Muscle pain

Muscle strains, strains & Co.

Whether caused by poor posture or overuse, muscle strains, pulls or injuries can take a toll on muscles and lead to pain. These types of pain and symptoms are also known as myalgias. In most cases, muscle pain is therefore due to harmless triggers, which makes it easy to treat. Now and then, however, serious diseases of the muscles, the skeleton, individual organs or the nervous system can be behind it.

Symptoms of muscle pain

Most often, muscle pain occurs in the back, shoulder or neck area, but basically any of the many muscles of the human body can be affected. Muscle pain is characterized by a stabbing, cramping, pulling, burning or pressing pain that either occurs only in a specific part of the body or spreads. It ranges from sudden and very severe muscle pain to muscle pain that disappears and reappears after some time.

Causes of muscle pain

Muscle pain is usually related to misuse, overexertion or injury. Less often, an infection, a serious illness or medication, drug and alcohol abuse are behind it. The main types of muscle pain are as follows:

Muscle injuries: Not only classic muscle soreness falls into this category, but also muscle bruises, muscle strains, muscle fiber tears or muscle tears. These are often sports injuries that occur when the body is not properly warmed up. A muscle strain or bruise is characterized by pain from pressure and movement, where tightening and stretching the affected part hurts. The cause of muscle strains is overstretching of the muscle. A muscle fiber or muscle tear, on the other hand, causes stabbing pain and a bruise at the injured area. In the case of muscle tears, a typical dent in the tissue can be felt from the outside.
Muscle cramps: The most common site of muscle cramps is the calves. But other parts of the body can also be affected by this sudden pain that disappears again. The most common cause of muscle cramp is magnesium deficiency. Less commonly, diseases affecting the liver are to blame.
Muscle spasms: This type of muscle pain is usually due to poor posture, lack of exercise, weak muscles or psychological causes. The starting point is a pulling pain that is limited to the affected area, such as the shoulder, neck or back. Later, they can spread and radiate.
Muscle diseases: The most common diseases that can cause muscle pain include hypothyroidism, fibromyalgia, Parkinson's disease, polio, circulatory disorders, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, herniated discs, lumbago, as well as autoimmune diseases and those due to a pathogen.
Medications, Drugs & Alcohol: Medications, alcohol and drugs can trigger muscle pain or even attack muscle tissue.

Treatment & Therapy

Depending on the cause, various treatments can be effective for muscle pain. For acute muscle pain resulting from an injury, it is important to stop the activity in question immediately, take it easy on the affected area, possibly elevate it or use cooling measures. A protective bandage is helpful in many cases, and surgery may be necessary for larger muscle tears. Chronic muscle pain can be addressed with remedial massage, physiotherapy, electrotherapy, acupuncture, exercise therapy or thermotherapy.

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