Myalgia is a muscle pain of varying intensity that can be felt in the muscles of the leg, arm, neck, spine… Here’s how to recognize and treat it.
Myalgia is the word used to refer to muscle pain. It can involve all striated skeletal muscles such as the muscles of the neck, arm, leg, spine, trunk… She often appears after a physical exertion or stretching too intensely. How to recognize myalgia? What causes myalgia? How to treat it?
What is myalgia?
myalgia are pains that touch skeletal striated muscles, that is, the muscles under voluntary control which are under the control of the central nervous system. It is basically neck muscles, paravertebral muscles, located along the spine, muscles of the upper and lower limbs, and trunk.
What causes myalgia?
Generally, muscle pain follows physical exertion during which the muscles are heavily strained, often without prior training or warm-upwhich leads to :
- A bruise
- A trauma
- A false movement resulting in torticollis
- lumbago
Other causes may be responsible for myalgia:
- Certain infectious pathologies such as influenza, hepatitis, poliomyelitis
- Neurological pathologies (polyneuritis)
- Taking certain medications (high dose of statins For example)
What are the symptoms of myalgia?
Symptoms of myalgia are muscle aches. The search for several characteristics of the pain generally makes it possible to direct the doctor towards a cause. Pain can be localized on a muscle or group of muscles or on the contrary generalized, associated with other pains such as joint pain or fever. They can be sudden onset or on the contrary progressiveand translate to numbness, tingling Or a burning sensation. The pain can also be increased by mobilization and effort, or occur at rest, in the absence of any mobilization. Muscular atrophy should also be sought.
In sum, the typical symptoms myalgia are:
- A twinge of the affected muscle
- Numbness or stiffness
- Tingling or burning sensation
- Difficulty performing certain movements
What tests to diagnose myalgia?
The diagnosis of myalgia makes it possible to highlight the localization of the pain. Different examinations are possible to find the origin of the pain, in particular ultrasound which makes it possible to visualize a hematoma, an elongation or a tear of certain muscle fibres. A blood test may show CPKsor creatine phosphokinases, increased in some cases.
When and who to consult for myalgia?
It is not necessary to consult when the myalgias follow a muscular effort. Their persistence for several days, must, on the other hand, lead to consulting your doctor.
The treatment of sore muscles type “aches” simply requires rest and possibly massages. A warm bath can provide relief. When the myalgias are related to another cause, the treatment of this one will make it possible to relieve them. The myalgias due to influenza heal spontaneously, at the end of the disease.
What preventive advice to avoid myalgia?
► On the phone or in a standing position, remember to keep the straight back and neck.
► In front of the computer, remember to keep the back straight against the backrest.
► Before a sports session, hydrate yourself, warm up before the effort
► After the effort, stretch enough (without forcing either)
- Muscle pain: symptoms, causes and treatments, Institut Pasteur de Lille