain has helped you and provided you with valuable insights.
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