Body aches without fever - why it occurs and how to get rid of pain

Etiology

At the first manifestation of symptoms, it is necessary to immediately determine the provoking factor. Usually myalgia accompanies acute or chronic diseases. You can independently find out why all your muscles hurt by analyzing your condition over the past few days or months.

Clinicians distinguish 7 groups of such diseases - these are the causes of muscle pain:

• fibromyalgia;
• infectious pathologies;
• myositis;
• dermatomyositis;
• muscle injuries;
• lactic acidosis;
• neuropsychic exhaustion.

Let us consider in more detail the features of the symptoms of each disease and the provoking factors of their development.

Why does ARVI selectively affect people?

Having been chilled outside, we try to warm up at home with hot tea and take a bath, but, unfortunately, these simple but effective procedures do not help everyone. This fact is explained by the general health of a particular person. Hypothermia of the body only triggers the mechanism of a cold, but the nature of the further development of the disease is determined by other reasons.

1. A hypothermic body is easily affected by respiratory viruses, including the influenza virus. Entering into a favorable environment, pathogenic microflora begins to actively multiply.
2. Susceptibility to infection is largely determined by the state of the immune system. For example, chronic diseases significantly weaken the body’s ability to fight viruses and bacteria that have entered it.
3. Patients with enlarged tonsils or with constantly inflamed sinus mucosa are much more likely to be exposed to ARVI. Hypothermia will cause an exacerbation of chronic diseases in them.
4. The state of the gastrointestinal tract also affects the level of immunity. The likelihood of catching a cold increases significantly with dysbiosis caused by taking antibiotics or internal causes.
5. It is no secret that the likelihood of contracting ARVI increases when a person is in a stressful situation and experiences strong psycho-emotional stress.

The body's reaction to the active activity of pathogenic microflora will also be different.

Fibromyalgia

Aching muscle pain may be a consequence of fibromyalgia, a disease of unknown origin characterized by soreness and increased fatigue in the muscles. The pathology affects women twice as often as men, accounting for 2-8% of the total number of muscle pains.

The exact causes of fibromyalgia have not been established, but scientists from the American Institute of Rheumatology identify several predisposing factors for its occurrence:

• frequent stress;
• prolonged depression;
• genetic predisposition;
• sleep disturbance;
• celiac disease.

Clinical manifestations of the disease are characterized by diffuse muscle pain, which is most pronounced in the following areas:

• under the back of the head;
• in the lower part of the neck and upper chest;
• in the elbows and knees;
• on the side of the buttocks.

The pathology has additional symptoms, the degree of manifestation of which is individual:

• chronic fatigue;
• memory impairment;
• sleep disorders;
• convulsions;
• pain in the intestines and bladder.

In most cases, pain relief helps eliminate the disease - therefore, at the first manifestations of muscle aches, you should consult a doctor.

Weakness: what to do?

If weakness is not accompanied by any disturbing symptoms, you can improve your well-being by following these recommendations:

• provide yourself with a normal amount of sleep (6-8 hours a day);
• keep a daily routine (go to bed and get up at the same time);
• try not to be nervous, relieve yourself of stress;
• exercise, provide yourself with optimal physical activity;
• spend more time in the fresh air;
• optimize your nutrition. It should be regular and balanced. Avoid fatty foods. If you are overweight, try to get rid of it;
• make sure to drink enough water (at least 2 liters per day);
• quit smoking and limit your alcohol consumption.

Infectious pathologies

When the muscles of the whole body ache, infectious and inflammatory processes should be assumed. Typically, such conditions are accompanied by the following symptoms:

• increased body temperature;
• chills;
• weakness and feeling of loss of strength;
• headache;
• decreased appetite;
• symptoms of the underlying disease from the respiratory, digestive or urinary systems.

The main diagnostic criterion is fever. If it is detected, the presence of an infectious pathology should be assumed. Myalgia is concentrated mainly in the back of the neck, back, shoulders and hips.

Body aches in women - causes

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Aches in the female body without fever can be caused by diseases of the reproductive system or hormonal changes.

• Menopause and premenstrual syndrome - aching joints
• Menstrual cycle - back pain
• Algomenorrhea
• Inflammation of the internal genital organs
• Cysts
• Ovarian tumors
• Myoma
• Endometriosis

Dermatomyositis

This disease develops gradually. Muscle pain is preceded by the following symptoms:

• feeling of weakness in the neck;
• decreased muscle strength in the forearms and thighs;
• swallowing reflex and speech disorder;
• difficulty breathing;
• inflammation in the mucous membranes;
• the appearance of a rash on the back of the hands and feet, in the joints, on the face, neck and back;
• expansion of subcutaneous capillaries.

