Myalgia – Muscle Pain That Can Occur Repeatedly

Maybe some of you often feel body aches that don't go away or get better, starting from a few days to lasting for months but no cause can be found. So it is not uncommon for many people to try to self-medicate with shop medicines that can be bought for free. Most of these drugs are pain relievers only, so that unknown causes persist which result in aches and pains not being resolved completely.

CAUSES OF MYALGIA

a. Physical Strain

What happens when we exert excessive force on a muscle or group of muscles during physical activity, for example lifting objects that are too heavy, sitting while driving a vehicle for hours without a break, etc.

Microscopically in muscle tissue, in situations of stress in the muscles, microscopic tears can be seen in the muscle tissue at the location where the soreness is felt. This is what causes pain and soreness in the muscles.

b. Inflammatory Muscle Disorders

Medically known as fibromyalgia it is a condition that affects the muscles and underlying tissue and causes widespread pain and fatigue. Meanwhile, Polymyalgia rheumatica generally attacks or affects the elderly and causes pain, muscle stiffness and inflammation that attacks the joints and muscles. This can happen because in the elderly there is a significant decrease in physical activity, which involves sitting or lying down more.

c. Infection

Infections caused by viruses and bacteria can also cause myalgia. Generally, viral infections such as influenza, measles, dengue fever, chicken pox, herpes zoster and others can cause symptoms of aches and pains throughout the body, including muscle weakness. Infections such as the bacteria in Lyme disease and pneumonia can also cause myalgia.

d. Due to side effects of treatment

Several drugs have myalgia side effects, such as statin drugs, ACE inhibitors and chemotherapy drugs. Muscle pain can be felt by patients as weakness, tenderness and muscle cramps. In this case, it is advisable to consult with your doctor whether it is necessary to replace the therapy drug with a more minimal subsequent effect or stop treatment if the side effects are too severe.

e. Psychological Problems

Like depression, anxiety and stress can also cause myalgia. People who experience prolonged (chronic) stress are most susceptible to muscle tension and myalgia.

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS

The interpretation/description of symptoms/complaints felt by each person can vary depending on the cause and severity of the condition.

The following are the symptoms that patients complain about or feel:

1. Muscle pain that occurs suddenly
2. Muscle tenderness and stiffness
3. Swelling of the muscles
4. Fatigue and weakness in muscles
5. Limited mobility and range of motion
6. There is a sensation of numbness or tingling

MYALGIA PREVENTION

The following are tips to prevent myalgia from occurring, namely:

1. Do regular stretching exercises to help reduce muscle tension and maintain healthy muscle tissue
2. Warm up properly before doing any physical activity, proper body warm-up movements are necessary to increase blood flow to the muscles and avoid strain or injury
3. Maintaining good posture is very important because improper posture can tense the muscles, ultimately causing myalgia. For example, standing straight on both legs and not supporting one leg can potentially aggravate one leg and the waist muscles become tired due to supporting an unbalanced body weight.

If you experience symptoms of myalgia, immediately consult a doctor so that the myalgia does not get worse and you get the right treatment.