Why do muscles ache? Muscle pain without exercise Muscle pain after exercise

Muscle pain (myalgia) is a pulling, sometimes painful or spastic muscle pain: The term myalgia is composed of the Greek words Myos muscle and Algos pain. Muscle pains can be localized both in a certain area of ​​the body, and radiate or be diffuse. In principle, pain can occur in any of the more than 600 muscles in the body.

Muscle pain (myalgia) occurs most often in the area of ​​the shoulders and neck in the back. About 75 percent of adults in Europe suffer from back pain, one way or another of muscular origin. Muscles are divided into skeletal and smooth. Skeletal muscles include muscles that provide human movement and connect bone structures. Quite often, the pain is caused not by skeletal muscles, but by smooth muscles (for example, problems in the smooth muscle of the heart can be a source of pain in the chest). Smooth muscles are located in the walls of the hollow organs of the body, such as the stomach, bladder, and blood vessels, and play a large role in the normal function of organs. The cardiac muscle, which forms the heart, is responsible for pumping blood throughout the body.

Muscles respond to commands from the brain and nervous system or other stimuli, such as reflexively when a neurological examination is performed with a hammer. Muscles contract when stimulated and relax after contraction. Muscles can become a source of pain due to various diseases and conditions, including infections, injuries, autoimmune diseases, neurological and muscle diseases, malignant tumors (cancer), and even after taking certain medications. Muscle pain can also involve ligaments, tendons, and fascia, which are soft tissues that connect muscles, bones, and organs.

A person may feel muscle pain in certain muscles of the body, such as the muscles of the back or muscles of the legs, or the pain may be diffuse in all muscles, such as with the flu. In a patient with chest pain during an angina attack, pain is due to problems in the myocardium. Menstrual pain is pain caused by the smooth muscle of the uterus. Temporary skeletal muscle pain often occurs due to muscle tension due to awkward movement or excessive exercise. This type of pain often affects one or more muscles and is usually sharp and intense. Abstinence from the activity that caused the pain, rest, topical cold, and anti-inflammatory drugs usually help to reduce pain associated with overuse of the muscles. Muscle pain can be caused by serious conditions such as fibromyalgia, infections, or dermatomyositis.

Muscle pain can be a symptom of a serious medical condition, such as a muscle tear or infection. Therefore, you should immediately seek medical help if muscle pain is persistent or worsens.

Not only muscle pain, but any pain is an important signal for the body. Various stimuli can cause pain, such as heat or cold, pressure or shock, as well as electrical stimulation and chemicals. So-called pain receptors are responsible for transmitting these stimulating sensations. Pain receptors are free nerve endings that are located both on the surface in the skin and in depth - in muscles, tendons and ligaments, as well as in various organs. When pain receptors are stimulated, the signal from them goes to the central nervous system, where the signal is analyzed and a protective response occurs, which is aimed at preventing further damage.

Symptoms

Muscle pain may occur along with other symptoms, which vary depending on the underlying disease. For example, muscle pain that is caused by an injury may be accompanied by bruising and swelling around the injury. Additional symptoms that may accompany muscle pain include:

• depression
• Diarrhea
• Symptoms of acute respiratory illness (fever, chills, sore throat, fatigue, headache, cough)
• Concentration disorder
• Loss of appetite
• muscle cramps
• Numbness, tingling, or burning (called paresthesias)
• Trouble walking
• Sleep disorders
• Swelling at the site of injury
• Sudden weight loss
• Vomit

Serious symptoms that may indicate a life-threatening condition

In some cases, muscle pain may occur in association with other symptoms that may indicate a serious or life-threatening condition, such as a heart attack (heart attack) or meningitis. You need to see a doctor immediately if you have any of these symptoms:

• Changes in consciousness or attention, such as loss of consciousness or severe memory impairment
• Changes in mental state, such as impaired perception of the environment
• Chest pain radiating to the arm, shoulder, neck, or jaw
• Difficulty breathing, shortness of breath
• Inability to move in any part of the body
• Violation (loss) of vision
• Lack of urine
• Progressive weakness and numbness
• seizure
• Stiff neck with high fever

Cause of pain

Skeletal muscle pain is most often caused by direct trauma or trauma resulting from muscle strain or muscle strain. Muscle tension occurs when several muscle fibers are damaged, while when a muscle is torn, a large number of muscle fibers are torn. A tear (tear) in the tendon can also lead to muscle pain. Muscles and tendons have the ability to regenerate, but with a severe rupture of a muscle or tendon, prompt restoration of the integrity of the damaged structures is required. Muscle pain can be caused by cramps that occur due to overload or abnormal nerve impulses that lead to excessive muscle contraction. In some cases, muscle pain can be a symptom of a serious or life-threatening condition such as a heart attack, meningitis, or cancer.

