Muscle pain is very common, and every person experiences it at some point in his or her life. Since muscles are located in nearly every part of the body, this kind of pain can be experienced almost anywhere. People that experience muscle pain on a frequent basis can often understand the main cause of their problem. This is because muscle pain can be caused by too much tension, physical activity, stress, and many other reasons. This article looks at three main causes of muscle pain and the best way to deal with it.
- Stress
You might not know this, but stress is one major cause of muscle pain. The main reason behind this is that stress makes it hard for your body to fight off diseases. In people that are not in the best health condition or stressed, the muscles may be in pain because the body will be trying to fight off the infection or inflammation.
Some symptoms of stress include high blood pressure, heart palpitations, shivering, chest pains, and feelings of breathlessness. You can deal with stress by implementing relaxation techniques and eliminating any stressful situations wherever possible.
- Nutritional Deficit
You may also experience muscle pains if you are not getting enough nutrition from the diet you are consuming. If you are not getting enough vitamins and minerals, you might experience muscle pain. Vitamin D plays a significant role in making sure that your muscles are functioning effectively. Vitamin D assists your body to absorb calcium, which its deficiency can cause hypocalcemia. This condition can lower the blood calcium levels, which can have an effect on the bones and other organs.
- Sprains and Strains
Another cause of muscle pain and discomfort is strains and sprains. Your muscles may be painful if a specific part of your body is injured. Pulling the muscles can also lead to muscle soreness. Some strains and sprains may not require treatment, but an individual should rest and take OTC painkillers or implement ice or heat packs to ease the pain. Nevertheless, if the injury causes a lot of pain, restricting regular movement can help minimize the symptoms.
How to Deal With Muscle Pain?
You can treat muscle pain at home or visit a doctor to treat the condition. If you are not dealing with a very serious muscle pain condition, you can always treat yourself at home, as the pain usually responds very positively to home treatment. Some of the things you can do at home include resting the affected area, taking over the counter medication, and applying ice on the affected area to relieve pain and minimize inflammation.
If you go ahead and use ice to treat your muscle pain, consider implementing it for the first three days and then apply heat afterward for a couple of days. Combining heat and ice treatments can provide you with incredible results.
Some other things that you can do at home to reduce muscle pain include stretching the affected part, avoiding weightlifting sessions and intense activities, and giving yourself some time to rest. You should also consider doing tension-relieving activities like mediation and yoga.
When Should You Visit a Doctor?
As aforementioned in this article, muscle aches are usually not very dangerous and should heal on their own. However, in some instances, muscle pain can be quite harmful, as it can mean the presence of an underlying health condition. Home treatment might thus not be enough for treating all kinds of muscle pain.
You should consider visiting a healthcare provider if the pain you are experiencing does not go away in a few days after home treatment, you are experiencing severe muscle pain with a clear cause, or when the muscle pain comes about immediately you change medication. You should also consider seeing a doctor if the muscle pain occurs after a bite or when it is characterized by a rash. Muscle weakness, elevated temperature, or inability to move can also necessitate immediate visit to your physician.
Anybody, including adults and children can experience muscle pain. At most times, pain in the muscles is usually not a very big thing to worry about because it is caused by temporary causes that end in a short time. In such cases, the muscle pain can end without medical treatment. Nevertheless, muscle pain can be a symptom of an underlying illness and it is at such a time that you have to get the help of a professional to deal with the condition.