^

Health

Causes of muscle pain

, medical expert
Last reviewed: 20.11.2021
Fact-checked
х

All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.

We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.

If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.

Pain in the muscles is a nonspecific pain syndrome, which in medicine is called myalgia (myos - muscle, algos - pain). Pain can arise independently, spontaneously, and under objective circumstances - palpation, physical overstrain.

The etiology and pathogenesis of myalgia is still a field of study, there is no single, universally accepted hypothesis to date.

Read also:

However, some types and localizations of muscle pains are well studied and can be explained pathogenetically by insufficient permeability of the cell membranes of muscle tissue, as well as inflammatory processes in it. Muscle pain can develop in people, regardless of age and sex, its clinical manifestations are associated with an etiological factor and a localization zone. There are three types of myalgia, which are defined as independent nosologies and are fixed in the classification: 

  1. Fibromyalgia is fibromyalgia. This is a chronic syndrome, when extraarticular muscle tissues are affected, the pain is diffuse spilled and localized at trigger points. Diagnosis of such muscle pain is extremely difficult due to the nonspecific symptomatology, fibromyalgia differentiates from other pain syndromes if the signs do not subside within 3 months, and segmental palpation determines at least 11 painful trigger zones of 18 typical ones established as diagnostic parameters 
  2. Myositis is myositis. This pain in the muscles is inflammatory, it can also occur as a result of trauma or intoxication of the body. Inflammation of the tissue of skeletal muscles is different in symptomatology, but there are specific differences - increased pain in motion, gradual limitation of joint activity and atrophy of muscle tissue 
  3. Dermatomyositis - DM or dermatomyositis, less often - polymyositis. The disease is associated with systemic pathologies of the muscular, connective tissue, belongs to the group of inflammatory myositis, is characterized by lymphocytic infiltration and is most often accompanied by focal rashes on the skin. Chronic course of dermatomyositis, polymyositis leads to total disruption of movements, damage to internal organs (heart, lungs)

Muscle pain can also be a symptom of epidemic myalgia - Bornholm disease, a disease of viral etiology (Coxsackie virus). There are also such forms of myalgia that are not accompanied by organic changes in muscle tissue and joint dysfunctions, are of a volatile, transient nature and do not have visible objective symptoms manifested clinically. These vague myofascial manifestations are still a little studied phenomenon, most often they are associated with psychogenic factors.

In the International Classification of Diseases, ICD-10, myalgia is fixed within the framework of class XIII (diseases of the muscular system and connective tissue) and the M70-M79 group.

ICD-10 code - M79.1 - Myalgia, Fibromyalgia, myofascial syndrome.

trusted-source[1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7]

Causes of muscle pain

The etiology of muscle pain has long been the subject of study by many specialists, reviews on this discussion issue have been published for two centuries, but the problem of a single aetiological base of myalgia is still unresolved. Moreover, in addition to unspecified etiopathogenesis, there is no consensus on terminology and classification, and, accordingly, diagnosis is difficult.

A typical example is fibromyalgia and MFBS - myofascial pain syndrome, which are often confused with each other due to the unclear etiologic cause of the disease. The symptomatology of muscle pain is polyvariant, it is extremely difficult to determine the nosological affiliation of the syndrome, as it is characteristic for a whole list of systemic, neurological, endocrine, infectious, rheumatic and other pathologies. It should be noted that, according to the latest scientific research, the relationships of muscle pain and somatic nervous and autonomic systems have been established, which form painful irritation.

If we take as a basis those versions used by practicing doctors, the causes of muscle pain are provoked by the following conditions, diseases and objective factors: 

  • Infectious diseases of the body.
  • Systemic, autoimmune diseases, especially in this series rheumatism.
  • Violation of different levels of metabolism.
  • Professional factors (static postures, mechanical rhythmic movements, sports training and so on).

A more specific list of causes of myalgia, proposed by the international association of rheumatologists, looks like this: 

  • Neurogenic myopathies, when muscle pain is a symptom of neuralgia and can be considered secondary.
  • Excessive stress of skeletal muscles - SOMB (syndrome of delayed muscle pain), krepature. The syndrome is associated with intense physical activity.
  • Sprain of ligaments, muscles, tendons.
  • Trauma (closed, open).
  • The effect of intoxication, including drug. Medications that cause muscle pain are drugs, drugs that lower blood pressure, statins that regulate cholesterol.
  • Vascular pathology.
  • Idiopathic inflammatory myopathy.
  • Congenital metabolic disorder.
  • Chronic infectious diseases.
  • Congenital anatomical deformities.

Infectious pathologies, infectious myositis, provoked by such pathologies: 

  • Malaria.
  • Flu.
  • Lyme disease.
  • Dengue fever.
  • Infectious abscess of muscles.
  • Hemorrhagic fever.
  • Polio.
  • Trichinosis.
  • Meningitis.
  • Endocrine pathologies.
  • Necrosis of skeletal muscles.
  • Violation of water-electrolyte metabolism.
  • Dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system.
  • Rheumatic pathologies - systemic lupus erythematosus, polyarteritis, Still's disease, Wegener's granulomatosis.
  • Parasitic muscle invasion.
  • CSU is a syndrome of chronic fatigue.
  • Fibromyalgia.
  • Postoperative muscle pains (cicatrical contractions).

In addition, the causes of muscle pain can be due to a number of psychogenic factors that are considered the most problematic in the diagnostic sense.

trusted-source[8], [9], [10], [11], [12], [13]

Pain in the muscles of pregnancy

During the entire pregnancy period, not only the muscles, but also other systems, the organs of the future mother undergo changes that are understandable from the point of view of the physiology of the gestation process. One of the causes of pain, in addition to the purely anatomical (due to stretching), is the effect of progesterone on the cellular membranes of skeletal muscles. The concentration of progesterone is reduced after the 20th week of pregnancy, then the muscle pain subsides a little, and the residual effects are related to the preparation of the body for labor.

Pain in the muscles during pregnancy primarily affects the abdominal area, abdominal muscles and pelvic muscles. The straight muscles, the muscles holding the abdominal press, change their task, now they must support the growing uterus. Skeletal muscles are also subject to changes, as not only the weight of a woman increases, but her posture also changes. The back bends forward, the muscles of the legs ache, especially in the calves. Almost all smooth muscles are involved in the transformation process, therefore, those who have preliminary training, training, those who used to go in for sports or fitness are much easier to bear during the period of gestation.

Doctors do not accidentally recommend that future moms perform daily exercises to strengthen the muscles, training is especially useful, helping to increase the elasticity of ligaments (stretch marks), it is also important to strengthen the pelvic muscles that are directly involved in childbirth and are often injured if not properly prepared. To prevent pain in the calf muscles, so characteristic for the period of pregnancy, you should regularly take special vitamin complexes containing calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamins E, D, A, K. Back pain prevents gymnastics that strengthen the muscles of this zone (muscle corset) . You should also train the muscles of the vagina, inguinal muscles, as the birth can provoke their traumatic extension leading to complications, up to situational enuresis (with coughing and laughing). Prevention of pain in the muscles of the breast will help to avoid stretch marks, minimize the risk of losing the shape of the mammary glands. Currently, there are many special courses that help pregnant women learn how to manage their muscle tone to avoid pain during pregnancy, and to prepare the whole body for painless childbirth.

The child has muscle pain

Most often in a child, the pain in the muscles is associated with the so-called "growth" disease, that is, the symptom is due to a completely normal, natural growing process. Some children do not feel any discomfort associated with growth, others react rather painfully. The etiology of myalgia in children is not fully understood, but the generally accepted version is the discrepancy between the rates of growing bone and muscle-ligament systems. The skeleton grows faster, the tendons and muscle tissue do not have time to adapt to the speed and intensity of growth.