Traumatic causes of muscle pain

Muscle pain can be associated with any injury, including:

• Blunt hit
• Muscle strain or tear
• Excessive or repetitive movements
• Nerve compression (due to disc herniation, spinal stenosis)

Neuromuscular diseases and conditions

• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, Charcot's disease) is a severe neuromuscular disease that causes muscle weakness and disability
• Brain or spinal cord injury
• Dermatomyositis (a condition characterized by muscle inflammation and skin rash)
• Lyme disease (an inflammatory bacterial disease transmitted by ticks)
• Multiple sclerosis (a disease that affects the brain and spinal cord and causes weakness, lack of coordination, balance, and other problems)
• Muscle breakdown (rhabdomyolysis)
• Muscle infections such as an abscess
• Parkinson's disease (brain disease leading to impaired movement and coordination)
• Polymyalgia rheumatica (a disease characterized by muscle pain and stiffness)
• Polymyositis (inflammation and muscle weakness)
• Stroke

Other possible causes of muscle pain

Muscle pain can be caused by a variety of other diseases and conditions, including:

• Depression
• fibromyalgia
• Angina pectoris or myocardial infarction
• Hypothyroidism
• Flu or other respiratory diseases
• kidney failure
• Electrolytic disorders (impaired levels of potassium or calcium in the blood).
• Pregnancy
• Systemic lupus erythematosus
• Vitamin B12 or vitamin D deficiency

Medicines and substances that can cause muscle pain include:

• ACE inhibitors (used to lower blood pressure)
• Cocaine
• Statins (drugs to lower cholesterol levels)

Questions that help find the cause of muscle pain include:

• Are there other symptoms such as sore throat or fever?
• Do you feel pain in one specific area or throughout your body?
• How long does this state last?
• In what parts of the body is the pain localized?
• What reduces pain or increases pain?
• What medications are currently being taken or have been taken recently

Potential Complications of Muscle Pain

Complications associated with muscle pain depend on the underlying disease or condition. For example, muscle pain associated with fibromyalgia or degenerative disease can lead to reduced motor activity and related complications. Many skeletal muscle pains, however, respond well to treatment. However, if muscle pain prolonged and associated with systemic disease, it can lead to the following complications, including such as:

• chronic pain
• Immobility and related complications (such as bedsores and blood clots)
• Persistent pain resistant to treatment
• Amyotrophy
• Muscle contracture
• Permanent muscle or nerve damage (most often due to nerve compression), including paralysis.
• Decreased quality of life

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of muscle pain (myalgia) is primarily based on the history of the disease and symptoms. Most muscle pain is associated with muscle tension (eg, due to poor posture or a sedentary lifestyle) or injury (eg, sprains, bruises, or muscle soreness from sports). Instrumental research methods, such as ultrasound or X-ray, CT, MRI, help confirm or differentiate cause of muscle pain.

Medical history (anamnesis).

The doctor will be interested in the type of pain, localization of pain and the intensity of muscle pain. This information can be key to finding out what causes leg pain. Information about the presence of muscle injuries, the presence of bruises, factors that lead to an increase or decrease in muscle pain, or the pain is persistent, for example, with a herniated disc, the time of occurrence of pain (day or night), is very important.

Inspection. Examination by a doctor can determine the presence of painful areas, the presence of changes in skin color, the range of motion in muscles or joints, muscle strength, local tenderness in the tendon area, or the identification of trigger points (for example, with fibromyalgia). In addition, reflex activity, sensitivity and other neurological tests are important, which can detect the presence of neurological disorders. The time of occurrence of pain in the muscles is also relevant, as, for example, with osteoporosis or Bechterew's disease. Alcohol or drug abuse can be a possible cause of muscle pain and information about this is important in understanding the causes of muscle pain. Some medications can also cause muscle pain as a side effect.

Laboratory research methods.

Blood tests allow you to determine the presence of an inflammatory process or infections, autoimmune processes; biochemical analyzes allow to determine violations of the functions of internal organs (for example, the liver or kidneys).

Ultrasound examination (ultrasound). This research method allows you to visualize the presence of inflammation of the muscles (myositis), ruptures of muscles, tendons.

Investigations such as CT or MRI are needed to visualize problems in deep muscles, where ultrasonography is not very informative, or when it is necessary to visualize neurological conditions or traumatic injuries. Electrophysiological research methods (EMG or ENMG) allow you to determine the presence of inflammatory or degenerative muscle diseases or impaired conduction along the nerves due to compression of the nerve roots or other neurological diseases.

A muscle biopsy is usually used as the last step in diagnosing muscle diseases, and only if there are clear signs of such diseases.

Treatment

Treatment for muscle pain depends on the cause of the symptom. Therefore, the most important factor in determining treatment tactics is an accurate diagnosis. For example, if muscle pain is caused by taking certain drugs, then in such cases it may be enough to stop taking these drugs or replace them with other medicines. Medical treatment for muscle pain can include both NSAIDs or analgesics, and even opiates.

