It is probable that at one time or another you have handled muscle aches. You can tell that nagging sensation that truly makes you understand how key, and how often you use that aching muscle is in everyday life. It�s analogous to injuring one of your fingers, in that you never respect how essential that one digit was until you were forced to function without it. A number of factors can cause aching muscles. They can be divided into the following 3 categories:
- Muscle aches as a result of overuse
- Muscle aches as a result of illness, disease, or disorders
- Muscle aches as a result of medications
Muscle aches from overuse.
Muscle aches are most commonly caused by overuse. Maybe you simply pushed yourself too hard at the gym, rearranged your living room, or moved into a new house. If you just overused a muscle the pain should subside in a few days. This muscle pain is also known as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), because the pain starts 24-72 hours after the overuse. These aches commonly manifest themselves in a single, or a few specific muscles. It is easy to identify the cause of bicep pain if you increased your dumbbell weight at the gym yesterday, or the unmistakable quadriceps, hamstring, and gluteal pain from a long set of squats and lunges. The precise cause of DOMS is still an ongoing debate, but two main theories rule. The first theory is that lactic acid buildup in the muscles causes the soreness. The second, and newer theory, is that the pain is caused by the muscle actually repairing itself. Many ascertain that overstrain causes tiny tears in the muscle fibers. Fluid then infiltrates the tears and causes the muscle cells to swell thus causing the aches. The remedy for this muscle pain is the same no matter which theory you believe:
- Rest and relaxation
- Warming up and cooling down when exercising
- Plenty of sleep
- Ibuprofen (Aleve) or acetaminophen (Tylenol)
- Alternating between hot and cold treatments directly to the muscle
- Drinking lots of water
This kind of muscle ache should go away within 3-5 days. If the muscle pain continues it could be a signal that there is a more serious problem, and could require medical attention. The graver condition could be a strain, sprain, torn muscle, or dislocated disk or joint. If you suspect that your muscle pain could be more serious than simple overuse you should call your doctor immediately.
Muscle aches as a result of illness, disease, or disorders.
If you have muscle pain without a clear cause it could be a symptom of a medical problem. You should call a doctor immediately if your muscle pain continues beyond 3-5 days, it rapidly becomes sharp and severe, if you become aware of a rash or any sign of infection around the sore muscle, or if you become nauseous, commence vomiting or experience a stiff neck or high fever. General muscle aches could just be a side effect of having the flu, or might be indicators of a more serious medical condition. Muscle aches might be a symptom as a result of:
- Infections, such as: Influenza, an abscess in the muscle, Lyme disease, Trichinosis, Malaria, Polio, Rocky Mountain spotted fever
- Fibromyalgia
- Arthritis
- Thyroid disorders
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Dermatomyositis
- Polymyositis
- Polymyositis rheumatica
- Lupus
- Diabetes
- Circulatory disorders
- Electrolyte imbalances
These are just a sample of the multiple conditions that could cause muscle aches. Your doctor can offer the proper treatment to deal with these conditions.
Muscle aches as a result of medications.
It is additionally possible that your muscle aches might be a side effect of certain medications. If the aches manifest shortly after starting, or changing a medication regimen, you need to call your doctor to ask if it might be a side effect of your medication. The most common types of medications that can cause muscle aches are statins for lowering cholesterol, and ACE inhibitors for lowering blood pressure. It is also possible that you could experience muscle pain after getting a vaccination.
Entries (RSS)