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Muscle aches, or myalgia, can be caused by a variety of factors, including overexertion, exercise, injury, stress, and certain medical conditions. Localized muscle pain is often related to a specific event or injury, while widespread muscle pain can indicate an underlying disease or infection. Certain vitamin deficiencies, dehydration, and fever can also contribute to muscle aches. Treatment options range from home remedies and over-the-counter medications to physical therapy and prescription drugs, depending on the underlying cause.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of pain | Aching, sore, stiff, burning, throbbing |
| Causes | Strains, sprains, injuries, overexertion, exercise, fibromyalgia, autoimmune conditions, infections, medication, underlying illnesses, dehydration, lack of sleep, vitamin D deficiency, electrolyte imbalances, cancer |
| Treatment | Rest, OTC pain relievers, heat packs, physical therapy, medication, gentle stretching, massage, trigger-point release massage, spray-and-stretch therapy, local anaesthetic injections, steroids, hydroxychloroquine |
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What You'll Learn
- Muscle ache causes: infection, medication, underlying illness, injury, or stress
- Exercise: a common cause of muscle soreness and fatigue
- Chronic conditions: fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and lupus
- Nutritional deficiencies: vitamins, dehydration, and hypocalcaemia
- Treatment: medication, physical therapy, rest, and massage
Muscle ache causes: infection, medication, underlying illness, injury, or stress
Muscle pain, or myalgia, can be caused by several factors, including infection, medication, underlying illness, injury, or stress. Localized muscle pain in one spot is often related to a specific event, such as an injury or recent stress on a particular muscle group. On the other hand, diffuse, all-over body aches are more likely to be caused by a disease or condition affecting the entire body.
Infection
Viral and bacterial infections can trigger inflammation and muscle pain throughout the body. Common infections like the cold or flu are usually temporary, but some infections can lead to more prolonged muscle aches.
Medication
Reactions to certain medications can also cause muscle pain. For example, statins may lead to muscle damage as a side effect, and withdrawing from specific medications too quickly can result in muscle soreness.
Underlying Illness
Chronic muscle diseases (myopathies) can attack muscle fibers and cause ongoing muscle pain. Additionally, certain metabolic disorders and imbalances, such as hypothyroidism, vitamin D deficiency, and electrolyte imbalances, can disrupt normal muscle function and lead to myalgia.
Injury
Traumatic injuries, including sports injuries and accidents, can cause muscle bruises (contusions) or tears (strains). Muscle soreness after physical activity or exercise is also common, especially when trying something new or engaging in intense physical activity.
Stress
While stress is often associated with mental and emotional symptoms, it can also manifest physically. Muscle tension and pain can be a sign of underlying stress, and finding healthy ways to manage stress is crucial for relief.
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Exercise: a common cause of muscle soreness and fatigue
Exercise is a common cause of muscle soreness and fatigue. Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is a condition where people experience muscle tightness and tenderness, usually starting the day after a workout. The pain tends to peak about one to three days after the exercise and then eases up. It is caused by microscopic tears and muscle damage, which lead to increased inflammation. Any high-intensity exercise can cause DOMS, especially eccentric exercises. Acute muscle soreness, on the other hand, is a burning sensation in a muscle during a workout due to a buildup of metabolites. This usually disappears shortly after exercising.
People may also experience muscle soreness and fatigue due to overexertion or dehydration. Dehydration causes essential bodily functions, such as breathing and digestion, to become more difficult, which can lead to muscle aches. Additionally, a lack of proper nutrition can cause muscular aches and pains. For example, a vitamin D deficiency can lead to hypocalcemia, affecting the bones, organs, and muscles.
In most cases, muscle soreness from exercise is temporary and not serious. Rest, over-the-counter pain relievers, and heat packs can help ease the symptoms. However, if the pain is severe, restricts movement, or persists for an extended period, it is advisable to seek medical attention.
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Chronic conditions: fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and lupus
Muscle aches can be caused by various factors, from overexertion and exercise to more severe conditions like chronic illnesses. Chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and lupus can cause muscle aches and pain.
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder characterised by widespread muscle pain, often described as a constant dull ache lasting at least three months. The pain is considered widespread when it occurs on both sides of the body and above and below the waist. In addition to muscle pain, people with fibromyalgia experience fatigue, sleep problems, stiffness, skin and soft tissue tenderness, headaches, impaired concentration, and anxiety. The cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, but it is thought to involve genetics, mood disorders, past diseases, and chemical imbalances that cause a heightened sense of pain. The most widely accepted theory is central sensitization, where the central nervous system becomes hypersensitive to sensations, causing the brain to interpret a range of messages as pain.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome, also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis, is a disorder characterised by overwhelming fatigue that is not relieved by rest. People with chronic fatigue syndrome commonly experience generalised muscle aches and malaise, a general feeling of unwellness.