Of course, this explanation is greatly simplified, in fact, in the child's body, everything is more complicated. There is an opinion that the muscle pain in a child is associated with hidden congenital or acquired chronic pathologies. The most common muscle pain symptom in children aged 3.5-10 years, adolescents also suffer from myalgia, but it has a more accurate etiological cause.

Pain in the muscles can be a symptom of the underlying disease, less often it is an independent condition.

List of factors, conditions that cause the child a reversible pain in the muscles: 

  • Convulsions, which may be the result of "growth sickness" or caused by sports trauma, bruise, rupture of ligaments.
  • Inflammatory process in the muscle tissue - myositis, provoked by viral pathologies (influenza, acute respiratory infections), bacterial infection, including parasitic. The pain is localized in the large muscles of the body - in the back, in the shoulders, in the neck, in the muscles of the hands.
  • Dehydration with active physical exertion, which is typical for children, are fond of sports games during the hot season. Loss of fluid with sweat leads to a deficiency of magnesium, potassium, and hyperventilation with a quick run will burn lead to convulsions of the calf muscles.

In addition, there are a number of serious pathologies, which are characterized by muscular pain in children: 

  • Myocardium Duchenne. This is a pathology diagnosed in boys in early childhood. The disease has a genetic cause - an anomaly of the X chromosome. The consequence is a gene mutation and a deficiency of dystrophin protein. Pseudohypertrophy develops slowly and gradually affects all the muscles of the skeleton, less often - the myocardium. The clinical picture is determined at the age of 3-4 years, when the baby hardly climbs the stairs, can not run. The prognosis of the disease is unfavorable.
  • Becker's pseudohypertrophy is a disease similar to Duchenne's myopathy, but weaker in clinical manifestations and more favorably with the course and prognosis.
  • Bornholm disease, go epidemic myalgia. The disease has a viral nature (Coxsackie virus), develops rapidly, accompanied by severe muscular pain in the chest, less often in the abdomen, back, arms or legs. The disease is diagnosed by specific symptoms - fever, myalgia, vomiting. The pain is paroxysmal, it subsides at rest and intensifies in motion. Epidemic myalgia quite often neighbors with enterovirus infections, herpes, serous meningitis.

Fibromyalgia, polymyositis (dermatomyositis) in children does not occur, isolated cases are so rare that they are considered a diagnostic phenomenon or a mistake.

Thus, unlike adults, a muscle pain in 85-90% of a child is caused by physiological or situational factors. Such a pain can be defined as a curative, reversible symptom. However, if the pain sensations prevent the child from moving normally, they are accompanied by hyperthermia, visible bodily defects (curvature, protrusion, hollow), parents should urgently consult a doctor to examine the child and begin adequate treatment.

Pain in leg muscles

From the elasticity of the muscle tissue, the ligament apparatus of the lower limbs, the normal motor activity of the human body depends. The muscular apparatus of the legs can be conditionally divided into the muscles of the limbs and the muscles of the pelvis. The hip joint moves due to the pear-shaped, ilio-lumbar, twin, locking, large, small and middle gluteus muscle, square, and also hamstrings muscles. The lower extremities move thanks to the muscles of the lower leg, thigh, and foot.

Muscle tissue constantly needs blood supply, including oxygen supply, especially in the legs, because they take the whole load of the evolutionary skill - the uprightness. The most "safe" causes that cause pain in the muscles of the legs are physical fatigue, intense sports loads or forced static stress (monotonous pose, monotonous movements). Such kinds of pains are easily removed with relaxing massages, warm baths, rubbing and just rest. However, there are more serious factors that cause pain in the muscles of the legs: 

  • Vascular pathologies - a violation of the outflow of blood, mainly venous, provokes a load on the vascular wall, irritation of the nerve endings, as a result of which pain develops. Arterial insufficiency (claudicatio intermittens) is most often localized in the calves of the legs and is expressed in transitory pains, subsiding at rest or during cooling, with a mild massage. Actually, that's how it develops varicose veins. The pain in the muscles is dull, aching, the person constantly complains of "heavy" legs. Similarly, the pain symptom in the legs can be provoked by atherosclerosis, thrombophlebitis. The pain with such pathologies increases in motion, it is more often localized in the gastrocnemius muscles. Thrombophlebitis is characterized by a pulsating, constant pain that changes into a burning sensation. 
  • Pain in the legs, including in the muscles, can be felt in various diseases of the spinal column. The nature of the symptom is paroxysmal, shooting, irradiating pains, the primary source of which is in the lumbosacral zone.
  • Articular pathologies, it would seem, have nothing to do with muscle tissue, but they are also a frequent cause of discomfort in the muscles of the legs. Pain, as a rule, painful, "twisting", pain in the knee zone may indicate damage to cartilage and periarticular muscles.
  • Myositis, which is an independent inflammatory process or a consequence of parasitic invasion. The muscles of the feet ache constantly, the aching sensations increase with walking, physical activity. Specific inflammatory nodules clearly palpate in the calf muscles.
  • Seizures, cramps, which can be caused by either elementary supercooling or venous congestion of a situational nature (long uncomfortable posture, posture - leg). However, most often the convulsive syndrome, leg pain is provoked by beriberi, micronutrient deficiency, or the main chronic disease.
  • Flat feet can also cause permanent, dull pain in the muscles of the legs, a sense of heaviness in the feet.
  • Overweight, obesity.
  • Fibromyalgia, which has certain painful points-triggers, important for differential diagnosis. Some of the trigger points are located in the region of the thigh and knee.

Muscular pain in the legs involved traumatologist, surgeon, phlebologist, angiosurgeon, rheumatologist.

Pain in the muscles of the thigh

Femoral muscles are a type of muscle tissue that, on the one hand, has an increased elasticity, a firm structure, on the other hand pain in the muscles of the thigh is a direct evidence of increased stress on this area of the body. The most common cause of pain in the femoral muscles is considered an elementary physical overload, the pain can be transient, aching and even partially restrict the movement of the legs. Irradiating pain in the groin, down the legs - this is a symptom of another pathological factor, for example, osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral region, infringement of nerve endings, radiculopathy.

Directly to myalgia are the following provoking factors: 

  • Violation of the water-electrolyte balance, which can be caused by dehydration or prolonged intake of diuretics. Developing calcium insufficiency (hypocalcemia), potassium (hypokalemia), elevated sodium level (hypernatremia), acidosis provoke characteristic spastic pains (convulsions), including in the femoral muscles. 
  • Myositis is an inflammatory process in the muscle tissue caused by infections - the virus, the bacterium, the parasites. To provoke inflammation of the muscles of the thigh can diabetes, tuberculosis, venereal diseases (syphilis). Also, myositis may be a consequence of hypothermia, dull or penetrating injury. Myocardium of the femur can proceed in acute, subacute or chronic form and be expressed in pain symptom, puffiness of the muscle, rarely - hyperemia of the skin in the affected area.
  • Fibromyalgia rarely appears as a pain in the muscles of the thigh, but among the diagnostic trigger points there are zones located on the thigh. 
  • Strength or pain caused by training. If a person intensively performs certain types of exercises aimed at increasing or "drying" the muscles of the thigh, he may have post-training pains. This is due to inadequate preparation for training, poor heating of the muscles or excessive stress on them.