Later, dermatomyositis manifests itself as pain throughout the body, accompanied by severe weakness and impaired self-care.

Diagnosis of the root cause of pain

Depending on the diagnostic results, further pain treatment tactics will be developed.

To determine their cause, the following instrumental and laboratory studies are used:

1. General blood and urine analysis;
2. Blood biochemistry (the presence of infectious antigens, acute phase proteins, tumor markers is determined and liver tests and rheumatic tests are performed);
3. Bacteriological cultures (if there is an infection in the body, allows you to determine its causative agent);
4. CT and MRI (to identify pathological processes in the musculoskeletal system);
5. Neuromyography (examines the conduction of nerve impulses in muscles);
6. Bone marrow puncture (done if necessary).

The diagnostic complex can be supplemented with other studies.

Movement test to determine the source of pain

A movement test is performed by almost every doctor when examining a patient who comes in with pain in the joints and muscles. The principle of such a test is simple: if during a certain movement the pain is concentrated in a specific area, then the structures in this area are affected. An example of a motor test to determine impairments in the upper limbs.

Lactic acidosis

With this pathology, lactic acid accumulates in the muscles, which is the cause of myalgia. If during physical overload this condition is temporary, then with this disease a metabolic disorder occurs with the formation of lactate, which settles in the muscles.

The main symptoms of lactic acidosis include:

• scattered pain up to spasms;
• pain in the chest and abdomen;
• nausea and vomiting;
• rapid breathing;
• sleep disturbance;
• signs of heart failure;
• memory impairment.

In the absence of timely treatment, the patient's condition worsens, severe confusion of consciousness appears, even to the point of coma.

Intoxication

Intoxication is another classic cause of muscle soreness3. Often muscle discomfort is accompanied by fever, but it happens that the whole body aches, but there is no temperature3.

For example, poisoning can be caused by accidental ingestion or intentional consumption of various chemicals. This is often encountered by people addicted to alcohol and drugs. In such cases, body aches without fever, muscle weakness, nausea, headache, and dizziness are more common3.

There is also the concept of “internal intoxication”. It occurs when toxic products are formed in the body itself. For example:

• inflammatory products that are absorbed from the pathological focus into the blood (with phlegmon, abscesses, peritonitis, intestinal obstruction);
• bacterial and viral endotoxins (for tonsillitis, pneumonia and other infectious diseases, for food poisoning);
• products of impaired metabolism (for example, in diseases of the liver, pancreas, kidneys);
• products of normal metabolism that accumulate in tissues when their circulation is impaired (for example, with long-term compartment syndrome)3.

The severity of intoxication symptoms largely depends on the “strength” of the toxin and on the body’s ability to resist it, that is, the coordinated work of the organs responsible for neutralizing3 toxic substances. A striking example is a cold without fever.

At the initial stages of development, almost all acute respiratory viral infections occur without severe fever. The main manifestations of respiratory viral infections are muscle weakness, fatigue, decreased performance, heaviness in the head, drowsiness - while there is no temperature as such, but a condition similar to that of a fever. If the infection is not severe and the immune system is strong, everything can end with a common runny nose and sore throat. With severe viral and bacterial infections and weakened immune defenses, fever and the development of complications are likely. Influenza is almost always accompanied by a sharp rise in body temperature and severe intoxication, while rhinovirus infection and associated rhinitis usually occur without fever. Patients suffering from chronic diseases of the heart, respiratory and immune systems suffer from infections more severely than practically healthy people8.

Another reason for the lack of temperature response in infectious diseases is the unjustified use of antipyretic drugs6. Sometimes patients use them without waiting for a high temperature. The medicine acts on the thermoregulation center and prevents the development of fever, but the symptoms of intoxication of the body remain6: the whole body aches, there is weakness, but there is no temperature.

Moderate fever in itself is beneficial for the body6. It stimulates its defenses and helps fight infection6. Unjustified use of antipyretic drugs delays recovery, creates an imaginary illusion of well-being and masks complications6. Therefore, treating a cold without fever, that is, reducing it to normal levels, is much more difficult and dangerous.

