Myalgia: symptoms and treatment, causes of pain in the calf muscles, throughout the body

Myositis as a type of myalgia is inflammation due to injury or as a complication of other diseases. With fibromyalgia, the pain is pulling, tugging or cutting, and with myositis it is aching. In cold and damp conditions, as well as with changing weather and heavy stress, exacerbations are possible.

It is dangerous to carry myositis “on your feet” - polymyositis may develop, i.e. An increasing number of muscles will ache, weakness, nausea, headache, and hyperthermia will appear. Stiffness of the joints will lead to muscle dystrophy, even disability.

It is also worth mentioning the epidemic type of myalgia - Bornholm disease, which is caused by the Coxsackie virus. Those who become ill develop high fever, chills, vomiting, and attacks of acute pain. Mostly the upper body hurts: chest, back, neck, arms.

General information

Myalgia - what is it? Myalgia is a syndrome manifested by spontaneous muscle pain during physical stress/rest or caused by external influences (active/passive movements in the joints, palpation). Muscle pain can be either local, for example in the thigh muscle of the leg, or diffuse (muscle pain throughout the body). Myalgia is often accompanied by joint pain ( arthralgia ).
Functional muscle diseases, occurring with pain of varying severity, can occur in healthy people after unusual (hard) physical work or often in athletes during overtraining. In such cases, there may be compaction of the muscles that have been overloaded and their moderate swelling. Myalgia can develop after injuries, or sharp pain can appear with convulsive contraction of certain muscle groups, for example, in the calf muscle when walking with intermittent claudication. Pain in the muscles of the legs, neck and back is especially common.

At the same time, myalgia can also be one of the manifestations of a number of diseases ( polymyalgia rheumatica , infectious diseases, vascular pathology, diseases of the joints and visceral organs, etc.), autoimmune pathologies, or caused by the action of toxic/medicinal substances. Myalgia ranks second in prevalence, second only to headaches, and over 48% of all pain syndromes are of muscular origin. As a rule, with a minor muscle injury/physical overload of the muscles, the pain syndrome regresses spontaneously within 2 days, however, in some cases, myalgic syndrome persists with the threat of developing chronic myofascial pain syndrome (MPS), in which fascia and tendons are involved in the process of formation of persistent pain in addition to muscles . The syndrome is often characterized by chronic muscle dysfunction (muscle stiffness and localized pain).

Since pain is not a specific nosological form, objectively interpreting myalgic syndrome in clinical practice with determining its nosological affiliation is a rather difficult task, since it is characteristic of various infectious, neurological, endocrinological and systemic rheumatic diseases and has similar clinical manifestations with them.

Stages of development of myalgia

In its development, myalgia goes through several stages:

Acute pain occurs suddenly during a certain physical action or tactile contact. Swelling and local inflammation often appear.
Pain haunts a person throughout the day. They intensify after physical exertion, stressful situations, when weather conditions change and in the evening. The muscle fibers become dense and convex. Increased breathing and heart rate may occur.
Painful sensations do not leave a person even at rest. There is a constant feeling of fatigue and weakness.

Over time, muscle fibers become thinner and decrease in volume, and reflexes decrease.

Classification

The classification is based on various criteria, according to which the following are distinguished:

According to pathological changes in the muscular-ligamentous apparatus: fibromyalgia (primary/secondary), myositis (polymyositis), epidemic myalgia .
According to the nature of the course: acute, chronic.
According to the location of pain: localized, diffuse.
According to the level of the CPK enzyme (creatine phosphokinase) in the blood: with an increase in CPK activity and without a change in the level of CPK.

Prevention of myalgia

To prevent muscle pain, you must:

properly distribute physical activity;
lead a healthy and active lifestyle;
provide a healthy diet;
monitor body weight;
be optimistic.

The appearance of symptoms of myalgia is an urgent reason to consult a doctor for diagnosis and timely treatment. After all, muscle pain can be caused by serious autoimmune diseases and oncology.