Acute muscle pain

In acute muscle pain that occurs after an injury, it is necessary to ensure rest and unloading, in some cases, immobilization. In addition, a good effect in such cases is local cooling with ice wrapped in a towel, which reduces swelling, inflammation, and pain. In addition, it is necessary to stop the load that led to muscle pain. It takes a lot of time to treat muscle injuries, since early restoration of normal loads can lead to chronic pain syndrome and lead to excessive scarring of muscle tissue, and in severe cases, to the development of ossifying myositis.

Chronic muscle pain

Treatment for chronic pain may include thermal treatments as well as other therapies such as:

• Acupuncture and acupressure
• Electrotherapy (therapy through electricity)
• Electromyostimulation
• Physiotherapy
• Manual therapy

Systematic exercises (exercise therapy) are especially relevant when chronic pain is caused by degenerative diseases of the spine, such as osteochondrosis, spondylosis, and disc herniation.

Surgical methods of treatment are used for severe traumatic muscle injuries or in the presence of compression of the nerve roots.

Prevention of muscle pain consists in the following rules: maintaining a healthy lifestyle, sufficient physical activity, balanced nutrition, proper ergonomics of the workplace, exclusion of alcohol abuse, smoking.

Everyone experiences unpleasant symptoms in the form of heaviness and pain in the muscles of the legs sooner or later. Often they are perceived as a minor problem that will eventually go away on its own. It is not right. Myalgia of the lower limb can be a signal of the onset of a serious illness. By what criteria is the disease determined and which doctor should I contact?

Causes of pain

It can be sharp, pulling, aching and shooting. These sensations can provoke a number of pathological factors:

• diseases of the spine and joints;
• vascular pathology;
• neurological abnormalities;
• trauma;
• vascular and peripheral nerve diseases;
• chronic metabolic disorders.

Most diseases give pain only during physical exertion. But with the progression of the disease, even a low-intensity load can provoke a severe attack.

Physiological causes of muscle pain

Myalgia of the lower extremities is also closely related to excessive physical exertion. Athletes, people of working specialties suffer from it. The disease causes the production of a large amount of lactic acid, which gives a persistent pain syndrome for two to three days, combined with burning and discomfort.

It can appear from uncomfortable shoes, unusual load, and in women from walking in high heels. Therefore, it is not always a symptom of diseases and does not require specific treatment.

Main characteristics of pain:

• localized on the posterior surface of the limb;
• gives moderate intensity;
• superficial, over the affected muscle;
• accompanied by ;
• increases during exercise, subsides at rest.

Myalgia of the lower extremities often accompanies women during pregnancy, especially in the later stages. The causes of the disease are mainly physiological: increased weight, redistribution of the center of gravity and pressure on the fetal head give an additional load on the lower sections of the spine and the vessels of the lower extremities.

Pathological causes of muscle pain

• Fibromyalgia. It affects all muscle groups of the lower limb. Dull, wandering pains are characteristic.
• Convulsive syndrome. It develops from a lack of calcium, magnesium and potassium in the blood, with dehydration. Vulnerable point: . Accompanied by a sharp stiffness, "aching" growing pain.
• Myositis. Most often it develops as a complication after a viral infection, after exercise, unusual for the legs. It is characterized by dull, increasing pain in the muscles below the knee joint.
• Osteomyelitis. With infection of bone structures, purulent formations spread to muscle tissue. The patient experiences unbearable pain.
• Neuralgia. When the nerve endings are pinched, piercing, shooting pains occur. The attack begins from careless or sudden movements of the limb. Localization - quadriceps of the thigh.
• Intervertebral hernia. The attack from the waist extends to the hips. Accompanied by partial or complete numbness of the limb.

Characteristics and localization of pain in the legs

joint pain

It develops with osteoporosis, arthrosis, arthritis, gout - diseases that lead to changes and destruction of articular cartilage.

Main characteristics:

• localized at the site of the affected joint;
• spreads from the articulation to nearby tissues;
• aggravated by walking, running;
• combined with crunching, stiffness, limited joint function;
• does not occur suddenly.

Occurs with closed and open injuries of the lower limb. It often accompanies chronic diseases and chronic injuries. The severity depends on the type and location of the damage.

Main characteristics:

• precisely localized at the site of bone lesion;
• may spread to nearby areas;
• in places of fractures it is combined with limited swelling, redness, subcutaneous hemorrhages;
• combined with limited or complete lack of mobility in the limb.

• osteomyelitis;
• osteoporosis;
• leukemia;
• benign, malignant bone tumors.

It accompanies osteochondrosis, spinal hernia and other vertebrogenic pathologies. From the deformation of the vertebrae, the curvature of the column and pinched nerves, an attack occurs that spreads to all parts of the limb: muscles, bones, joints, skin.

Main characteristics:

• often associated with lumbar and sacral pains;
• does not decrease at rest;
• accompanied by numbness, cramps and tingling in the limbs;
• intensity from aching to burning, shooting, dagger;
• in severe cases it becomes constant, unbearable.

