Muscle strains, tensions & co.
Whether due to poor posture or overuse – muscle tension, strains or injuries can really put a strain on the muscles and lead to pain.
These types of pain and symptoms are also known as myalgias.
In most cases, muscle pain can therefore be attributed to harmless triggers, which makes it easy to treat.
Occasionally, however, serious diseases of the muscles, the skeleton, individual organs or the nervous system can be the cause.
Symptoms of muscle pain
Muscle pain usually occurs in the back, shoulder or neck area, but in principle any of the many muscles in the human body can be affected.
Muscle pain is characterized by a stabbing, cramping, pulling, burning or pressing pain that either only occurs in one specific part of the body or spreads.
It can range from sudden and very severe muscle pain to pain that disappears and then reappears after some time.
Causes of muscle pain
Muscle pain is usually associated with incorrect strain, overexertion or injury.
More rarely, it is caused by an infection, a serious illness or the abuse of medication, drugs or alcohol.
A distinction is essentially made between the following types of muscle pain:
- Muscle injuries: Not only does classic muscle soreness fall into this category, but also muscle bruises, muscle strains, torn muscle fibers or muscle tears.
These are often sports injuries that occur when the body is not warmed up properly.
A pulled or bruised muscle is characterized by pain on pressure and movement, whereby tensing and stretching the affected area 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 area where muscle cramps become noticeable is the calves.
However, other parts of the body can also be affected by these sudden pains that disappear again.
The most common cause of muscle cramps is magnesium deficiency.
Diseases that affect the liver are less common. - Muscle tension: This type of muscle pain is usually due to poor posture, lack of exercise, weak muscles or psychological causes.
The starting point is pulling pain that is limited to the affected area, such as the shoulder, neck or back.
Later, it 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, slipped discs, lumbago, as well as autoimmune diseases and those caused by a pathogen.
- Medication, drugs & alcohol: Medication, alcohol and drugs can trigger muscle pain or even attack the muscle tissue.
Treatment & Therapy
Depending on the cause, various treatments can be effective for muscle pain.
In the event of acute muscle pain as a result of an injury, it is important to stop the activity in question immediately, rest the affected area, possibly elevate it or apply cooling measures.
A protective bandage is helpful in many cases, and surgery may be necessary for larger muscle tears.
Chronic muscle pain can be treated with therapeutic massages, physiotherapy, electrotherapy, acupuncture, exercise therapy or thermotherapy.
