What Is Muscle Pain?

Almost everyone experiences pain in the muscle at some point in time. Muscle pain, also known as myalgia is very common and since we have muscle tissue throughout the body, you can experience a muscle pain practically anywhere. The term “myalgia” or muscle pain is derived from the ancient Greek words “myos” which stands for “muscle” and “algos” meaning pain. The most common areas where you can experience muscle pain are the neck, back, legs and trapezius. 

What Are The Symptoms Of Muscle Pain?

• Inflammation that causes swelling and pain.
• Tenderness when the muscle is touched or moved.
• Muscles hurt even while you rest.
• Pain may be very mild or so severe that you can’t use the muscle. 

What Are The Causes Of Muscle Pain?

Some causes of muscle pain include:

• Tension, stress, physical activity
• Overuse of muscle while doing some physical activity
• Injuring the muscle while exercising or some physical activity
• Infections such as flu, bacterial infections, and polio
• Medications and drugs such as ACE inhibitors, statins, and cocaine
• Fibromyalgia, autoimmune disorders such as polymyositis, dermatomyositis, lupus, etc.
• Hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism
• Lyme disease, hormonal changes
• Hypokalemia (low potassium levels)

What Are The Things One Should Do To Manage Muscle Pain?

• Rest the muscle where you are experiencing pain.
• Apply ice or a bag of frozen peas to the affected area. This can help to reduce the inflammation and pain.
• Stretch the muscles gently.
• Always stretch before and after workouts.
• Relieve the tension by doing yoga or meditation.
• Drink plenty of water and fluids and stay hydrated when you are active.
• Exercise regularly to improve the muscle tone. 

What Are The Things One Should Avoid To Manage Muscle Pain?

• Avoid any high-impact activities till the muscle pain reduces.
• Avoid lifting any weights till the pain goes away. 
• Avoid sitting idle for long periods as it can lead to muscle stiffness.

What Are The Best Foods For Muscle Pain?

• Including magnesium in your diet can help to relax the muscles. Include foods such as green leafy vegetables, wild meats, seeds, and nuts, which are rich in magnesium.
• Potassium can help in the relaxation of muscles, so including foods such as melons, avocados, tomatoes and coconut water in your diet can help in the case of muscle pain.
• Foods such as spinach, kale, collard greens, yogurt, and kefir are rich in calcium which helps to promote muscle relaxation.
• Coconut water and watermelon juice can help to replenish the electrolytes in the body and reduce muscle pain. 

What Are The Worst Foods For Muscle Pain?

• Avoid soda and sugary beverages as they boost mineral loss and makes muscle pains worse.
• Sugar and sugary foods eliminate important minerals and calcium from the body causing the muscle pain to worsen. So, avoid refined sugar and sugary foods such as candy, cakes, pastries, colas, fruit juice, etc.
• Avoid alcohol as it causes dehydration and worsens muscle pain.
• Avoid packaged foods such as noodles, ready to eat foods, etc. as they are deficient in vitamins and minerals that are necessary for muscle hydration and proper functioning of the muscles.
• Avoid consuming caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea, energy drinks, etc. as they lead to dehydration and worsen muscle pain. 

What Are The Medicines For Muscle Pain?

What Are The Tips To Manage Muscle Pain?

• Remaining in one position for a long time or sitting at your desk working for prolonged periods can make your muscles get stiff and tense. And, when the muscles get tensed, they can get quite painful. So, it is a good idea to stand up, stretch and move around once in a while to reduce muscle stiffness and pain.
• Filling your bathtub with hot water and mixing a cup of Epsom salt and soaking in this for at least 20 minutes can provide relief from muscle pain.
• Essential oils are an excellent natural remedy for relief from muscle pain. You can mix peppermint oil, coconut oil, and cypress oil and massage them on your sore muscles for relief.
• A hot water soak provides quick relaxation and relief from pain as it helps to increase the blood flow and hasten the process of healing. However, you must not do this within as soon as the pain first begins.
• A good massage can help to improve the blood circulation in the affected areas and can help to quicken the healing process. Massaging the affected muscles with essential oils such as peppermint mixed with marjoram, and lemongrass can help to relieve the pain and muscle spasm.
• Turmeric has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. Mixing a teaspoon of turmeric powder in warm milk and drinking this twice in a day can help to promote internal healing and also provide relief from muscle pain.
• Grate some fresh turmeric and mix it with some salt and lemon juice. Apply this to the affected muscles for around 30 minutes twice a day. This can help in providing relief from muscle pain.
• Eating a cupful of tart cherries can help to prevent any inflammation and muscle pain, especially post a workout. You can also drink a cupful of tart cherry juice without any added sugar for relief from pain.
• Ginger is an anti-inflammatory agent and helps to improve blood flow and circulation and helps to relieve muscle pain. Drinking 2-3 cups of ginger tea daily for relief from muscle pain. Alternatively, put 3-4 tablespoons of freshly grated ginger into a cloth bag and seal it tightly and put this into hot water for 1-2 minutes. When it cools slightly, place this on the sore muscles many times during the day for relief from pain.
• Apple cider vinegar can help to reduce muscle inflammation and pain, as it has anti-inflammatory properties. You can add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with some honey to a glass of warm water and drink it once in a day for a week for relief from muscle pain. Or, you can add 2 cups of apple cider vinegar to warm bath water and soak for around 15 minutes for relief from pain in the muscle.
• Blackstrap molasses is rich in magnesium and is used as a natural remedy for muscle aches and pains. Consume a tablespoon of blackstrap molasses in your mug of coffee every morning for relief from painful muscles.
• Coconut oil is a great remedy for muscle pains. Use around 2-3 tablespoons in cooking for benefits.