Myalgia, or muscle aches and pain, is associated with muscle function.
Short-term (acute) causes of myalgia include muscle strains or overuse, infections, and vitamin deficiencies.
Long-term (chronic) conditions can also cause muscle pain and soreness.
VioletaStoimenova / Getty Images
These include fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, and depression.
Depending on the underlying condition, myalgia treatment may involve medication, self-treatment, and physical therapy.
Symptoms
Pain in one or more muscles is the primary symptom of myalgia.
Depending on the cause and part of the body affected, the pain can develop suddenly or gradually.
Whether the pain is temporary or continual will depend on the underlying cause.
This inflammatory response may resolve over time with treatment.
Causes
Myalgia can have many different causes.
Acute myalgia usually happens suddenly with exercise, exertion, or illness.
Chronic myalgia can be the result of various long-term conditions.
Acute Myalgia
Acute myalgia is typically short-lived and easily managed.
The most common cause is exercise or muscle exertion.
Glucocorticoids, immunologic drugs, and antimicrobials causemyopathies, or diseases that affect muscle tissue.
Suddenly stopping high doses of these medications may trigger myalgia.
The same is true ofopioids,benzodiazepines, caffeine, and alcohol.
The diagnosis process is directed toward finding an underlying condition that may have triggered the onset of muscle pain.
Nerve conduction studiescan determine whether the nerves supplying the muscles are functioning normally.
This could be used to diagnosemyositis, which causes inflammation and degeneration of muscle tissue.
Treatment
Treatment for myalgia depends on the cause and whether you have acute or chronic pain.
At-home treatment can often provide some relief for muscle pain.
For pain that’s chronic or accompanied by other symptoms, physical therapy or medications may be recommended.
Acute Myalgia Treatments
Cases of short-term myalgia often respond well to home remedies.
It can increase flexibility in sore muscles and help strengthen the surrounding tissues.
A therapist can also help you find ways to manage stress and focus onergonomicson the job and at home.
Ergonomics can improve your workspace and environment to minimize the risk of injury or harm.
Pain medications and anti-inflammatory drugs are sometimes directly injected into a sore area to decrease pain.
Fibromyalgia sometimes improves with prescription medicines.
Autoimmune diseasescause excessive systemic (whole-body) inflammation.
Treatment depends on the condition but may include medications such as corticosteroids, which can reduce inflammation.
Summary
Myalgia is a medical term for muscle pain.
It can be acute, or short-term, such as when you have sore muscles the day after exercising.
It can also be chronic, or long-term, because of a health condition such as fibromyalgia.
Muscle pain can often be managed with at-home remedies like rest and over-the-counter pain medication.
Queme LF, Ross JL, Jankowski MP.Peripheral mechanisms of ischemic myalgia.Front Cell Neurosci.
2017;11:419. doi:10.3389/fncel.2017.00419
OSF Healthcare.Coping with muscle and joint pain from COVID-19.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease.Influenza.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Signs and symptoms of untreated Lyme disease.
Yale Medicine.Vitamin D deficiency.
Holder K.Myalgias and myopathies: Drug-induced myalgias and myopathies.FP Essent.
2018;20(1):48. doi:10.1186/s13075-018-1513-3
National Institute on Mental Health.Depression.
MedlinePlus.Pain and your emotions.
Johns Hopkins Myositis Center.Electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction studies (NCS) for myositis diagnosis.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Fibromyalgia: diagnosis, treatment, and steps to take.
NHS.10 ways to reduce pain.
2019;23(6):1141-1152. doi:10.1002/ejp.1381
John Hopkins Lupus Center.Fibromyalgia medications.