In addition to physiological, situational reasons, factors that provoke pain in the femoral muscles, there may be such pathologies: 

  • Coxarthrosis of the hip joints, when degeneration, articular cartilage is subjected to deterioration, the depreciation functions of the joint decrease, the nerve endings are impaired, pain develops, including in the muscles. The pain increases with movement, with walking, any sharp turn, tilt causes discomfort, often coxarthrosis leads to intermittent claudication.
  • Osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral department. This degenerative, systemic disease often manifests itself irradiating in the anterior part of the thigh, in the buttocks with pains.
  • Rheumatism. It would seem that rheumatic lesions do not concern the muscle tissue of the thigh at all, however, anatomically, many zones distant from each other are interconnected due to the ligamentous apparatus and the nervous system. In addition to the characteristic articular pain, rheumatism can clinically manifest itself in pain sensations in the hip and muscles.

Pain in gastrocnemius muscle

The muscle of the posterior lower leg region (calf) consists of the gastrocnemius, biceps and soleus muscles. The calf is located closer to the surface, the sole is much deeper, but they both perform common tasks - they provide the ability to move the ankle joint, help to control the balance, and provide cushioning in motion.

Blood supply to the gastrocnemius muscle is provided by a system of arteries starting in the popliteal region, and the muscle also contains a variety of nerve endings that extend from the tibial nerve. Such a rich diet of muscle tissue on one hand helps to perform its functions, on the other - it makes the back surface of the foot vulnerable to factors that cause pain in the gastrocnemius muscle.

The causes of the pain symptom in the musculus gastrocnemius - gastrocnemius muscle: 

  • Chronic venous insufficiency, stagnation of blood flow in the sinuses of leg muscular tissue. Causes may be due to impairment of the pump function of the crural veins (phlebopathy), as well as valvular insufficiency of the deep veins (thrombosis, varicose veins). Strong pain in the calf muscle provokes and ischemia of the walls of the vessels due to excessive blood flow with thin venous walls. The pain wears a blunt, burgeoning calf character, subsides at rest, change of position, at a raising of feet upwards. Chronic venous insufficiency is accompanied by swelling of the lower leg, foot, which increases pain in the calves of the legs and even provokes convulsions.
  • Acute venous insufficiency caused by deep vein thrombosis. The thrombosis, localized in the lower leg, is accompanied by violent pains in the calves of the legs, the pain subsides with the vertical position of the legs (outflow of blood). The pain arises exactly in the place where the thrombus is located, from how much thrombosis is common, how many veins it affects, the severity and intensity of the pain symptom depends.
  • Chronic arterial insufficiency or inflammatory occlusion (blockage) of the arteries of atherosclerotic etiology. Muscles of the calves lack the blood supply, and therefore oxygen. As a consequence, lactate - lactic acid accumulates in the muscle tissue, a burning sensation develops, severe pain and convulsions. Also, arterial insufficiency often leads to intermittent claudication, numbness, peeling, keratosis and necrosis of the skin of the feet.
  • Acute arterial insufficiency is a direct occlusion with a thrombus or embolus of the artery, which provokes limb ischemia. The pain does not subside even at rest, it can intensify for no apparent reason. As a result - loss of leg sensitivity, paralysis of the gastrocnemius muscle, contracture.
  • Osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral spine, sciatica, lumbago, infringement of the nerve - this is one of the most typical causes that cause pain in the gastrocnemius muscle. The pain is of an irradiating nature due to the compression of nerve endings. As a consequence - a potential threat of muscle dystrophy with the formation of fibrous outgrowths. Pain can be treated with massage, heat, rubbing.
  • Neuritis nervus tibialis - inflammation of the nerve of the sacral plexus (tibial nerve). Pain paroxysmal, spreading along the course of the nervous path.
  • Peripheral diabetic polyneuropathy, less often neuropathy is caused by intoxication (poisons, ethyl alcohol). The pain develops at night, at rest, is localized in the calves of the legs, in the hands, accompanied by shestanopatiey, numbness, muscle weakness. When the vegetative nerve endings are damaged, the pain in the calves of the legs can become worse, tissue necrosis, trophic ulcers develop.
  • Osteoarthrosis of the knee joint, which is accompanied by a characteristic pain in the calf muscles. The pain intensifies in motion, walking, in a static long position, while climbing up the stairs. Inflammation develops quickly and leads to joint stiffness and the entire leg. The calf muscle is very tense, with palpation dense, firm.
  • Poliomyositis, dermatomyositis is an inflammatory autoimmune process, the result of which is painful, persistent pain in the calves of the legs. Legs can swell, and with palpation of swollen limbs pain increases, then muscle tissue thickens, transformed into fibrous tissue. 
  • Osteomyelitis, accompanied by very severe pain, both in bone tissue and in muscles, including calves.
  • Fibromyalgia is a systemic disease of unclear etiology, for which diagnostic criteria are defined - 18 trigger points, including the gastrocnemius. In the area of pain concentration, you can feel a tight knot, the muscles of the legs often become weak, the person describes the sensations as "wooden legs."
  • Seizures, cramps, which are typical for calf muscles. Spasm can develop suddenly, without objective reasons, but also a spasm can be a consequence of a certain pathology or provoking factor (hypothermia, physical overload). Crampies differ from metabolic convulsions that develop due to micronutrient deficiencies or water-salt balance disorders. Factors that provoke convulsive, spontaneous pain in the gastrocnemius muscle, krampi, may be myodystrophy, hypothyroidism, uremia, drug intoxication.
  • Pain in the calves of the legs can be a complication after infectious inflammatory pathologies, that is, caused by myositis. It should be noted that myositis is also an independent disease, when inflammation of the muscle tissue develops due to parasitic infestation, trauma or overload of the gastrocnemius muscle.

Muscle pain after exercise

Post-training pains are typical for beginners, experienced athletes, bodybuilders do not allow their body to experience additional discomfort. Although in any sport there is an unspoken rule "no pain-no gain", which means there is no growth without pain, in this case muscle mass, musculature. However, almost all specialists paraphrase this expression in this way - "there is no head on shoulders, there will be pain without growth" and this corresponds to reality.

Some enslavement, krepature and, accordingly, muscle pain after training is permissible even for those who have been involved in sports for a long time, especially after intensive workloads. Pain is a consequence of microtraumas of muscle tissue, fascia and, as a rule, subsides after 2-3 days. This is considered an acceptable symptom, which is not pathological.

The reasons that cause "normal" pain in the muscles after training, are not completely clarified, but the following versions exist: 

  • Microdamage of muscle fibers, which is accompanied by an elevated level of cellular elements in the blood. Microtraumas are regenerated within 1-3 days.
  • Accumulation in muscle tissue of lactic acid. This hypothesis was previously extremely popular, but recent studies have shown that metabolic disorders in the form of lactate acidosis persists in the muscles for no more than half an hour, hence simply can not provoke delayed pain after a day or more. Milk acidosis can provoke a burning sensation, but not OMB - delayed muscle pain.
  • The theory of the inflammatory process in the muscle tissue, which develops as a result of microdamage of fibers. According to this version, microtraumas provoke accumulation of exudate, irritation of nerve endings and pain. 
  • Theory of ischemia of muscle fibers. Indeed, intensive training can disrupt the blood supply to the muscles, but it is unlikely that they are capable of provoking tissue ischemia.
  • The real reason, which contributes to pain symptoms after training, is a real trauma - stretching, rupture of tendons, ligaments. If the pain in the muscles persists for more than three days, there are bruises, swelling, swelling, painful lumbago, hyperemia of the skin, it is necessary not only to stop torturing the body with loads, but also urgently seek medical help.

What it is necessary to know and do, so that the pain after the training was within the norm? 

  • It is compulsory to conduct a warm-up warm-up.
  • Make up the load program with the help of a specialist according to anthropometric data and health.
  • Work in a mode of gradual increase in the load, from a minimum to an ideal maximum.
  • Be sure to take breaks and drink fluids.
  • It is good to eat.
  • Apply relaxing massage techniques.