Lupus
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), or lupus, is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects multiple organs, including the skin, brain, eyes, mouth, lungs, heart, kidneys, intestines, and joints. Muscle aches and weakness are common symptoms of lupus, often prompting individuals to seek diagnosis and treatment. Lupus may also cause fatigue, skin rashes, hair loss, headaches, joint stiffness, weight loss, and chest pain with breathing. The treatment for muscle pain associated with lupus includes rest, physical therapy, and medications for pain and inflammation, such as steroids or hydroxychloroquine.
It is important to note that fibromyalgia and lupus can coexist, with studies suggesting that about 25% of people with lupus also have fibromyalgia. Distinguishing between these conditions is crucial, as they have different treatments and implications for organ damage and disease activity.
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Nutritional deficiencies: vitamins, dehydration, and hypocalcaemia
Nutritional deficiencies can cause muscle aches, and there are a few ways this can happen. Dehydration, for example, can exacerbate skeletal muscle damage, leading to structural, contractile, and enzymatic protein denaturation, as well as myofiber and connective damage resulting from eccentric muscle tension. Dehydration also causes a loss of intracellular water, which increases the intracellular potassium concentration and further increases extracellular fluid and plasma potassium concentration.
Vitamins and minerals are essential for proper muscle functioning and nerve signalling. Deficiencies in vitamin D, vitamin B12, magnesium, potassium, and calcium can cause muscle aches and pains, cramps, spasms, and fatigue. These deficiencies can be caused by long-term medication use, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and alcohol abuse. For example, proton pump inhibitors, which are drugs that help relieve symptoms of GERD, can affect the absorption of calcium, chromium, folic acid, iron, B vitamins, vitamin C, and zinc.
Hypocalcaemia, or low blood calcium, can also cause muscle aches. Calcium is needed for nerves to work, for muscles to contract, for blood to clot, and for the heart to work properly. When there is not enough calcium in the blood, the body takes calcium from the bones, which can weaken them. Hypocalcaemia can be caused by issues with parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels and/or vitamin D levels, as both of these factors help control calcium levels in the blood.
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Treatment: medication, physical therapy, rest, and massage
Muscle pain, or myalgia, is usually temporary and not serious, but it can sometimes be a symptom of a long-term condition. It can be caused by exercise, strain, or infection, and will usually improve with rest and home care. If soreness persists for more than a few days or worsens, this could be a sign of a more serious issue that requires medical attention.
Medication
Over-the-counter pain relievers can be used to treat minor aches and pains. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin and ibuprofen, can also help to reduce inflammation.
Physical Therapy
Gentle stretching can help prevent stiffness while your muscles recover. If you have an injury, a physical therapist can guide you on when and how to stretch. Massage can also relieve tension and restore blood flow to sore muscles, whether they are sore from overuse or underuse. Athletes often use sports massage to aid their recovery.
Rest
Rest is important for muscle recovery. This is especially true if you have strained your muscles by using them more than they are used to, causing small tears.
Massage
Massage can be an effective way to prevent or alleviate delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS). It is also a popular treatment for muscle fatigue and injury. However, some sources doubt the effectiveness of massage therapy in aiding DOMS and muscle function recovery.
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Frequently asked questions
Muscle ache, or myalgia, is a common condition that can be caused by a variety of factors. It can be localized, affecting a small part of the body, or diffuse, resulting in body aches.
Muscle ache can be caused by several factors, including:
- Overexertion or exercise: Muscle soreness after physical activity is common, especially when trying something new or strenuous.
- Injury or trauma: Sprains, strains, and other injuries can lead to muscle pain and discomfort in the affected area.
- Dehydration: Not drinking enough water can lead to muscle aches as it affects normal bodily functions.
- Vitamin D deficiency: Vitamin D is important for muscle function, and a deficiency can lead to hypocalcemia, causing muscle aches.
- Infections: Viral, bacterial, and fungal infections, such as the flu, COVID-19, or Lyme disease, can cause muscle aches as a symptom.
The treatment for muscle ache depends on the underlying cause. Here are some general treatments:
- Rest: Allow the affected muscles to rest and recover, especially after overexertion or injury.
- Over-the-counter pain relievers: NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen, can help reduce inflammation and manage pain.
- Gentle stretching: Careful stretching can prevent stiffness and improve recovery.
- Massage: Massage therapy can relieve tension and improve blood flow to sore muscles.