• sciatica;
• neuropathy;
• chronic pathologies (endocrine disorders, tumors, alcohol intoxication);
• intervertebral hernia of the lower spine.

Two disorders are involved in the origin of this species: pathology of the veins or arteries.

Main characteristics:

• more often localized below the knee joint;
• calms down at rest, increases with fast walking or running;
• occurs more often in the evening;
• accompanies varicose veins, swelling;
• observed with hypotrophy of the lower leg;
• combined with sudden onset of convulsions while walking;
• intensifies after prolonged static loads;
• retreats when lying down with raised legs;
• accompanied by a specific symptom of "cold foot".

Vascular pathologies most often affect smokers, hypertensive patients, patients with diabetes mellitus, stroke and heart attack.

Key diagnoses that cause severe pain in the lower extremities:

• deep vein thrombosis;
• arterial embolism;
• phlebeurysm;
• thrombophlebitis, phlebitis;
• obliterating endarteritis;
• atherosclerosis of the lower extremities.

Thanks

The site provides reference information for informational purposes only. Diagnosis and treatment of diseases should be carried out under the supervision of a specialist. All drugs have contraindications. Expert advice is required!

General information

Causes of pain

Injury and overexertion
When injured, muscle tension is the response of the body.

Bad posture
Prolonged non-physiological body position leads to muscle fatigue and spasms. Cramps can be caused by sitting at an uncomfortable desk, carrying a bag over one shoulder, or working in a fixed position. The muscles of the body "attach" to this position, which entails a violation of metabolism.

Stress
Emotional stress can also lead to muscle pain and spasms. This kind of pain is observed not only in adults of both sexes, but also in babies.

The origin of muscle pain can be different. Thus, the most common form of myalgia is fibromyalgia- Pain that occurs in ligaments, tendons, fibrous muscles. This disturbance often causes insomnia. In almost two-thirds of patients who come to see a neurologist, muscle pain is combined with stiffness in the morning, asthenic syndrome.
Fibromyalgia most commonly affects the neck, back of the head, shoulders, muscles near the knee joints, and chest. Representatives of the weaker sex are more disposed to myalgias. Pain is aggravated or provoked by emotional or physical overloads, as well as prolonged lack of sleep, hypothermia, and chronic diseases.

Particularly susceptible to muscle pain syndrome are young and strong, but prone to nervousness, depression, anxiety, women, girls of puberty. In men, muscle pain is more often associated with hard physical work or training.

Primary myalgia- This is a violation of the state of soft tissues, in which pain affects large areas of the muscles, but when pressed on certain points, it is concentrated.

Another very common cause of muscle pain is inflammation of the muscle fibers. myositis. Myositis is often a complication after severe infections, overexertion and injury.
Myositis is characterized by dull pain in the muscles, which becomes more intense during work.

Pain in the muscles can be the first signs of serious diseases, such as polymyositis or polymyalgia rheumatica.

Pain after exercise

In order to reduce pain, you can drink 200 ml of water with a pinch of baking soda dissolved in it. This reduces the acidity of the blood and increases the pain threshold of the muscles.

Delayed muscle pain is pain that develops with too much and uncharacteristic load. It necessarily appears in those who have recently been involved, as well as in those who introduce new exercises into training, increase the length of classes or their multiplicity.

Such pain is the result of microscopic ruptures of muscle bundles. That is, in fact, these are microscopic wounds with hemorrhages. Therefore, it hurts. Such injuries force the body to work more actively, secrete hormones and other biologically active substances that accelerate tissue regeneration. The metabolism of protein cells is accelerated, as happens when soft tissues are injured. As a result, the muscles become more voluminous.
At the same time, processes are accelerated not only in damaged muscles, but also throughout the body, since active substances enter all tissues and organs with the blood flow. Hair and nails grow faster, skin cells regenerate.

The pain provoked by an injury is different in nature. It is sharp and aching, can "shoot" during the work of the affected limb. Often, a bruise or swelling forms at the site of the injury. You should immediately stop exercising if a crunch or clicking is heard in any joint. This indicates the likelihood of an imminent injury.

Another type of pain can develop with overtraining. This condition happens if there are too many hard workouts with microtraumas and they are frequent. In this case, the body does not have time to repair the damage, and they accumulate. The muscle is depleted, immunity decreases, hormone production decreases. In this state, a person is very susceptible to injury.

