Muscle pain: causes and symptoms. Diagnosis, prevention and treatment

Many professional athletes and people leading an active lifestyle experience the phenomenon of muscle pain after an intense workout. Soreness (delayed onset of skeletal muscle soreness, DOMS) is not only an adaptive response to exercise, but also an inevitable element of intense training. When muscles hurt after a workout, the onset of fatigue accelerates, post-workout recovery slows down, the growth of physical fitness and the effectiveness of nutritional and metabolic support decreases. 59

Muscle soreness is usually felt a day after training and persists for several days. Symptoms reach their peak within 24-48 hours. Symptoms include decreased muscle strength, decreased mobility, muscle weakness, swelling in the painful area, and increased pain with the slightest activity. The etiology of DOMS causes heated debate among scientists. Despite the fact that it has not been fully studied, it was possible to find out what trigger mechanisms contribute to the formation of sore throat. 59

Muscle fatigue

In our technological age, many people are gradually forming a new “bad habit”. Spending most of the day in front of a computer screen or holding mobile gadgets in our hands, we may not even notice that we are sitting in a completely uncomfortable and unnatural position. It especially affects the muscles of the shoulder girdle, neck, back and right arm, which is constantly on the computer mouse of office workers1. Staying in one position for a long time or using stereotyped movements can lead to overstrain of the muscles involved, which we feel as soreness1.

Exercise stress

“Body aches” after physical activity can occur both in untrained people and in professional athletes8. And the cause of discomfort is the accumulation of under-oxidized metabolic products in muscle cells; in particular, painful sensations are caused by an excessive amount of lactic acid (lactate)2. Less commonly, the cause is microtrauma, but this can only occur if the training rules are violated8.

Muscle soreness due to overwork does not occur immediately, but after a few hours or within 1-2 days after training or unusual physical activity and disappears within a week8.

Muscle pain after training: how to get rid of it?

Pain is formed at the tissue and nerve levels when the pain sensitivity system is brought out of balance. When interacting, tissue and nervous factors form a pathological system, which can only be broken with the help of specially selected therapeutic measures. 60

Prolonged persistence of pain contributes to increased muscle tone, which can lead to ischemia and fibrous tissue degeneration. Incorrect or insufficient therapy can lead to chronicity and generalization of muscle fatigue. Treatment of DOMS should be comprehensive, etiological and pathogenetic. Otherwise, the therapy will only bring a temporary effect. 60

To ensure the prevention and correction of muscle microdamage syndromes, it is recommended to use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. These can be ointments, creams, gels for muscle pain after exercise. They help reduce the manifestations of the inflammatory process and have an analgesic effect. 59

30g

recommendations for use

Apply a small amount of gel (3-5 cm) 2-3 times a day, followed by rubbing into inflamed or painful areas of the body. The duration of use of the drug should not exceed 14 days without consulting a doctor.

instructions

50g

recommendations for use

instructions

100g

recommendations for use

instructions

Injuries

Severe pain can occur when muscle fibers and tendons are torn. This usually happens if the load is excessive and the muscles are not prepared for it1. But they can also be damaged by sudden movements3. Unlike “ache” due to muscle overwork, pain due to injury occurs immediately, at the peak of the load3.

It should be remembered that even a small, but untreated injury can cause an even more severe sprain3. Therefore, if you experience pain during physical activity, be sure to consult a doctor to rule out a serious injury.

to come back to the beginning

Bystrumgel for muscle pain

For local treatment of affected muscles, joints, and ligaments, a modern drug based on ketoprofen, Bystrumgel, can be used. It has analgesic, antiexudative, anti-inflammatory effects. eleven

Bystrumgel contains essential oils of lavender and orange flowers, so the drug has a pleasant aroma. The anesthetic gel can be used for the symptomatic treatment of bruises, sprains, joint syndrome, and muscle pain. Ketoprofen, which is part of Bystrumgel, does not have a catabolic effect on cartilage tissue. eleven

Diseases of the spine and joints

Muscles react to disruption of the joints4 and vertebrae5 associated with them. Therefore, myalgia is one of the symptoms of diseases of the spine5,11 and joints of the limbs4. For example, with osteochondrosis or scoliosis (curvature of the spine), pain in the neck, chest or lower back is associated with overstrain of the paravertebral muscles5,11. And in advanced cases, when the vertebra compresses the nerve root emerging from the spinal cord, the pain can “radiate” to the arm or leg11.

Often myalgia with osteochondrosis is combined with a feeling of numbness or “crawling goosebumps”. At the moment of acute pain, a person freezes, taking a forced position11.

Vascular myalgia and their causes

These are changes that occur in the skeletal muscles of the legs and arms with insufficient blood supply (for example, with atherosclerosis of the vessels of the lower extremities, with Raynaud's syndrome) and are manifested by coldness, a feeling of numbness, pallor or cyanosis of the fingers, and in severe cases, trophic ulcers occur. The cause of Raynaud's syndrome is a violation of the regulation of vascular tone due to cooling or emotional tension, stress.

Patients with suspected vascular pathology are referred for consultation to a cardiologist/rheumatologist and a vascular surgeon.