Pain in muscles when walking

Muscle pain, worsening with walking, can be a signal of many chronic or acute diseases, among which the most common are:

  • Pain in the muscles when walking is a direct indication of developing obliterating atherosclerosis. This disease is characterized not only by the pain symptom during movement, but also by fatigue, constant muscle weakness, if it is not treated, then there are signs of vasogenic intermittent claudication. Most often obliterating atherosclerosis affects men, in women this condition is diagnosed less often. Those who keep bad habits - smoking, alcohol abuse, get atherosclerosis 2 times more often. Insufficient blood supply to the legs, stenosis and occlusion (occlusion) of the arteries, veins leads to a complete obstruction of blood flow. The disease progresses rapidly, the pain is localized in the buttock with aortic injury of the iliac region, in the thigh with obstruction of the femoral artery, in the foot with lesion of the popliteal artery, in the gastrocnemius muscles with diffuse occlusion of the deep veins and main arteries. Also, the symptoms of obliterating atherosclerosis can be paresthesia, numbness, pain at rest.
  • Osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral spine, accompanied by radiculopathy. Inflammation of the nerve roots, provoked by compression compression, causes severe pain in the muscles when walking.
  • Inflammation of the sciatic nerve, sciatica. Inflammatory process in the largest nerve of the body can be caused by diabetes, arthritis, trauma, degenerative change of the intervertebral disc, excessive strain on the spine. The pain increases not only when walking, but with reflex movements - coughing, sneezing, laughing.
  • Lesion of the femoral nerve, lumbago. Pain, as a rule, acute, firing, localized on the front of the thigh, less often in the groin or inside the shin. The pain grows in motion, when walking, while sitting.
  • Gonarthrosis of the knee joint, more often a secondary disease. Pain when walking increases with an upward lift, and the pain symptom increases with bending knees (squats, kneeling).
  • Anomalies in the development or trauma of the forefoot - osteoarthrosis of the metatarsophalangeal joint of the thumb. Pain when walking is felt in the bone tissue, as well as in the muscles, the symptom can subside in rest or horizontal position of the foot.
  • Polineuropathy, when the pain is felt as burning, pulling, is localized in the feet. Pain can be accompanied by cramps, especially after walking.

Pain in muscles and joints

Pain in muscles and joints is musculoskeletal pain or dorsalgia (back pain), thoracic pain (pain in the chest), cervicalgia (neck pain), and other "algias". It should be noted that the terminology that determines the pain in the muscles and joints periodically varies in proportion to the appearance of new results of scientific research.

In ICD-10, diseases of the musculoskeletal system belong to the XIII class, in addition there is also a section describing nonspecific musculoskeletal pain as

An unpleasant, emotionally sensory sensation. According to the classifier, this sensation is caused by real or potentially developing trauma, damage to the muscle or bone tissue.

The nature and types of pain symptoms related to muscles and joints:

  • Nooceptive (autonomic pain that can not be controlled by consciousness).
  • Neuropathic pain.
  • Psychogenic pain.

It is obvious that the nooceptive pain is the most real in the diagnostic terms, which is explained by the stimulation of nociceptors located in the tissues (visceral and somatic). The most "ephemeral" psychogenic pain in muscles and joints, as it has no real physical basis.

What triggers nonspecific musculoskeletal pain?

  • Microdevelopment, damage to muscles, fascia, tendons, ligaments, joints, bone and periosteum, as well as the intervertebral disc. Damage associated with ordinary activities, sports and so on are not due to violations of the functions of organs and systems.
  • Spastic muscle tension, spasm as a pathophysiological method of protection from destruction.
  • Reversible dysfunctions - dislocations, sprains, ruptures as a result of industrial or household activities.
  • Dystrophic processes associated with age

In the diagnostic sense, non-specific pain in the muscles and joints is a difficult task, because it is necessary to differentiate the somatically localized symptom, reflected (visceral), projection (neuropathic) and other types of clinical manifestations. In addition, pain in the muscles and joints is often diagnosed as a myofascial syndrome - MBS, which is a kind of somatogenic pain symptoms, the source of which is not so much the joints as the skeletal muscle tissue and the fascia adjacent to it.

Pain in the muscles of the back

The generalized name of pain in the back is dorsalgia, but pain in the back muscles is not always associated with diseases of the musculoskeletal system, often it is caused by MBS - myofascial pain syndrome, that is, reflex impulses from damaged, degenerative or inflamed discs, joints or ligaments. Muscles of the back like "dress" in the corset the affected area of the body, immobilizing and preserving it. The causes that can cause spinal pain are manifold, but the most common are the following:

  • Osteochondrosis, most often in the lumbosacral region, but with myofascial syndrome, pain in the back muscles can be a reflection of degenerative morphological changes in any zone of the spinal column.
  • Deformation of the thoracic spine - kyphosis or, more simply, a pathological stoop. Kyphosis, in turn, can be triggered by a prolonged atypophysiological pose of a person or rickets, as well as Sheyerman-Mau disease, heredity.
  • Constant static tension, immobilization of the back muscles are the professional costs of many office professions.
  • Flat feet.
  • Lordosis.
  • Combination of severe hypothermia and physical overload on the muscles of the back.
  • Scoliosis.
  • Weak muscular corset, atony of the muscles of the back. Any physical load, even minimal, can cause pain in the muscles of the back.
  • Gynecological diseases of the pelvic organs often irradiate into the lower back or the sacrum.
  • Structural anatomical abnormality of the skeleton - a significant difference in the length of the legs, deformed pelvic bones. These structural disorders can be both congenital and acquired.
  • Internal diseases of organs that form a static forced posture. As a result, a constant compensatory tension develops, a spasm of muscle tissue.

Back pain at the level of muscle tissue can be localized both in the shoulder-scapular region, neck, and in the lumbar region, which occurs most often. In fact, the pain symptom spreads throughout the entire vertebral column and can radiate, so it is very important to determine the beginning of the impulse transmission in order to eliminate the pain-provoking factor. When diagnosing muscle pain in the back, doctors exclude compression root syndrome, vertebrogenic and spinal pathology. For MBS - myofascial pain syndrome the following clinical signs are characteristic:

  • A direct correlation of the pain symptom with physical, less often mental stress.
  • Pain can be associated with severe hypothermia.
  • Pain is caused by postural tonic, postural stress in primary diseases accompanied by dizziness.
  • In the muscles, the doctor can palpate painful knots, strands.
  • There is no muscle atrophy or malnutrition.
  • The pain is reflected from the tight area in the muscles in the remote zones.
  • The reflected pain symptom is amplified by pressure at trigger points. The reproducibility of a symptom is considered one of the main clinical signs of MBS.
  • The pain can subside with a specific admission, the effect of the doctor on the tonic (strained) muscle.

Pain in the lumbar muscles

Pain in the muscle tissue of the lumbar spine is most often associated with overexertion, overload. And the load can be both physical, dynamic, and static (sedentary work, monotonous static posture).

In addition, pain in the muscles of the back often occurs due to scoliosis, osteochondrosis or displacement of intervertebral discs, hernia. Less painful symptom is provoked by avitaminosis (B vitamins) and pathologies of internal organs located in the pelvic zone, such pain is either spastic, or it is aching, pulling and can not be treated with mielorelaxants, distracting (cooling, reheating) procedures.

