{"id":4170,"date":"2019-02-16T11:36:31","date_gmt":"2019-02-16T11:36:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=4170"},"modified":"2021-03-26T16:59:37","modified_gmt":"2021-03-26T16:59:37","slug":"15-symptoms-of-myalgia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/15-symptoms-of-myalgia\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Symptoms of Myalgia"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Myalgia is a general muscle pain which also often accompanies general fatigue and malaise. This is not a condition in itself, but rather a symptom of something else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For that reason, it is not really accurate to describe symptoms of <\/em>myalgia. Myalgia is <\/em>a symptom, and sometimes others will occur at the same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, by looking at the different clusters of symptoms that often appear alongside myalgia, it is easier to identify when you might have this conditions opposed to something else and to also identify what the cause might be and how you can treat it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, in this post, we are going to look at 8 symptoms surrounding <\/em>myalgia, where they come from, and what they mean. This will help you to hopefully get to the bottom of the problem and solve it before it gets any worse or prevents you from doing things that you enjoy doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Muscle Pain<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Myalgia <\/a>simply means muscle pain, where \u2018myo\u2019 is a muscle, and \u2018algia\u2019 is a pain. Therefore, anything that causes muscle pain will have myalgia as a symptom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Identifying what might be causing this discomfort can sometimes involve looking at the type of pain you feel. For instance: does the muscle pain appear in just the one muscle or area, or do you feel it throughout your body? If it is the latter, then it is more likely to be caused by a metabolic condition or perhaps an immune condition. Whereas if it is the former, then it\u2019s more likely to do with overuse or impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Likewise, does the muscle ache when not in use, or only when you use it? Do you notice any swelling? Or perhaps a bruise or red mark? It could be to do with an infection in which case the pain will be dull and constant, or direct injury in which case it will be sharp and acute \u2013 made worse by contact or use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Joint Pain<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Myalgia is muscle pain, not joint pain. However, it is also common for joint <\/a>pain to accompany muscle pain and sometimes it will feel as though the pain and discomfort are radiating out to affect the whole area. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, if the muscle pain is caused by a build-up of pro-inflammatory cytokines \u2013 associated with illness among other things \u2013 then you will likely feel that not only in the muscles but also the joints and the entire area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, in some cases, myalgia can even be caused by arthritis. Certain forms of arthritis are caused by the immune system attacking your own body, in which case you are likely to feel the discomfort radiate out and affect the entire area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another thing to think about is that it can be hard to distinguish between joint, muscle, and tendon pain in some cases. In fact, some experts prefer to refer to the \u2018muscle-tendon-unit\u2019, rather than talking about anyone element independently of the others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Tiredness and Lethargy<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Often myalgia goes along with tiredness and lethargy<\/a>, and in fact, it can again be hard to differentiate between these different symptoms. That\u2019s because tiredness can make it hard to move your joints, to the point where this can sometimes feel like pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the common reasons that you might feel tiredness and lethargy throughout your entire body like this, is that you are suffering from fibromyalgia. This is a condition that is linked with both arthritis and depression, and which causes you to feel exhausted and to experience painful joints and muscles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There has been some speculation that fibromyalgia does not directly cause <\/em>muscle pain, however, but that it more accurately causes increased sensitivity to pain \u2013 so that everything becomes more painful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Depression<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Fibromyalgia exposes a link between depression <\/a>and joint\/muscle pain. And in fact, we see this commonly with a host of related conditions. Depression will often be felt as physical pain, and likewise, you will often find that you feel tired and blue when you have a cold or flu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So why might this be? One potential explanation is pro-inflammatory cytokines can lead to both depression and serious pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro-inflammatory cytokines are produced in response to illness or injury and serve the role of increased inflammation in the body. This is a good thing, as it helps flood the affected area with antibodies, and it makes it less hospitable for any invading bacteria. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But while these molecules are useful, when inflammation becomes chronic and they don\u2019t subside as they are meant to, it can end up causing more problems than it solves \u2013 leading to a build-up of inflammation in the joints and brain and leaving you feeling exhausted and achy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And meanwhile, this same inflammation in the brain can cause tiredness and even depression. This is why we often feel low and unable to concentrate when we are ill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Weakness<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another thing you might notice is that your muscles <\/a>ache while you generally feel weak and tired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you notice this, then it could be due to numerous different factors. One possibility is that the condition is caused by DOMS. This is Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness \u2013 the soreness we experience after exercise. This is not a negative or damaging thing, but it can make it difficult to engage in the usual activity. Interestingly, this pain is likewise associated with inflammation!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s also possible though, is that you may have chronic stress which causes muscle tension making it harder to use them and <\/em>leading to pain, or that you have an imbalance of neurotransmitters \u2013 such as acetylcholine which is responsible among other things for activating the muscles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep an eye on this though, as muscle pain and weakness can likewise be caused by numerous other things: it might, for instance, be caused by an illness or condition that causes the body to attack the muscles, by a muscle-wasting disease, or even by a trapped nerve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Fever and Chills<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It is very common to notice that you have a fever <\/a>and chills at the same time as myalgia. The reason for this is that in many cases, muscle pain is the result of an infection such as the flu or a bacterial infection. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve already seen how infection can lead to muscle and joint pain, and in this case, we are now seeing that it can also occur when you have an acute illness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you notice fever and chills and think that this is associated with myalgia, then look out for other impending signs of a cold or flu, such as increased phlegm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Lack of Sleep<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Lack of sleep can both be a cause of muscle pain and a result of muscle pain. If you have painful muscles then this can, of course, make it harder to sleep as you are unable to get into a comfortable position. At the same time though, you might also find that you experience muscle pain and weakness due <\/em>to your inability to sleep. This is because you are now running low on many important neurochemicals and many of your normal activities will have become more difficult for you to engage in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is just one reason why you should never ignore muscle pain and discomfort \u2013 as it can have unwanted knock-on effects in other areas. It likewise also increases your chance of an accident, while causing headaches<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Discoloration<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Discoloration associated with myalgia in a single muscle could be a sign of bruising<\/a>. This means a blood vessel beneath the skin has become broken, causing blood to leak out. That, in turn, can cause pain, swelling, and difficulty in moving the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time though, discoloration could also point to an infection. This time the infection could be localized to the tissue in that area \u2013 as would be the case if you had cellulitis. This is a bacterial infection that can affect an open wound and then spread around the area. Often it will cause the tissue to become red, then maybe even black in the middle. It will be sore to touch, and you will feel tired and painful when moving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

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