Muscle Pain

Muscle aches and pains are common and can involve more than one muscle. Muscle pain also can involve ligaments, tendons, and fascia, the soft tissues that connect muscles, bones, and organs together. Muscle pain is most frequently related to tension, overuse, or muscle injury from exercise or physically-demanding work. In these situations, the pain tends to involve specific muscles and starts during or just after the activity. It is usually obvious which activity is causing the pain. Muscle pain also can be a sign of conditions affecting your whole body, like some infections (including the flu) and disorders that affect connective tissues throughout the body (such as lupus).

One common cause of muscle aches and pain is fibromyalgia, a condition that includes tenderness in your muscles and surrounding soft tissue, sleep difficulties, fatigue, and headaches. The most common causes are: Tension or stress, Overusing a muscle too much, too soon, too often, Injury or trauma including sprains and strains, Polymyositis/ Dermatomyositis/ Lupus/ Fibromyalgia/ Polymyalgia rheumatica, Infections including An abscess in the muscle, Trichinosis (roundworm), Influenza (the flu), Lyme disease, Malaria, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Polio, Electrolyte imbalances like too little potassium or calcium, Rhabdomyolysis, use of drugs including Cocaine, Statins for lowering cholesterol (such as atorvastatin, simvastatin, and lovastatin), ACE inhibitors for lowering blood pressure (such as enalapril and captopril).

For muscle pain from overuse or injury, rest that body part and take acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Apply ice for the first 24 – 72 hours of an 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 feel better and stay pain-free. Begin slowly and increase work outs 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 pain still aggrevates call your doctor.

Call your doctor if:

Your muscle pain persists beyond 3 days.
You have severe, unexplained pain.
You have any sign of infection, like 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 has been associated with starting or changing doses of a medicine, such as a statin (atorvastatin or lovastatin).
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 inability to move any part of your body.
You have vomiting, a very stiff neck, or high fever.

Preventions :

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

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