In medical classification, pain in the muscles of the lower back is divided into primary and secondary syndrome:

  1. Primary pain in the lumbar region or morphofunctional pain. This is the most common type of pain symptom caused by degenerative-dystrophic pathologies of the spinal column:
    • Osteoarthritis (spondylarthrosis), when the facet intervertebral joints, synovial joints are affected.
    • Osteochondrosis (dorsalgia) - degeneration of bone, cartilage tissues, as a consequence - spondylosis.
    • Instability of the spinal column is a typical condition of elderly people. Pain in the muscles increases with the slightest physical exertion. In addition, instability can be caused by obesity, obesity or, on the contrary, its insufficiency (anorexia).
  2. Secondary pain symptom:
    • Metabolic disorders leading to osteomalacia, osteoporosis.
    • Scoliosis, other diseases associated with curvature of the spine or growth.
    • Bechterew's disease.
    • Reiter's syndrome.
    • Rheumatoid arthritis.
    • Fracture of the vertebra.
    • Oncoprocess.
    • Stroke, weighed down by a serious change in blood circulation in the spinal cord.
    • Infectious pathologies - epidural abscess, tuberculosis, brucellosis.
    • Reflected pains as one of the symptoms of pelvic organs, nephropathology (renal colic), venereal diseases.

It should be noted that a very common cause of pain in the lumbar muscles is lumbago. This disease is still considered the subject of heated discussions and does not have a clear classification in terms of symptoms and diagnostic methods.

Modern doctors use the version describing lumbago as a vast defeat of the muscular and nervous tissue, as well as the joints of the lumbosacral spine. In people, lumbago is called a lumbago, as this is the most accurate characteristic of pain, however, lumbulgia can also appear in the form of subacute flow. Pain in the lumbar muscles develops suddenly as a result of a sharp turn, tilt, or static tension. Some patients claim that the lumbago "overtook" them as a result of a draft, hypothermia. The pain symptom is diffused throughout the waist, symmetrical, rarely irradiates upward into the hips or downwards to the buttocks. In the horizontal position, the pain may subside, but recur after coughing or sneezing. Muscles of the waist are very tense, but with timely adequate treatment quickly relax. Typically, the treatment lasts no more than 2 weeks, more often the main symptomatology is neutralized after 3-5 days.

How to distinguish between muscular lumbar pain and other types of pain symptoms?

The main distinctive feature that distinguishes signals of spasms of long muscles of the waist is a clear, constant localization. The pain in the muscles is not able to move, irradiate in the leg or in the groin, but it provokes a restriction of mobility.

Pain in abdominal muscles

Pain symptom in the abdomen is called abdominalgia, but not always it has to do with muscle tissue, as it is caused by diseases of the internal organs of the digestive system, small pelvis.

Often it is not only patients, but also diagnostic specialists, that are difficult to quickly determine the nature of the painful abdominal symptom, so skillfully it is "masked", so it is very important to differentiate visceral and pseudovisceral pains having different underlying causes.

Abdominal muscle tissue is the four main muscles:

  1. Obliquus abdominis externus is an external oblique muscle.
  2. Obliquus abdominis internus is an internal oblique muscle.
  3. Transverses abdominis is the rectus muscle.
  4. Rectus abdominis is a pyramidal muscle.

In all these muscles, pseudovisceral pain can develop with a focus of neurodystrophic pathology in three forms:

  1. Thoracic abdominalgia.
  2. Lumbosacral abdominalgia.
  3. Lumbar abdominalgia.

If the anterior part of the abdomen hurts, then we can talk about the syndrome of the anterior abdominal wall, when the pain is closely related to the movements and is not caused by a food factor or a violation of the digestion process. The cause of such pain can be trauma, overstretch of muscles due to training, scar tissue after operations, as well as pain in abdominal muscles can be reflected, that is, a response to the pathology of internal organs localized in this area. In addition, a very similar in clinical manifestations of pain can cause lower-lobe pneumonia, coronary insufficiency, rupture of the intervertebral disc at the top of the loins and even acidosis associated with diabetes. For differentiation, muscle and nerve anesthesia is used, if the pain symptom subsides, this indicates a myofascial syndrome, if pain remains, somatic pathology, organ damage should be determined.

Syndrome of oblique abdominal muscles, less often - straight. This complex abnormal tone of the abdominal muscles is visually defined as a "frog stomach" or "egg-shaped abdomen", depending on which muscles are in the hypotone. If hypotension concerns both the straight and oblique muscles, then the stomach of the person will be balanced symmetrically, if hypotension is affected only by Transverses abdominis - a straight muscle with shortening, shortening of the oblique, then the walls of the abdominal zone bulge forward in the form of a kind of "egg". Egg-like abdomen is accompanied by pain in the groin, in the lower thoracic region. The syndrome practically does not give in to medicamental treatment until the tone of the rectus muscle normalizes, the oblique muscles come back to normal afterwards, automatically. The syndrome provokes an exacerbation of lordosis, the pelvis is displaced forward, the kyphosis of the lower part of the sternum develops. An abnormal tone of a straight or oblique muscle can be caused both by the physiological factor - pregnancy, and by other processes - obesity by the postoperative condition (seams, scars). In addition, abdominal pain in muscles of this kind provokes the curvature of the pelvis, the divergence of the lobar structures (pubic symphysis). The syndrome requires complex treatment, since neglected forms are neglected, a prolonged period of overstrain of the abdominal muscles can pathologically affect the peroneal muscles, hence, the hip joints. Thus, the main danger of the syndrome of oblique or straight muscles is coxarthrosis.

In addition, abdominalgia can develop as reflected pain, as a secondary symptom in diseases of the spine:

  1. Syndrome of a square muscle (lumbar muscles). Pain in the abdomen is the irradiation of the pain signal from constant aching pain in the upper lumbar region.
  2. Syndrome of a partitioned muscle. This is a reflex pain that occurs as a result of irritation of the lumbar intervertebral discs. A chronic one-sided muscular hypertonia of the divided muscle develops, pains in the iliac region, radiating to the right or to the left in the abdomen, groin, and thigh.

Gastrointestinal, somatovisceral, cardiac clinical manifestations in the abdominal area are also often classified as abdominal pain, but these pains are only one of many effects of the underlying signs of the disease, therefore, are not to be described as myalgia.

Pain in the muscles of the hands

Pain in the hand, in the upper limbs, has its medical terminological definition - brachialgia. Myalgia is a more specific indication of this type of symptomatology, like pain in the muscles of the hands, most often it is associated with overstrain, physical exertion. The pathogenetically painful symptom is caused by the vulnerability of the cell membranes, edema of the muscle fibers, as well as their inflammation. Since the hand consists of the muscular tissue of the shoulder, forearm, and hand, all these zones can get sick or they suffer alternately. The main causes that cause pain in the muscles of the hands are as follows:

  • Physical overstrain, including after training (contracture).
  • Metabolic disorders, diabetes mellitus (glycogenosis), amyloidosis.
  • Hand injury.
  • Myositis, polymyositis.
  • Viral and parasitic infections - influenza, brucellosis, toxoplasma, cysticercosis.
  • Intokiskatsii, medicinal, alcoholic, chemical.
  • Epidemic myalgia (Coxsackie virus).
  • Rheumatism, especially in the elderly, when the polymyalgia develops, starting with the neck muscles, descends through the muscles of the shoulder in the arm.
  • Pathology of the peripheral nervous system (neuralgia).
  • Osteomyelitis.
  • Sprain or rupture of the tendon of the biceps (biceps).
  • Convulsive syndrome.
  • Fibrositis, fibromyalgia.