Pain in the legs

2. Prolonged standing or sitting. If a person is in a fixed position for a long time in a row, blood circulation worsens. Muscles receive less oxygen, metabolic products accumulate in them, and pain appears. Such pains are dull and aching, can sometimes turn into convulsions,
3. Vascular diseases. Very often, the legs hurt when the condition of the vessels is violated. Blood does not drain well and enters the tissues, nerve receptors are irritated, and pain develops,
4. Thrombophlebitis. The muscles in my legs are very sore. The pain is jerky, there is a burning sensation along the affected vein. Usually the pain accompanies the patient all the time and it is felt more strongly in the calves,
5. Atherosclerosis. Feeling as if the legs were squeezed in a vise
6. Diseases of the spine,
7. Diseases of the peripheral nervous system ( neuralgia). Attacks last from a few seconds to several minutes, in between no pain is felt,
8. Myositis. This is a very painful condition that appears against the background of serious illnesses,
9. osteomyelitis,
10. Obesity. With a large body weight, the load on the lower limbs is increased, so the muscles hurt. Those who have a large weight combined with a small foot size suffer more severely,
11. Seizures.
12. Myoenthesitis and paratenonitis. These diseases affect the tissues around the tendons and the tendons themselves. Occurs under intense stress
13. Fibromyalgia. This is a rheumatic disease that develops more often in women with a genetic predisposition.

Pain in the hands

In the event that for some time the pain in the muscles of the hands does not go away or it is very strong, you need to make an appointment with a rheumatologist, traumatologist and neurologist.

Backache

Pain in joints and muscles

3. injury ( ruptures of articular capsules, sprains, bruises, fractures),
4. infections. With flu and sore throat, patients often complain of muscle pain and aches. The patient suffers from high body temperature, fever,
5. excessive physical stress. A lot of lactic acid accumulates in the muscles, which interacts with nerve fibers and causes pain,
6. pinched or injured nerve. With neurological diseases, shooting pain is very often observed.

For pain in muscles and joints, you should definitely visit a doctor, because without determining the source of pain, no treatment will be effective.

Pain during pregnancy

First of all, it concerns the muscles of the abdomen. Those muscles that used to make the stomach flat ( abdominal muscles or rectus abdominis), now hold the uterus in the correct position. The skeletal muscles also have a large load, because the weight of a woman is constantly increasing. To help the muscles cope with the load, you should do gymnastics for pregnant women, including stretching exercises.
A very serious test is the muscles of the pelvic floor. She holds the uterus with the fetus from below, and also helps to reproduce the baby. During gestation, it is very important to strengthen these muscles, because if they are weak and not elastic enough, they can be injured or cut by a doctor during childbirth. Such assistance in childbirth in the future may threaten with urinary incontinence.

The muscles of the back also have a harder time. After all, the center of gravity in the female body is shifting, the back has to adapt to this. What can we say about the muscles of the legs, which have to carry an enlarged and changed body! And they respond with muscle cramps, pain in the evenings.
To prevent and alleviate all these unpleasant phenomena, you should take vitamins with trace elements: calcium, potassium, magnesium, vitamins E, D, C. And you should definitely exercise. And it is better to prepare the body for pregnancy in advance and start exercising in advance.

Pain and fever are symptoms of toxic shock

If there is a possibility of toxic shock, an ambulance should be called immediately. The victim should be put in a warm place, take his pulse, check if she is breathing.
Toxic shock syndrome develops in some cases with the constant use of vaginal tampons. Treatment consists of taking antibiotics, sometimes using an oxygen mask.

In the future, there is a thirty percent chance of a recurrence of shock. Therefore, you should resort to preventive measures:
1. stop using tampons or do it as little as possible,
2. use pads and tampons alternately
3. use tampons that are less absorbent
4. insert tampons as carefully as possible so as not to damage the vaginal mucosa,
5. Tampons should be changed every eight hours or more
6. after suffering a toxic shock, tampons should not be used for at least 3-4 months.

Pain in a child

Muscle pain can be observed in both a calm and a very active baby. Most often, the muscles hurt after charging, if the muscles were not previously well warmed up with massage or warm-up exercises. Such pain can be of different intensity, but after a few days it will pass by itself if you reduce physical activity.

If the baby constantly hurts the muscle of one or both limbs, if there is swelling and an increase in temperature, the help of a doctor is necessary, since an injury or illness can be the cause of the ailment.

Muscle cramps also occur in children, and their appearance has nothing to do with nutrition, physique, and even the age of the child.
Sometimes after training in hot weather, in the absence of drinking water, thermal cramps can be observed. Sometimes spasms are observed at night, they are very painful and most often cover the lower parts of the legs.

Night muscle pains are often associated with a lack of magnesium, calcium and B vitamins in the child's body. Pain increases with lack of sleep and overexcitation of the child.

A baby suffering from muscle spasms should be taken to a therapeutic massage, and energy drinks should be prohibited. Enrich his diet with a vitamin-mineral complex with a high content of calcium, magnesium and potassium. Sources of potassium are citrus fruits, potatoes, carrots, bananas, apples, strawberries and plums. Magnesium is present in nuts, whole grains, green leafy vegetables. Dairy products are a source of calcium. Physiotherapy exercises have a very good effect.

