You may be experiencing muscle pain for a variety of causes. This discomfort may go away on its own after a few days, but if it does not, you should consult a doctor.
Knowing the cause of pain is critical because it will help you figure out what treatment you’ll need to get rid of it. Muscle overuse and inflammation can cause irritation and discomfort. This article will discuss the causes, symptoms, treatment, and prevention of muscular pain.
Symptoms of Muscle Pain
Depending on the cause of their muscle pain, the symptoms of muscle pain can differ from person to person. However, general symptoms include:
- Muscle pain and discomfort
- Difficulty performing daily tasks
- Swelling
- Discoloration
- Tenderness
- Stiffness, and so on.
Symptoms may also differ depending on the type of muscle that has been injured or torn. For example, if your neck muscle has been injured, your symptoms will be different from those of your hand muscle. Second, the severity of the torn muscle affects the symptoms. The more severely it is strained or wounded, the more intense the symptoms would be. Muscles heal on their own if the issue is not too serious; all you need to do is rest and wait for it to heal.
Causes of Muscle Pain
There could be several reasons for facing muscle pain. In this article, we have categorized muscle pain based on causes.
1. Injury
Muscle injuries are divided into two categories: acute and chronic. The acute muscle is the one you get once in a while due to falling and overusing muscles, etc. It might also be dangerous if your muscle is severely damaged.
On the other hand, chronic injury occurs when you overuse a muscle on a daily basis and suffer repeated and persistent injuries. That’s a severe injury, and you could lose muscle mass. Sporty people are more likely to have these problems since they frequently exercise the same actions and postures. Leg muscles, hand muscles, ankle muscles, and other muscles may be affected. Muscle damage symptoms include:
- Pain
- Bruising
- Difficulty moving the muscle
- Swelling
- Weakness
- Numbness
The most common method to treat a muscle injury is to give it time to heal. To reduce discomfort and speed up the healing process, you can utilize over-the-counter medications and home treatments. Allow your muscles to recuperate but keep continuing the small activities to keep them from becoming too weak.
Physiotherapy is highly suggested if you want to learn more about your muscles, how to manage discomfort, and how to heal. For pain management at home, you can utilize heat and cold methods. These are old pain-relieving techniques. For this, you need to place a warm cloth or an ice pack on your damaged muscle for a few minutes and repeat the process.
Heat promotes blood circulation and the healing process. Pain can be relieved by using ice. Do not combine these two cures; instead, pick one and stay with it. You should see a doctor if you have a chronic injury. Your doctor will analyze your condition and make therapy recommendations based on his findings.
2. Infection
An infection could be the source of muscle discomfort that affects your entire body rather than just one muscle. Myositis is a condition in which you experience pain, soreness, weakness, and swelling in your muscles due to an infection. Viral infections or autoimmune diseases can cause it.
When your immune system is overactive, it attacks its own tissues, known as autoimmune disease, and causes inflammation throughout the body. Inflammation occurs when a virus or bacteria infects your muscle. A common cold could also cause muscle soreness. Myositis can also be caused by excessive drinking.
Symptoms are
- Muscle pain
- Weakness
- Bruising
- Fatigue
- Swelling
- Stiffness etc.
This condition is usually treated by medication that helps the immune system to slow down; moreover, antivirus is used to treat viral infections.
3. Neuromuscular disorder
Genetics is the most common cause of neuromuscular disorders, which weaken the human body’s muscles. Muscles can also weaken by neuromuscular illnesses such as muscular dystrophy, and the person has trouble moving and performing daily duties.
Doctors may diagnose such disorders when a child is born, but sometimes these ailments can also develop over time in children. These disorders, however, are uncommon. There are several forms of muscular dystrophy, each with its own symptoms. Following are some of the more common symptoms:
- Difficulty doing daily tasks
- Cardiovascular problems
- Scoliosis
- Joint difficulties, and so on.
Doctors typically perform biopsies and electromyography (EMG) to diagnose such disorders.
Treatment of Muscle Pain
Muscle pain treatment varies depending on the cause. However, several treatments can help with the healing process and pain control. The first and most crucial step is to rest. The human body has a natural tendency to heal itself. Thus, you must give it time to do so. If you’re a gym freak or a sports person, it’s probably best to forego your workouts and excessive motions for a few days. If your muscular pain is severe, you can use a plaster or bandage.
Secondly, try home remedies such as hot and cold therapies for effective pain management and improved blood circulation. Use over-the-counter medications such as pain relievers and antiviral drugs to manage pain and reduce inflammation. After an injury, physical therapies such as mediation help mend muscles and improve muscular motions.
Consult your primary physician if you have a chronic injury or are experiencing severe symptoms such as muscle weakness or the emergence of additional symptoms associated with muscle discomfort. They’ll figure out what’s causing the problem and offer treatment options. It can be harmful if you don’t treat your muscle damage timely.
References:
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/17669-muscle-pain retrieved on April 17, 2022.
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14128-muscular-dystrophy retrieved on April 17, 2022.
- https://www.healthline.com/health/strains#treatment retrieved on April 17, 2022.
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/muscle-strains/symptoms-causes/syc-20450507 retrieved on April 17, 2022.
- https://www.healthline.com/health/strains#when-to-see-a-doctor retrieved on April 17, 2022.
- https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/myositis-symptoms-treatments-prognosis retrieved on April 17, 2022.
