You should be familiar with muscle pain. Sore muscles are common for those who exercise or do much physical labor. Many people just shrug it off, following the age-old saying of “walking it off.” But pain is the body’s way of telling you that there is something wrong. If you don’t listen to it, you will end up in trouble. Here is a brief primer on muscle pain and what you should do about it.
Causes
Sore muscles are mainly from the overwork of your muscles. The medical term for it is myalgia, and there is no muscle group that is exempt from it. As long as you tense those muscles up or use them for a long time, you can expect soreness to follow. But the trouble is that many people think that muscles come from just those two causes. There are other causes of muscle pain, and they can be a problem.
For one, a major muscle injury can cause soreness. You’ll notice it because it seems like the pain does not go away. A common reason for these injuries is extreme exercise or lack of warm-ups and cooldowns.
There are also several diseases that cause myalgia. For example, the flu can cause muscular aches as part of its symptoms, while fibromyalgia racks your muscles with pain. These diseases don’t target specific muscle groups, so they often have your entire body suffering from muscle pains. Medicine can also cause negative reactions in your body, so that muscle pains become common. These side-effects usually come from cholesterol and high blood pressure medicines.
Potential Home Treatments
Treating minor muscle pain at home often involves just resting the muscles involved. Overwork was the reason for the pain, so not using the muscles for some time should be enough to get some relief. Continued use can result in longer-lasting injuries, so notice the pain.
For more severe muscle pain, it is best to follow the RICE regimen for the next few days. R is for rest, which you should be doing anyway. “I” is for icing since low temperatures can ease the muscle tension. C is for compression to limit muscle swelling. Finally, E is for elevation, which drains the blood away from the area to reduce the swelling.
Over-the-counter pain medicine is also available and effective enough in most situations.
When to See a Doctor
The main reasons for visiting a doctor for muscle pain are either you don’t know the reason for the pain, or it is really severe. Physicians in Des Moines, IA, and other urban areas would be able to help you identify what is causing the pain and recommend a regimen of treatment.
Another reason for a visit to the doctor is that your muscle pain accompanies a rash or a bite mark in the area. This might be an allergic reaction or something worse. Other symptoms combined with muscle pain can also get you to a hospital. This includes vomiting, black urine, and difficulty moving.
Don’t ignore muscle pain. Trying to tough it out may work in some situations, but, most of the time, you want to ease it as soon as possible. The above advice should tell you of possible treatments and when you should go to a doctor when it comes to muscle pain.