Pain in the muscles of the vagina

Most often, pain in the muscles of the vagina causes significant damage to a woman's personal life. The cause of such pain may be a psychological trauma or a disease of the reproductive organs. Most often, no matter what causes the pain, it leads to loneliness and an aversion to sex.

The pain that appears during intercourse is most often acute. It can be of three types:
1. superficial,
2. deep
3. postpartum.

Sometimes superficial pain is so intense that the doctor cannot even perform a gynecological examination. Pain attacks can even be caused by cycling or sitting on a hard chair.

Deep pain associated with intercourse. It spreads throughout the lower abdomen and shoots into the sacrum. This pain is described as dull.

Postpartum pain occurs during lactation in women who have given birth to a baby for the first time. They can last 3 - 12 months, usually about six months.

The muscles of the vagina can hurt after injuries, childbirth, operations. During childbirth, the muscles of the vagina are under great stress, they create a birth canal through which the fetus is expelled. Often during childbirth, the cervix, perineum, and vagina are injured.

Sometimes the perineum is dissected or torn. Not in all cases it is possible to completely restore the original state of the tissues. Sometimes inflammation develops at the suture sites.

Pain at night

• overexertion of the muscles in the daytime,
• lack of magnesium, calcium and potassium in the diet,
• primary phase of diabetes.

• pain appeared after training and does not go away after rest,
• if the pains are jerking or aching in nature,
• if the pain does not go away for more than 3 nights in a row.

Starvation and pain

During fasting, convulsions are also possible. They also appear during prolonged fasting and are explained by a lack of phosphorus, calcium and sodium salts in the body. Most often, convulsive pains begin with the fingers of the upper extremities, go to the calves and even to the chewing muscles. It is effective to use a one percent solution of edible salt orally, 20 milliliters. For relief, sometimes one dose is enough. Sometimes you have to drink twice. The solution should be drunk warm.
Pain during fasting is not dangerous and should not be afraid of them.

Ointments for pain

Medications

If the pain is caused by physical exertion, but there is no injury, you should not completely abandon training. But they should be very soft, more attention should be paid to stretching exercises, walking.

Folk remedies

Natalya Govorova

Reading time: 6 minutes

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Are your muscles sore after a workout? So, as they say, you tried hard! But seriously, muscle pain that appears on the 1-2nd day after class is quite normal. Muscles worked, which means they should hurt. True, in the case when the pain causes significant discomfort, you should look for a more accurate cause. How to relieve pain and protect yourself from it in the future?

Causes of muscle pain after exercise

There are many theories for the appearance of muscle pain. We highlight the main ones:

• The action of lactic acid. Accumulating rather quickly in muscle cells, it is a certain by-product of physiological processes. When it leaves the body, uncomfortable sensations arise, and with the repetition of training, this acid becomes more and more. The washing out of this substance by the blood occurs within 24 hours, and its accumulation in the muscles during exercise is absolutely safe.
• Delayed pain. It happens that muscle pain "covers" only on the 2nd-3rd day of classes. The reason is microtrauma of muscle fibers. There is nothing to be afraid of: muscle injury provokes the body to activate its defenses and increase the secretion of hormones to quickly rid the muscles of toxins and restore damage. After 3-4 workouts, the pain begins to subside. A constant change of loads and intensity of classes is recommended.
• Increased muscle reactivity. This case is due to an exacerbation of the sensitivity of nerve endings due to heavy muscle loads due to a change in the biological balance of fluid and salt. That is, imbalance. In addition to pain, this cause can also lead to cramps in the calf muscles. For prevention, stretching “before and after” is recommended, as well as compensation for fluid deficiency right in the process of exercising.

• Overtraining. With a constant feeling of weakness in the muscles, severe pain and loss of strength, we can safely conclude that the body is exhausted - you have overtrained. From a biochemical point of view, this is due to a nitrogen imbalance, or the loss of more protein than is gained. Unrelenting symptoms lead to a decrease in immunity, to disruption of the hormonal background and the menstrual cycle, and even to infertility.
• Injury. In this case, the pain is aching and constricting in nature, aggravated by sudden movements and with a load of any force. Often accompanied by swelling at the site of injury, as well as a deterioration in the general condition. The manifestation of pain is immediate, less often the next day.
• Full Range Workouts (horizontal barbell press, deadlift on absolutely straight legs and deep squats, etc.). In addition to muscle stretching, the fact of receiving a load in those areas of amplitude where it does not happen in ordinary life is also noted. Pain reduction can be achieved through partial range training.

6 Best Express Ways to Get Rid of Muscle Soreness After Sports

What can be done to relieve pain quickly? Your attention - the best express methods!

• Water procedures

Contrary to stereotypes, it is cold water that reduces muscle pain, but the alternation of cold and warm will be most effective. This can be a contrast shower for 10 minutes or a warm bath (for 20 minutes, with sea salt), followed immediately by cold water pouring or a cold shower.

• Russian bath

One of the best ways to eliminate pain is with a combination of low / high temperatures and a plentiful drinking regimen.