Also, the muscles of the hand can hurt with pathological syndromes:

  • Syndrome of musculus scalenus - anterior staircase (Scalenus syndrome). The pain intensifies at night, and also when the arm moves backwards, to the side, when the head is tilted and even when inhaled. Muscle tone is reduced, cyanosis develops in the skin, swelling, paresthesia in the hand, sweating of the hands. A specific symptom is a pain symptom in the little finger and an unnamed finger of the hand. The causes of the scalenus syndrome are most often associated with professional activity, when a person constantly carries heavy loads on the shoulders, performs movements related to jerking of the head, neck (athletes). The syndrome is also provoked by trauma, pleurisy, tuberculosis, tumor processes and may have a genetic predisposition. Pathogenetic syndrome develops as a result of the reflex hypertonia of the anterior staircase muscle due to the displacement and irritation of the nerve roots in the cervical region.
  • Paget-Shreter syndrome (deep vein thrombosis of the shoulder girdle), thrombosis of "effort". Thrombosis develops in the subclavian or axillary vein due to excessive physical exertion (sport, professional activity). Most often, the pain in the arm muscles caused by thrombosis "effort" is diagnosed in young men engaged in active or power sports. Clinical manifestations are specific: the hand (brush) swells, turns red, the veins increase significantly, the skin of the forearm becomes pale, cyanosis develops. As a rule, the leading "working" hand suffers. The syndrome is dangerous to the potential risk of pulmonary embolism. 
  • Hyperabduction syndrome (small pectoralis muscle) is not directly related to the muscles of the arm, but with a strong retraction of the limb (shoulder) back into the forearm, the person feels pain, then tingling and numbness. This is due to the squeezing of the nerve bundle from the tendon of the small pectoral muscle.

Pain in the muscles of the shoulder

The shoulder belt is connected with the neck, upper limbs and all this is a rather complicated system where all the elements must work in a coordinated and coordinated manner. Any pathological shift in the structural component, for example, such as pain in the shoulder muscles, can disrupt the motor activity of a person. Among all complaints of muscle pain, the pain in the shoulder muscles is considered the most common, it is these symptoms that are not only presented by patients, but also diagnosed by physicians in 30-35% of cases of regional myalgia.

Pain in the upper limbs is commonly called brachialgia, but the pain symptom involving muscle tissue is primarily a direct indication of the myofascial syndrome, and after that, a possible sign of neurological or somatic diseases, in which the painful sensations are reflected.

Pain in the shoulder muscles, provoked by the myofascial factor, has its own diagnostic points of localization of signs, these are the so-called trigger points in specific muscles of the shoulder girdle:

  • In the supraspinatus muscle.
  • In the staircase muscles.
  • In the coracoid-brachial muscle.
  • In the subaccess.
  • In the biceps (biceps).
  • In the triceps.
  • In the shoulder

The cause of pain in the shoulder girdle may be such factors:

  • Static overvoltage (uniform posture).
  • Subcooling, in combination with a viral infection, is a factor that is especially common.
  • Immobilization of the shoulder girdle.
  • Neck muscle compression.
  • Stretching of the neck muscles.
  • Injuries.
  • Psychogenic factor.

How to determine which muscle is damaged?

  1. If the hypertonus touches the small round brachial muscle or the subacute muscle, the pain is localized in the upper forearm. The character of pain is pulling, less often shooting, but for all its non-expressiveness, the pain symptom can prevent a person from performing simple household activities, for example, combing hair.
  2. The subscapular muscle in the hypertonus or vice versa is atonic, manifested as a shoulder pain. A person can not take his hand back, get anything out of his back pocket, fix his clothes on his back

In addition, no matter what shoulder muscle is not subjected to myotonic damage, a person finds it difficult to raise a hand to the opposite shoulder, put her shoulder, so intensely the tension of the muscle tissue. The main diagnostic criterion for myofascial shoulder pain is the precise indication of the patient's pain point. The symptom is more often aching, diffuse, but in movement it is as if "going" to one point, which is a trigger point.

Pain in the muscles of the forearm

The pain symptom in the muscles of the forearm can be caused by neurodystrophic, infectious diseases, inflammation in the ligaments and tendons, as well as factors related only to muscle tissue.

The causes of pain in the muscles of the forearm:

  • Traumatic muscle damage, bruises. In addition to pain, injuries can be accompanied by hematomas, limb dysfunctions (hands). Serious injuries damage muscle tissue, develop subfacial hematomas, swelling (subfascial hypertension syndrome), pain in the muscles of the forearm.
  • Overexertion after physical exertion, training. Muscle overload is characterized by the definition of localized pain symptoms, TT - trigger points, which are clearly palpable in the forearm zone even at rest.
  • The inflammatory process in the muscle tissue of the forearm is myositis, which is caused by infection, parasitic invasion, hypothermia, or a professional factor (a syndrome of systematic static tension, for example, in dancers, waiters, and so on).
  • Scalenus syndrome, which is also called the syndrome of the anterior staircase. This condition is expressed by pain, provoked by compression of nerve endings. The pain symptom begins with the shoulder and extends to the forearm, hand (fingers).

Syndrome of the round pronator, triggered by mechanical trauma, neuropathies, vascular pathology, infectious disease. The syndrome develops against a backdrop of infringement, compression of a nerve between heads of the shortest and dense muscles - pronators. The condition most often arises from the prolonged overstrain of the pronator muscles and the extensor muscle of the fingers. This is typical for violinists, pianists, guitarists, as well as some sports and even medical specializations (dentistry). In addition, the syndrome of the pronator is often called honeymoon paralysis, which has a rather romantic explanation: during the first mating period, the head of one of the lovers for a long time is on the forearm of the second, which provokes a muscle spasm, a "paralysis" of the radial nerve of the forearm.

Pain in the muscles of the neck

Pain in the neck is called cervicalgia, which, among all the pain symptoms associated with the back, takes about 28-30% of cases. Pain symptom in the neck area is divided according to the etiological sign - vertebrogenic and muscular-tonic, unverebrogenic.

Pain in the muscles of the neck refers to the myotonic form and can be provoked by such causes:

  • Combination of acute respiratory infections and hypothermia.
  • Uncomfortable, unphysiological position of the head for a long period (in a dream).
  • Excessive stress during exercise (training).
  • Static posture associated with the profession.
  • Injuries, bruises.

Cervicalgia can be combined with pain in the head - cervicocranium, or with pain in the shoulders, arms (arm) - cervicobrahialgia. Unlike vertebrogenic pains, acute myotonic manifestations rarely last more than 10 days, they quickly pass into chronic pain and gradually subside within a month, even without treatment (compensatory, adaptive mechanism of muscle tissue).

Pain in the neck muscles is a typical, "classic" symptom of an office worker, which, if desired, can be identified in 80% of all employees forced to work sitting at the table.

Symptoms of neck pain:

  • Shoots.
  • Throbbing pain.
  • Pain that strengthens with coughing, sneezing.
  • Pain when turning or tilting the head.
  • Severe pain in the occiput.
  • Headache (HDN is a tension headache).
  • Signs of dizziness.
  • Disturbance of blood supply, compression disorders of the vertebral artery.
  • Numbness of fingertips.
  • Noises in the ears, not associated with catarrhal or other ENT diseases.

Myotonic symptoms are directly caused by hypertension, the following types of syndromes:

  • The syndrome of the anterior staircase muscle, when the nerve bundle undergoes pressure from the muscles and the additional cervical rib
  • The syndrome of a small pile of muscle, compression code undergoes nerve endings between the small muscle of the breast and the coracoid scapula of the scapula. Pain in the neck muscles is secondary, but nevertheless, even in the reflected form, it can provoke discomfort
  • Plechelopathic syndrome as a kind of MBS - myofascial pain syndrome, provoked by osteochondrosis. "Frozen" shoulder is also capable of provoking pain in the neck, limiting not only the joint movements, but also the movements of the head.
  • Syndrome of hypertension of the trapezius muscle, provoked by physical overloads, constant weight wearing behind the back (backpacks)

In addition, the causes of muscle pain in the neck may be spondylitis,

Onkoprotsessy, psychogenic factors - psychoemotional stress.