Causes of myalgia

Myalgia can be a consequence of a number of reasons, the main of which are:

Injuries (domestic, sports, industrial) with damage to one or another muscle group, causing sharp muscle pain, for example, sharp pain in the calf muscle when jumping high.
Physical overload (overwork). They are typical for athletes, but often occur in everyday life after unusual heavy physical work, in which the load falls on muscles that are usually little used.
Long-term static loads (staying in one position).
Hypothermia, especially being in a draft.
Severe stress with emotional breakdowns.
Long-term use of certain medications ( penicillins , Diazepam , L-tryptophan , calcium gluconate , clofibrate , Nifedipine , clonidine , statins , etc.).
Infectious/parasitic diseases ( neuroinfections , influenza , trichinosis , cysticercosis , toxoplasmosis ).
Vascular diseases ( atherosclerosis ) are common causes of pain in the calf muscles, for example with intermittent claudication.
Metabolic disorders ( diabetes , amyloidosis , glycogenosis , etc.).
Rheumatic diseases, such as periarteritis nodosa , systemic lupus erythematosus , rheumatoid arthritis , scleroderma , polymyalgia rheumatica , which cause muscle pain throughout the body.
Intoxication (lead, alcohol, carbon monoxide).
Lack of potassium/calcium in the body.
Dermatomyositis / polymyositis .
Osteochondrosis.

Complications

Untimely treatment of myalgia poses a risk of developing:

osteochondrosis;
arthritis, arthrosis;
radiculitis;
joint contracture;
pathological mobility of the vertebrae in any area of the spinal column.

At the last stage of the disease, muscular dystrophy and serious nervous disorders develop. A person may become disabled.

Symptoms of myalgia

The main manifestation of myalgia (fibromyalgia), myositis, myofascial syndrome is pain of varying severity and localization. The pain can be constant at rest or intensify with palpation of the muscle or during movement (especially when walking). In addition to pain, symptoms of the disease may include muscle tension and joint stiffness, headache , and fever. Symptoms of myalgia can vary significantly depending on the type of myalgia.

Fibromyalgia . It is characterized by diffuse muscle pain in often symmetrical specific areas of the body, or the pain can be diffuse in nature when patients complain of pain throughout the body. In addition to muscle pain, patients experience the following symptoms: increased fatigue, depressive disorders , insomnia , anxiety , and weather dependence . The pain may intensify due to increased stress, under the influence of dampness/cold. The pain syndrome is most often localized in the occipital, cervical, lumbar and shoulder regions, and with diffuse pain syndrome in certain areas of the trunk or lower extremities (in the leg muscles above the knee or pain in the calf muscle).

Myofascial syndrome . It is characterized by a pronounced chronic muscle pain syndrome and the formation of specific painful compactions in the muscles, the so-called trigger points, which mean an area of hyperirritability localized in a compacted muscle cord or fascia, the irritation of which is manifested by local and referred pain in an area that is remote from such a point. That is, when pressing on the TT, acute local pain appears, accompanied by shuddering, as well as pain that radiates to a distant, strictly defined area (referred pain). Under favorable conditions, TT can regress on its own within 3-5 days, but under unfavorable conditions (muscle stress, hypothermia), the duration of the disease can last up to a year. In addition to pain, there may be a limitation in range of motion, impaired sensitivity, and, less commonly, autonomic dysfunction. Referred pain from certain active myofascial trigger points has its own distribution pattern.

Myositis/polymyositis . Myalgia of inflammatory origin in most cases is a complication of various diseases. Myositis usually affects a specific muscle group, and in the presence of many foci of inflammation we are talking about polymyositis. Often the process involves not only muscle tissue, but also the skin (dermatomyositis). The leading symptom of acute myositis is severe pain in a certain muscle group (lower leg, neck, lower back, chest), which intensifies during movement, when pressing on the area of the affected muscles, or when the weather changes. In chronic myositis, the nature of the pain is predominantly aching and there is constant muscle weakness. Swelling and redness of the skin at the site of inflammation is less common. Due to the protective reaction of the muscles, the work of the joints is limited with the frequent development of arthritis . Polymyositis is characterized by general muscle weakness, which often leads to muscle atrophy. The patient complains that it is difficult for him to raise his head, stand up, or take something in his hand.

Diagnostics

Soft tissue MRI

Cost: 6,000 rub.

More details

In order to make a correct diagnosis, our specialists conduct a number of diagnostic studies. Depending on what kind of pain the patient is experiencing, he will be referred for examination to an infectious disease specialist, traumatologist or rheumatologist. The examination is accompanied by the collection of anamnesis; In addition, the following studies are being carried out:

radiography;
MRI;
;
Ultrasound;
muscle biopsy.

