Muscle pain can be a common symptom in some health conditions, including some mentioned below. It is always important to be aware of how your body responds to your environment and your activity. Notice if you see any changes, swelling, or other accompanying symptoms which may point to a health condition that needs attention. Here are some health conditions that may cause muscle pain and need to be diagnosed if severe.
Chronic fatigue
This is a chronic condition in which the person feels extremely tired for a long period, like 6 months, without any reasonable explanation for this tiredness. The fatigue tends to increase with any physical or mental activity. However, even with adequate rest, the tiredness does not go away. Muscle or joint pain is a common symptom of chronic fatigue, along with unrefreshing sleep, sore throat, headaches, loss of concentration or memory, and dizziness from lying down or standing up quickly.
Chronic fatigue causes are viral infections, hormonal imbalance, immune system problems, or even physical or emotional trauma.
Muscle cramp
This condition refers to a sudden or involuntary contraction of one or more muscles in the body leading to tightness or stiffness, causing discomfort. Some people also experience cramps during sleep and are awake due to the sudden pain felt in the muscle. While this is a temporary condition, consider seeing a doctor if this happens too frequently and causes severe pain. Usually, it can easily be treated at home with self-care, like simply resting, massaging the area, and letting it relax.
One of the reasons why you could be experiencing this condition could be inadequate blood supply to the particular region. Or if there is noticeable compression of nerves in the spine, then it can lead to cramps in the legs. Sometimes deficiency of potassium, calcium, or magnesium can also lead to muscle cramps and pains.
Rheumatoid arthritis
This is a chronic inflammatory disorder that affects the joints mostly. It is an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system mistakenly attacks its healthy tissues. This can cause swelling along the joints and even lead to bone erosion or joint deformity with time. Muscle and joint pain are common symptoms of this condition, along with tender, warm or swollen joints, fever or loss of appetite, or even fatigue.
Make an appointment with your doctor to get a proper diagnosis on the condition and work out a treatment plan that may help you deal with symptoms and manage them effectively.
Sprains
A sprain is a stretching or tearing of a ligament. One of the most common areas of sprains is the ankle. However, you can easily sprain your wrist if you are lifting heavy objects or putting too much weight on the ligament. Other areas of a sprain include knee and thumb tennis. This causes muscle pain around the affected area and is usually treated by simple remedies like ice therapy. You can easily treat a mild sprain at home. However, suppose you notice that the swelling and pain are not decreasing, it is important to see a doctor and eliminate the possibility of a fracture or other serious injury.
Lupus
This is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks its healthy cells, tissues, and organs. This leads to inflammation in various parts of the body, including the joints, blood cells, heart, lungs, brain, skin, and even kidneys. It becomes difficult to identify lupus, so being aware of the symptoms is essential to getting timely treatment. Some symptoms include joint pain along with stiffness and swelling, which can also lead to muscle pain. Chest pain, dry eyes, fatigue, fever, shortness of breath, and one of the most distinguishing symptoms is a facial rash that looks like a butterfly’s wings spread across your cheeks.
If you are experiencing extreme muscle pain in the lower back, then you can try using cooling XL patches that provide relief.