Pain in the chest muscles

Pain in the muscles of the chest can be caused by the pathology of internal organs (heart, lungs, stomach, duodenum and others), and diseases of the spinal column and peripheral nervous system, as well as myofascial syndrome. The main characteristics of non-visceral pain in the muscles of the breast, associated with the MFBS, ribs, spine:

  • Certain localization of the pain symptom.
  • A clear connection of the appearance of pain with the tension of a certain group of muscles of the chest (posture, body position).
  • Pain is rarely acute, intense.
  • Pain is rarely accompanied by additional symptoms.
  • Clear definition of the zone of pain with the help of palpation (trigger zones).
  • Neutralization of pain with the help of local therapy - rubbing, mustard, physiotherapy, massage.

Pain in the muscles of the breast of the myofascial nature is always due to spasm, hypertension of injured or inflamed muscle tissue, as well as a palpable violation of blood microcirculation. As a rule, MFBS (myofascial pain syndrome) develops in the muscles of the extensor of the back or in the muscles of the shoulder blade and shoulder and is expressed by local or segmental discomfort. The diagnostic parameters of muscular pain in the chest are TT - trigger points, if they are palpated, then they respond with severe pain, including reflected, along the direction of the muscle fibers. Pain in trigger points can be spontaneous or active, latent pain develops with constant exposure to the trigger zone.

Causes of painful myofascial syndrome in the chest:

  • Stretching of the muscle as a result of physical overload, antiphysiological position of the body.
  • Subcooling.
  • Congenital anatomical abnormalities, most often - asymmetry of the length of the lower limbs, anomalies of the pelvis, feet.
  • Metabolic disease.
  • Violation of the rules of reasonable nutrition (obesity or anorexia).
  • Psychoemotional factor - stress, depressive state, phobias and so on.

Localization of chest pain with MFBS:

  • The front zone of the breast is a lesion of the small and large pectoral muscles, stair muscles, subclavian, mastoid, sternum muscles.
  • The upper zone of the posterior surface of the chest is a trapezoidal and scapula-elevating muscle.
  • The middle zone of the posterior surface of the thorax is rhomboid, the broadest muscle, as well as the posterior and anterior jagged muscles, the trapezius muscle.
  • The lower zone of the posterior surface of the breast is the iliac-rib muscle, the posterior inferior cog muscle

The painful muscle symptom in the chest can be triggered by the following syndromes:

  • The syndrome of the pectoralis major muscle. The pain is localized on the front surface of the sternum, shoulders and forearms. If the lateral muscle region is affected, a pain symptom is located in the area of the mammary gland. The defeat of the parasternal left muscle zone is often similar to the symptomatology of coronary heart disease.
  • The syndrome of a small pectoral muscle. Pain is also similar to the clinical manifestations of IHD, is reflected in the subclavian zone, in the arm, often localized on the front surface of the chest.
  • Syndrome of the sternum muscle. Pain is characterized as "retrograde", not prone to intensification in motion, symptomatically similar to manifestations of IHD.
  • Syndrome of anterior cog muscle. The pain sensation is located on the front of the sternum nearer to the side and lower corner of the scapula, can be reflected in the mammary gland and strengthen with a deep inspiration.
  • Scalenus syndrome (stair muscles). The pain is localized in the area of the mammary glands, along the scapula and between the scapulae. The most specific symptom of spilling pain on the shoulder in the radial area of the forearm and fingers, however, chest symptoms are the beginning of the development of the syndrome of stair muscles.
  • Trapezius muscle syndrome is the most common tension syndrome between the shoulder blades, in the posterior zone of the middle of the chest (back).
  • The syndrome of the muscle that lifts the scapula most often develops from the neck (stiffness), then the stress goes lower as reflected pain in the upper chest

The myofascial nature of pain in the chest on the one hand makes it very difficult to diagnose diseases because of the absence of specific symptoms, on the other, it makes it possible to fairly accurately determine the zone of the inflamed tense muscle due to the TT-trigger points scheme.

Pain in the gluteus muscle

The gluteus muscle consists of three components - a large, medium and small muscle. The pain in the gluteus muscle can be localized directly in the buttocks or be reflected in the disease of the spinal column, hip joints, neuropathies.

Causes of pain in the muscles of the buttocks:

  1. Overexertion of the muscles, most often medium and small. The nature of pain - pulling, reflected in the hip or lower back.
  2. Deformation of certain zones of the spine.
  3. Psychoemotional stress.
  4. Myalgia (primary) of traumatic, infectious etiology.
  5. Rarely, fibromyalgia.
  6. Secondary myalgia, which develops as a consequence of neurological diseases.
  7. Myositis.
  8. Poliomyositis.

In addition, the pain in the gluteus muscle is provoked by typical myofascial syndromes:

  • Middle muscle syndrome buttocks. The pain develops due to overload, hypertension due to static posture, body position, and also due to deformation of the spinal column. The symptom is worse in movement, especially when walking, in addition, pain in the buttock can also occur when turning the hips, at a certain position of the feet (on the outer rib), with prolonged standing. Characteristic of the increase in pain when the leg is tossed over the leg, discomfort appears both in the buttock and in the sacrum, it can spread to the back of the thigh.
  • Syndrome of a small gluteus muscle. The pain develops in certain movements: when a person rises from a sitting position, when one leg is thrown back to the other.
  • Neuropathy of the sciatic nerve or pear-shaped muscle syndrome develops as a reflex response to spine injury in the lumbosacral region. The pain is aching, stupid, localized in the sacrum, in the buttock (from the side of the vertebrae displacement), is amplified in motion (walking, turns, squats, slopes) and subsides in a horizontal position.

Pain in the throat muscles

Muscles of the throat (laryngis) are striated muscle fibers that perform in the larynx 2 main functions:

  1. Movement and activity of all elements of the throat (larynx) 2.
  2. Movement of certain cartilage and laryngeal ligament

Most of the pain in the muscles of the throat is caused by professional overstrain, which is so characteristic of educators, teachers, artists, singers, announcers and all those who strain the voice device daily. The most common symptom of professional laryngeal myalgia is functional dysphonia, when hypertension develops in the muscles of the throat (less often a hypotone), the strength, the timbre of the voice changes.

Dysphonia can have such forms:

  • Hyperkinetic.
  • Hypokinetic.
  • Mixed.
  • Spastic.
  • Fascinations.

Hypotonus of muscle tissue develops against the background of vocal cord overload, rarely after SARS, tonsillitis, hormonal dysfunction, tracheitis, more often because of psychoemotional factors, stress. In ENT examination, no sign of inflammation of the mucous membrane is detected as well as no signs of other pathologies of the throat.

Hypertension of the muscles of the throat can be triggered by an intense load on the vocal cords - screaming, loud speech, singing and so on. Pain in the muscles of the throat is accompanied by pain in the abdominal muscles, which is caused by physical overstrain, increased movements of the diaphragm. In addition, the muscles of the neck can ache, cough appear, tight ligament of the vocal cords.

The spastic tension of the throat muscles is related to the neurodynamic load ha internal internal and respiratory muscles of the larynx. This condition is typical for stressful situations, psychoemotional injuries.

Pain in the muscles of the throat can also develop due to excessive strength exercises, after training, and as a symptom of the "extended head", which is most typical for certain sports, for example, tennis.