List of sources

Shostak N. A., Pravdyuk N. G., Novikov I. V., . Trofimov E. S. Myalgia in therapeutic practice – approaches to differential diagnosis, treatment // Attending physician. No. 3 p. 21-24.
Ivanichev G.A. Pathogenetic aspects of the formation and manifestation of classical muscle pain syndromes. Manual therapy. 2009; 3 (35): 3–12.
Busheneva S.N., Kadykov A.S., Piradov M.A. Myofascial syndrome: from theory to practice. Russian medical journal. 2005; 22. p. 57-62.
Godzenko A.A., Badokin V.V. Local therapy of myofascial pain syndrome. RMJ. Rheumatology. 2007; 26: 1998–2003.
Osipova N. A., Abuzarova G. R., Petrova V. V. Principles of using analgesics for acute and chronic pain. Clinical recommendations. M.: FSBI “MNIOI im. P. A. Herzen” Ministry of Health and Social Development of Russia, 2010. 67 p.

Treatment

Our specialists have many years of experience in successfully treating intercostal myalgia, as well as its other varieties. First of all, our doctors focus their efforts on eliminating the pain syndrome and the root cause of its occurrence. This is achieved through systemic therapy, which includes taking painkillers and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Good results are obtained by combining systemic therapy with:

electromyostimulation procedures;
physiotherapeutic methods;
physical therapy;
massage;
manual therapy.

Sign up for a consultation with us at any time convenient for you, and we will not only cure you, but also tell you how to prevent the occurrence of such conditions in the future.

Make an appointment through the application or by calling +7 +7 We work every day:

Monday—Friday: 8.00—20.00
Saturday: 8.00–18.00
Sunday is a day off

The nearest metro and MCC stations to the clinic:

Highway of Enthusiasts or Perovo
Partisan
Enthusiast Highway

Driving directions

Treatment methods for myalgia

In our clinic, myalgia is treated using techniques that have stood the test of time for centuries. The wisdom of oriental healers and the achievements of modern medicine - this symbiosis allows you to comprehensively and effectively influence the existing problem, completely solving it. We offer the following treatment methods:

Acupuncture. Using special needles, the impact on specific areas of the body allows you to quickly relieve muscle spasms and quickly relieve pain.
Massage. Honey, acupressure or general massage allows you to quickly relax tense muscles and have a general relaxing effect on the entire body, due to which myalgia recedes. Pinched nerves are released, and metabolic processes improve.
Hirudotherapy. The essence of the procedure is to stimulate bioactive points of the body through the bite of a medicinal leech. This method allows you to achieve an incredible reflex effect, since leeches not only mechanically affect the body, but also biologically.
Stone therapy. The method is based on the healing power of heat; this heat not only relaxes overstrained muscles, but also has a positive effect on the blood circulation process, improving tissue nutrition and promoting their recovery.
PRP therapy is the newest way to stimulate recovery processes. It is used to restore the functions of various organs after diseases and injuries, including to restore the function of the musculoskeletal system in case of myalgia.

We combine proven techniques of the East and innovative methods of Western medicine.
Read more about our unique method of treating Myalgia

Treatment of myalgia at the Paramita clinic

The main advantage of our clinic is accurate diagnosis. The examination is carried out to identify muscle tension. Attention is paid to the patient's symptoms and history. Thanks to a careful examination, effective treatment for myalgia is prescribed. After the first sessions, patients note that the pain gradually recedes and how much their overall health improves.

An individual approach, gentle but effective methods of influencing the problem and professionalism - these are the conditions due to which a quick and long-term result is achieved: myalgia recedes, and health problems cease to remind of themselves for a very long time!

Diagnosis of myalgia

Many people do not attach importance to muscle pain, considering it a consequence of fatigue. But it should be understood that all processes in the human body are closely connected; damage to one of the systems can unpredictably affect the other. Therefore, it is better to use modern diagnostic methods:

collecting the patient's medical history;
Ultrasound of superficial muscles;
MRI for muscle groups located deep in the body;
taking samples for infections;
Needle electroneuromyography is performed to assess muscle activity.