Up to contents

Neuropsychic exhaustion

Sometimes the cause of muscle pain is nervous exhaustion. During the examination, doctors do not find any organic pathology, since the trigger is emotional instability.

Such patients experience the following symptoms:

• increased anxiety;
• irritability;
• insomnia;
• breathing problems;
• arrhythmia;
• decreased sex drive, etc.

In such a situation, a consultation with a psychotherapist is required. The doctor will create an effective treatment program.

Literature:

1. Influenza and acute respiratory viral infections: modern rational etiotropic and pathogenetic therapy. Algorithms for providing medical care to patients: method. recommendations [compiled by: Nikiforov V.V. and etc.]. - M.: Special book - 2018 - 20 pages.
2. Handbook of differential diagnosis of internal diseases / G.P. Matveykov, G.A. Vechersky, I.I. Goncharik; edited by G.P. Matveykova. – Mn.: Belarus, 1990., 607 p.
3. S. V. Menshikova. Intoxication. Facets of pathogenesis: old and new. Solution option. // S. V. Menshikova, G. G. Ketova, M. A. Popilov, Chief Physician of the South of Russia, No. 2 (54), 2021, pp. 44-47.
4. Sologub T.V. etc. Influenza. Clinical symptoms. // Sologub T.V., Ledvanov M.Yu., Maly V.P., Stukova N.Yu., Romantsov M.G., Bizenkova M.N., Polyakova T.D. / Advances in modern natural science No. 12, 2009, pp. 27-29.
5. Clinical protocol “ARVI and influenza in adults”, 08/23/2013, 20 pages.
6. Karateev A.E. The use of paracetamol in the treatment of acute and chronic pain: comparative effectiveness and safety // “RMZh” No. 25 of November 11, 2010.
7. N. A. Shostak. Myalgia in therapeutic practice - approaches to differential diagnosis, treatment // N. A. Shostak, N. G. Pravdyuk, I. V. Novikov, E. S. Trofimov / Medical scientific and practical portal Attending physician No. 4, 2012, 6 pages
8. Infectious diseases: a textbook for students of higher education institutions in the specialty “General Medicine” of the subordination profile “General Medical Practice” / V. M. Semenov. – Vitebsk: VSMU, 2021. – 372 p.
9. Instructions for use of the drug RINZA® tablets. Registration number: P N015798/01 // /
10. Instructions for use of the drug RINZASIP® with vitamin C. Registration number: LS-002579 // /
11. Instructions for use of the drug RINZASIP® for children. Registration number: LP-001821 // /
12. MP 3.1.0140-18. 3.1. Prevention of infectious diseases. Nonspecific prevention of influenza and other acute respiratory infections. Methodological recommendations (approved by the Chief State Sanitary Doctor of the Russian Federation on December 10, 2018), 50 pages.
13. Fedunova T.V. Hygiene for influenza, coronavirus infection and other acute respiratory viral infections. Document registered No. I-02-15/01-00037-02 dated 02/04/2020 (Moscow Department of Rospotrebnadzor), Document registered No. 01-11-7134/20 dated 02/10/2020 (Moscow Department of Health), 19 pages .
14. N.I. Briko. Vaccine prevention of influenza: successes and prospects // Safety of medical activities No. 9, 2011, pp. 93-96.
15. Paracetamol in the composition reaches its maximum concentration in the blood plasma after at least 10 minutes. Not associated with effect on symptoms. Pharmacology and Pharmacokinetics, edited by Mark Tomlin, page 62, 2010.
16. Caffeine accelerates absorption and enhances the analgesic effect of acetaminophen. B. Renner, D. Clark. Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 04/18/2007.
17. Explanatory online dictionary of the Russian language Efremova T. F. / https://lexicography.online/explanatory/efremova/%D0%BB/%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%BC%D0%BE%D1%82% D0%B0

Treatment

To select effective therapy, it is necessary to determine the cause of pain. This will allow you to choose a medicine for a speedy recovery. The doctor will conduct an examination, prescribe laboratory and instrumental examinations, identifying the provoking factor.

The following are used as symptomatic therapy:

• analgesics in tablets (“Nise”, “Next”, “Solpadeine”);
• pain-relieving ointments (“Apizartron”, “Vipratox”, “Naftalgin”);
• local application of cold;
• massage and therapeutic exercises during remission.

For effective therapy, you can contact a rehabilitation treatment clinic, where the exact cause of myalgia will be determined. Here the patient will be under constant supervision of medical personnel and will be able to receive advice from a doctor of any profile.