Have you ever experienced a muscle issue? And what did that look like?
Myalgia or muscle aches are extremely common; almost everyone at some point in their life must have experienced discomfort in their muscles.
There’s no specific cause for muscle aches and pains, and as nearly all parts of our body have muscle tissue, so the pain can be felt anywhere.
Common Causes Of Muscle Issues
It is often seen that people who experience muscle aches are able to identify the cause of it. The reason being most instances of muscle pain and aches result from extreme stress, tension, or extreme physical activity.
Some other common causes include:
-Muscle tension in areas of the body
-Overusing the muscle during physical activity
-Skipping warmups and cool downs
-Certain medical conditions
-Injuring the muscle while engaging in physically demanding work
However, not all muscle issues are a result of stress or physical activity. Sometimes certain medical conditions also lead to muscle aches whuch includes:
-Thyroid
-Infections
-Fibromyalgia
-Chronic fatigue syndrome
-Myofascial pain syndrome
-Autoimmune disorders
-Use of certain medications or drugs
Hypokalemia (low potassium)
As we age, our muscles get weak resulting in muscle weakness. Muscle weakness happens when our full effort doesn’t produce the usual muscle contraction or movement.
Besides ageing, other reasons for muscle weakness include:
-Neuromuscular disorders
-Autoimmune diseases
-Stroke
-Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)
-Hypotonia- a lack of muscle tone that’s usually present at birth
-Peripheral neuropathy- a type of nerve damage
-Neuralgia- sharp burning or pain following the path of nerves
-Polymyositis or chronic muscle inflammation
-Prolonged bed rest or immobilization
How To Ease Muscle Aches And Pains At Home?
Muscle issues often begin to subside with good rest, nutritious food and some holistic treatment. Here are some measures you can take to relieve muscle discomfort at home:
-Resting the area where you’re experiencing aches and pains
-Taking an over-the-counter pain reliever
-Applying a hot or cold pack to the affected area to reduce inflammation
-Avoiding high-impact activities until after the muscle pain goes away
-Practicing stress-relieving activities such as yoga and meditation
How To Prevent Sore Muscles?
If you know the reason for your muscle pain, you can take these measures to lower your risk of developing muscle pain:
-Stay hydrated, eat a balanced and nutrition-rich diet
-Stretch your muscles before engaging in physical activity or workouts
-Incorporate a 5 min warmup and a cooldown into all of your exercise sessions
-Engage in regular exercise to help promote optimal muscle tone
-Get up and stretch regularly if you work at a desk
When To Visit Your Holistic Health Practitioner?
Muscle aches aren’t always harmless and sometimes home treatment isn’t enough to address the underlying cause. Also, regular muscle issues can be an underlying sign that needs to be addressed. Connect with your holistic health practitioner if:
-Pain doesn’t go away after a few days of home treatment
-Severe muscle pain that arises without a clear cause
-Muscle pain that occurs with a rash
-Muscle pain that occurs after a tick bite
-Myalgia accompanied by redness or swelling
-Pain that occurs after a medication change
-Pain that occurs with an elevated temperature
-An inability to move the affected area of the body
Want to learn more about muscle issues? Check out our blogs related to muscle issues or find a provider who can help you address your questions about muscle aches and pains.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog or in any linked material is not intended and should not be considered a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. For holistic health advice and consultation, visit https://www.mywellself.ca/.