• Swimming in cold water

Regardless of the muscle group being trained and the intensity of exercise, swimming (especially regular) for 15-20 minutes relieves pain more effectively than other methods. Many athletes who suffer from post-workout soreness become big fans of swimming. Pain reduction occurs due to improved blood circulation and expansion of blood vessels.

• Massage

If there is no professional massage therapist nearby, then you can do it on your own. The most important thing is warming up the muscles and prominating the painful areas for blood to flow to them. You can use olive oil to warm up the muscles with the addition of 2-3 drops of essential (clary sage, lavender, marjoram). Also popular today are massage rollers (note - Pilates simulators), which improve blood flow in the muscles and help reduce pain. The procedure with such a video lasts about 15 minutes.

• Ointments and creams

Option for the laziest. Ointments from a pharmacy with herbs, with essential oils and bile, balms or anti-inflammatory creams. Usually, such products contain active ingredients or special substances for influencing pain receptors (Voltaren, capsicam, etc.).

• Traffic

Yes exactly. Warm up immediately after the workout. Muscles must work, especially for antagonist muscles. Back pain? So, you need to "pump" the pectoral muscles. Sore biceps? Rock your triceps. Stretching before and after exercise reduces the risk of pain by 50%. In addition, warm muscles also reduce the risk of injury.

How to avoid muscle pain after sports in the following workouts?

So that muscle pain does not torment you after training, remember the main rules for their prevention:

• Proper nutrition

The amount of protein absorbed should match the amount consumed. It is also worth remembering that in order to restore the body, you need 2-4 g / 1 kg of body weight - carbohydrates (per day), about 2 g / 1 kg of body weight - protein, and about 20% of total calories as harmless fats .

• Water

Its amount per day depends on the weight. Calculation of the formula: human weight x 0.04 = amount of water / day. Due to the lack of water consumed, the body's ability to remove toxins deteriorates, and the process of muscle recovery is much longer and more difficult. Drink water!

• Cardio exercises

3-4 cardio workouts a week contribute to the acceleration of recovery. Supplemental oxygen and increased blood circulation help to quickly get rid of lactic acid and directly toxins.

• After training - water procedures!

We alternate cold and hot water in 3-5 cycles.

• Don't forget the massage

After training - independent (or ask someone to "stretch" the muscles), and once a month - professional.

• Additives

Some of the most important are fatty acids (300 mg per 1 kg of weight), which reduce inflammation in the muscles and stimulate the immune system. We are looking for them in linseed oil and fish oil.

• Cycle your workouts

Classes with a large number of repetitions (from 10 to 15) and a solid weight alternate with classes with a small number of repetitions of exercises (from 6 to 8) and low weight.

• Refrain from workouts that last more than 1 hour

The maximum class time is 45 minutes. After an hour of training, testosterone levels decrease and cortisol levels increase.

• Dream

With a lack of it, the level of cortisol begins to go off scale, as a result of which the recovery process is disrupted and the risk of injury increases. The optimal time for normal sleep is 8 hours.

• Supplementation with antioxidants

It is necessary for the neutralization of decay products in the body. We are looking for antioxidants in retinol, carotenes, in ascorbic acid and tocopherol, in selenium, in succinic acid, and also in flavonoids (blue cabbage and cherries, raisins, dark grape varieties).

• watermelon

One of the methods to quickly recover after class. Watermelon juice (only natural!) relieves muscle pain, thanks to the amino acid in its composition (L-citrulline), which helps to remove lactic acid from the body. Drink this juice one hour before class and one hour after.

• Foods that can relieve pain

In addition to watermelon juice, there are also blackcurrants, blackberries with blueberries, cranberry and grape juices. The anthocyanins found in these foods help reduce inflammation and pain levels. Also useful for these purposes are potatoes in their skins, cucumbers and figs with pomegranate, walnuts and parsley, ginger. Do not forget about decoctions of licorice (the most effective), chamomile and linden, rose hips or currant leaves, white willow bark, bearberry or St. John's wort.

When should you contact a specialist?

Joint and muscle pain should not be confused. Joint pain, unlike muscle pain, is a very serious problem that can lead to critical injuries. Remember also that severe muscle damage can be the result of chronic overexertion. Therefore, the reason for going to the doctor is pain that lasts more than 72 hours.

Often, after excessive physical exertion or in the early stages of exercising in the gym, a person experiences aching pains throughout the body. As a rule, such pain does not last more than a few days and disappear on its own after the body receives the necessary rest. However, it is not uncommon for the whole body to hurt regularly for a long time, which can be a symptom of various rather serious diseases that require immediate treatment.

Why the whole body hurts: the main reasons

As you know, most often pains in the whole body are the body's response to various infectious diseases (may even be the result of pneumonia!), All kinds of injuries and physical overstrain.