Other reasons

Almost any disease of the internal organs can lead to myalgia11. When an organ is affected, it creates pain impulses that are partially transmitted to the muscles located nearby11.

Myalgia can also be caused by:

endocrine diseases, such as thyroid hormone deficiency16,7;
vascular pathologies that disrupt the nutrition of the muscles of the limbs15,16;
chronic fatigue syndrome7;
imbalance of microelements in the body16;
taking medications that lower blood cholesterol levels12.

to come back to the beginning

Features of myalgia

Pain emanating from the muscles is usually deep6. Acute myalgia is protective in nature because it causes reactions aimed at eliminating the damaging factor11. Such reactions include, for example, muscle spasms4. But despite its protective nature, there is almost always a risk that the pain will become chronic11. There are 2 main causes of chronicity:

Increased sensitivity. In response to irritation, the muscle releases substances that support inflammation. They further irritate pain receptors in the muscles. In response to frequent signals, the central nervous system lowers the pain threshold, so we can feel soreness in the muscle even when it is not strongly irritated11.
Spasm. If pain and spasm persist, a “vicious circle” is formed: pain causes spasm, and spasm maintains pain1,5, 11.

Pathologies

Pathological pain in the muscles, requiring a mandatory visit to a specialist, is expressed in the following:

constant or chronic pain;
twitching nature of the disease;
pain appeared after training, but does not go away after rest;
redness of soft tissues or swelling is observed;
accompanying symptoms are observed in the form of fever, shortness of breath, rash, and urinary retention.

Important! If at least one of the above conditions occurs, it is recommended to contact a specialist.

Diagnosis of muscle pain

Determining why myalgia occurs is not always easy. Only a doctor can understand the causes and select treatment that helps get rid of disturbing symptoms or alleviate them. To find out the cause of myalgia, the doctor conducts a comprehensive examination, including a neurological one, prescribes laboratory tests, ultrasound, computed tomography and other research methods3.

Various specialists treat myalgia. Depending on its cause, a traumatologist, rheumatologist, neurologist or endocrinologist can help you.

Basic recovery methods

During the period when the athlete is resting from exercise, training must be stopped. An important means for muscle growth and maintaining the body in good shape is sleep. It is at this time that muscle tissue actively grows and increases in volume. You need to allocate at least 8 hours for sleep. A few more conditions must be observed - for good rest, it is better to fall asleep in complete darkness and silence, on a comfortable pillow and a comfortable mattress.

The following means affect the improvement of sports performance and recreation efficiency:

Gradual slowdown. It is not advisable to complete a session in the gym with strength exercises. In this case, stretching or a cardio stationary bike or treadmill at an easy pace will help.
Drink plenty of fluids. Water remains the best way to support the body, as it affects a large number of processes. Water prevents overtraining and promotes effective rest. However, you should not drink in large quantities. Instead of drinking a bottle at once, it is better to take several sips. Large amounts of water strain the heart.
Compliance with diet. It is recommended to eat nutritious food, since it is during the first 30 minutes that the body absorbs carbohydrates and amino acids. Depending on the intensity, duration of exercise and physical fitness, each athlete selects the right amount of food.

After physical exercise, foods with carbohydrates and proteins are recommended. To grow muscle mass, it is enough to consume 50-90 grams of complex carbohydrates and 20-30 grams of animal protein. Additionally, you can use protein shakes.

Use of special additives. Modern pharmacology offers medications for quick recovery. These can be plastic tablets that accelerate protein synthesis, adaptogens and energy drinks that accelerate the absorption of nutrients. Despite the benefits of the drugs, they should be used only after consultation with your doctor.
Temperature effect. High temperature improves blood circulation and increases the speed of metabolic processes - cells regenerate faster, muscle tissue is better restored. A positive effect, in addition to a warm sauna, is observed when the temperature decreases. Swimming in an ice bath and rubbing with ice improves the condition because it relieves muscle swelling.
Massage. The procedure, which is recommended to be performed in the first 30 minutes after training, relieves pain in muscle tissue. It is suitable for every athlete and can be combined with other recreational aids. Massage reduces muscle swelling, reduces fatigue, improves blood circulation and relieves muscle spasms.
Recovery workout. Aerobic exercise and gentle cardio are suitable. A light jog or bike ride for 10-15 minutes at a calm pace will speed up blood circulation and disperse lactic acid.

Cardio exercises after the main lesson should be given more attention, because they strengthen the heart. The duration of cardio training depends on how you feel. If after physical exercise your heart rate exceeds your norm by more than 20-30 beats, light cardio is necessary. It will remove metabolic waste products from the body. It is recommended to do 2 minutes of low-intensity exercise for every 10 beats above normal heart rate. If the heart rate is about 140 beats, and the norm does not exceed 60, then the required duration of cardio is 16 minutes. Organizing a high-quality restoration process requires knowledge and experience. To choose the right distribution of forces, we recommend turning to professional trainers. Qualified fitness instructors will offer you an individual program. You can buy a gym membership online or in our club. By phone you can get additional advice about discounts, promotions and benefits of the club card.