Infectious diseases are often accompanied by the following symptoms: the whole body hurts, aching bones and joints, restless sleep, headache, fever. It also happens that in the presence of an infectious process, the temperature, on the contrary, decreases, and the patient experiences malaise in the form of lethargy, unwillingness to move and cold sweating. Along with this, pain in the whole body is often observed with such problems as:

• Various blood diseases (lymphoma, leukemia, etc.);
• The presence of a malignant tumor;
• Autoimmune diseases (eg, lupus);
• Connective tissue damage (rheumatoid arthritis);
• Food poisoning;
• Tick ​​bite.

Blood diseases and malignant tumors require immediate treatment, so if the body hurts constantly, but there are no symptoms of a cold, it is necessary to undergo an examination as soon as possible.

In autoimmune diseases and connective tissue damage, the pathogenic process inside the joints contributes to the spread of pain to the adjacent muscles. This explains the pain in the whole body that prevents a person from living a full life.

Characteristic signs of rheumatoid arthritis are pain in the morning after sleep. As a rule, after the patient moves a little, they subside significantly. With osteoarthritis, the body hurts, on the contrary, in the evening.

Food poisoning can also be the answer to the question of why all the muscles in the body hurt. Very often, such ailments are accompanied by such additional symptoms as high fever, general weakness of the body, and sharp pains in the lower abdomen. Again, there are cases when the temperature is below normal, the patient experiences chills, cold sweat appears on the body and the whole body hurts.

The bites of some ticks, which are carriers of an infectious disease, can also provoke aching pains throughout the body. Determining the cause of the disease in this case is not difficult: as a rule, after such a bite, a rash appears in the form of small bubbles with a clear liquid inside. In addition, reddening of the skin is often observed not only at the site of the bite, but also on other parts of the body.

Thus, if the body hurts constantly, you should immediately consult a doctor. Indeed, in addition to the fact that this symptom may indicate the presence of various diseases, it can often lead to the following problems:

• Severe chronic pain that has replaced moderate pain;
• Fatigue;
• Insomnia;
• Weakening of the human immune system;
• Forced withdrawal from activity;
• Stress and sudden mood swings;
• Other psychological problems (increased irritability, anxiety, unexplained fears, depression, etc.).

Why do all the muscles in the body hurt?

When the whole body hurts regularly, the cause can be, in addition to the above diseases, such a common chronic disease as fibromyalgia. Despite the fact that according to some reports, every tenth person on earth suffers from it, both the disease and its causes are still not fully understood. That is why fibromyalgia is rarely diagnosed.

Nevertheless, this disease can very often explain why the whole body hurts. However, there are no laboratory tests to detect this disease, so doctors have to rely on the specific data of the general examination and the patient's complaints. Diagnosis is also complicated by the fact that the accompanying symptoms of this disease in different patients are completely different. Among the most common signs, in addition to pain throughout the body, can be noted:

• chronic fatigue;
• Sleep disturbance;
• Scattered pain in ligaments, tendons and muscles.

Doctors are also misled by the following fact: some patients complain that the whole body hurts, while others, on the contrary, note specific centers of painful sensations. In this case, the diagnosis in patients is the same.

It is noteworthy that about 80% of fibromyalgia sufferers are female. Some scientists attribute this to the fact that this disease is provoked by an increase in central sensitivity. Thus, the reasons that the whole body hurts lie in the brain, which changes its functions in the direction of sensitivity. Not surprisingly, one of the main signs of the disease is considered to be a decrease in the pain threshold.

In addition to symptomatic treatment aimed at relieving pain, with such a diagnosis, antidepressants are often prescribed, designed in this case to restore the correct functioning of the brain.

If, when asked why the whole body hurts, the doctor answers that the patient has fibromyalgia, it is necessary first of all to exclude all kinds of stressful situations from your life. Along with this, as a rule, it is recommended:

• Muscle relaxants;
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
• Hypnotic;
• anticonvulsants;
• Manual therapy.

When there is general weakness and the whole body hurts, you should seriously focus on strengthening the immune system. Eating foods rich in vitamins and taking frequent walks in the fresh air are the best remedies for combating weakness in the body.

How to deal with pain in the whole body on your own

When the whole body hurts, it is usually accompanied by almost unbearable fatigue. In addition to some medications, exercise can greatly alleviate this condition. Of course, many patients avoid all kinds of physical activity, fearing to increase the pain. But moderate exercise, on the contrary, helps relieve pain and muscle stiffness.

When the patient is tormented by general weakness and the whole body hurts, regular exercise can eliminate these symptoms: during exercise, the body releases endorphins, which are a natural pain reliever.

Do not forget about effective relaxation methods. When the whole body hurts, breathing exercises and deep muscle relaxation help to reduce pain quite quickly.

Alternative treatments include:

• Acupuncture;
• Deep tissue massage;
• Neuromuscular massage.

However, when the whole body hurts, one should seek the help of a specialist, identify their cause, and only then begin treatment.

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