Pain in the muscles of the scapula

Pain in the muscles of the scapula most often provokes the scapula-rib syndrome (LRS), which is expressed in a feeling of heaviness, aching discomfort in the region of the shoulder-shoulder region (closer to the upper corner of the scapula). Pain can irradiate into the shoulder, in the side of the sternum, the symptom develops imperceptibly and increases with static or dynamic intense loads on the muscular apparatus of the shoulder, chest. The pain in the muscles of the scapula gradually progresses and spreads to the neck and clavicles. Differentiate myalgic pain in the scapula helps their vegetative character, unlike the radicular symptoms, these pains are usually aching, drawing, without lumbago. Often the pain is worse when exposed to a temperature factor (weather conditions). In addition, the localization of myofascial pain does not correlate with innervation of rootlets and peripheral nerve endings.

Causes of LRS - scapula-rib syndrome:

  • Postural anomalies of the thorax.
  • Functional hypertension of the muscles, which are responsible for fixing the scapula to the sternum (lifting muscle).
  • Subcooling.
  • Less often - psychoemotional trauma, stress.

Diagnosis of LRS is not difficult, because the trigger points in this area during palpation respond with a distinct pain signal.

In addition, pain in the muscles of the scapula can be the result of chronic spasm or paralysis of muscle tissue - the syndrome of the acquired pterygoid scapula. This pathological condition is peculiar to people involved in sports (rowing, tennis), and can also be caused by trauma, a bruise of the foreleg.

Pain in the pelvic muscles

Pain in the muscles of the pelvis is not only a clinical manifestation of prostatitis, gynecological diseases, cocciogonia. Modern doctors are familiar with other causes of pain in the pelvic region, in particular with MFBS - myofascial pain syndrome. The main diagnostic criteria for confirming the myofascial nature of the symptomatology are clear painful signals during palpation of TT - trigger points, located in the smooth muscles, including in the pelvic muscles.

  • Pelvic pain can develop as a result of reflex hyper or hypotension, muscular-tonic syndrome. The mechanism of the syndrome is as follows:
  • Pain symptom in the deformed parts of the spinal column.
  • Reflex-compensatory tension of the pelvic muscles.
  • Destruction of muscle tissue.
  • Myositis, inflammation of the pelvic muscles.
  • Development of a pain symptom, spontaneous or caused by movement of the body.

The most common types of muscular-tonic syndromes are:

  • The syndrome of the pear-shaped muscle, which is responsible for the turn and hip withdrawal, the pelvic inclinations. The syndrome can cause physical exertion, overstrain, training, trauma to the buttocks, including a medicinal abscess. In addition, the causes can be inflammation of the pelvic organs in women, a reflex response to deformation of the vertebrae of the lumbosacral zone. The pain is felt both in the buttocks, and the region of the hip joints and subsides in a horizontal position, or with legs diluted to the side. The symptom is strengthened in the standing position, with the turns of the legs, walking, squatting, throwing one leg to the other. Often the symptomatology is similar to the clinic of sciatica nerve inflammation, often the pear-shaped muscle syndrome is really combined with this pathology.
  • Syndrome of ilio-lumbar muscle, which develops against a background of deformation of the vertebrae of the thoracic lumbar level. The pain is felt in the standing position, is localized closer to the hips, in the sitting position, the turn of the leg is limited, the hips are inward. If the patient lies, the pain subsides with knees bent at the knees.
  • Syndrome of small and medium gluteus muscle. The small muscle of the buttocks, overstrained, provokes pain in motion when lifting from a prone position while sitting. The syndrome of the middle gluteus muscle is as common as the pear-shaped muscle syndrome. It manifests itself as a pain in the muscles of the pelvis when walking, standing (standing), while turning in a horizontal position or when squatting. The pain becomes worse when the foot is tossed over the leg and can spread all over the outer surface of the thigh, starting from the buttock.

Pain in the facial muscles

Pain in the face is called prosopalgia, it is usually associated with neurological pathologies, neuropathy, in particular the trigeminal nerve. However, pain in the facial muscles is usually due to a very different factor - myofascial pain syndrome, which affects only the muscle tissue. Myofascial facial syndrome is a local pain in the head and neck area, with the most common pain sensations in the neck muscles, mimic and chewing muscles. In addition, the pain in the facial muscles can be localized in the temples, the lower jaw, in the ear region, and the occiput, in the frontal or parietal region.

The pathogenetic mechanism of the development of pain in the facial musculature is identical to the process of development of pain in other skeletal muscles: the onset of pain is the result of overstrain, development is a chronic hypertonic muscle, the result is spasmodic pains (cramps). An example is painful sensations in the jaw with a yawn or a wide open mouth. Constant spasms of the facial muscles can be dangerous in the sense of secondary disorders of the vascular, inflammatory nature, which is the cause of the vicious circle - primary myalgia provokes secondary pain, which in turn activates the myalgic symptoms.

MFBS (myofascial pain syndrome) of a person is determined by trigger points of reflected or localized pain. Typical arrangement of triggers - whiskey, chewing and pterygoid muscles. More rarely TT (trigger points) can be palpated in the area of facial muscles, such pain can develop as a consequence of hypertension of the sternocleid or trapezius muscle.

Causes that cause pain in the muscles of the face:

  • Kosten's syndrome is an anomaly of the temporomandibular joint, both congenital and traumatic.
  • Reflected pain symptom, as a consequence of hypertension of the muscles of the neck and shoulder girdle.
  • Bruxism.
  • Psychoemotional stress.

Pain in the masticatory muscle

Pain in the musculus masseter-chewing muscle, can be associated with a tension headache when the spastic condition of the muscles provokes a pain symptom in the temples, in the forehead, occiput, ear and jaw area. This syndrome refers to the TMJ - temporomandibular joint disease, usually to Kosten's syndrome - joint dysfunction. The reason can be of a psycho-emotional nature, and it is also associated with an elementary overstrain, hypertension of the muscles, in addition pain in the chewing muscle sometimes occurs with endocrine pathologies, with unsuccessful prosthetics. The mechanism of pain development is as follows:

  • Hypertonus of any kind of chewing muscle - temporal, chewing, medial pterygoid, lateral pterygoid provokes asymmetry of muscular function, in addition, overexertion can cause trauma to the nerve endings of the joint, a violation of hemodynamics of muscle tissue.
  • As a consequence of hypertension, a muscle and joint disorder develops, arthrosis.
  • There is a one-sided pain symptom in the ear, the temple, which radiates to the face, head, especially during chewing.
  • The pain is accompanied by clicks of the temporomandibular joint.
  • Movement of the mouth is limited, it is difficult for a person to speak (articulate), sometimes even to smile.
  • The motion of the lower jaw is blocked.
  • Developed apparent asymmetry of the face.
  • Pain can be accompanied by bruxism and dental symptoms - pain in the teeth, paresthesia, dullness of the teeth.

Pain in the muscles of the press

In an effort to make the stomach pumped up, see the coveted "cubes" a person can sometimes overdo and feel the pain in the muscles of the press. What is called the press is nothing else than the rectus abdominis, it creates the appearance of the abdominal zone, many try to bring it "in order" and with the help of training and training. Less often the pain in the press is localized in the external oblique muscle, which is more extensible and not so dense in structure.

The pain in the muscles of the press is most often associated with post-training pains, which are also called delayed, delayed pains, and strength. The cause of the pain symptom is called lactate - lactic acid, although according to recent data, it has little effect on abdominal discomfort, as it accumulates and dissolves literally within half an hour. Most likely, the cause of pain is microtraumas of muscle fibers, which in untrained people do not have a high level of elasticity, extensibility. In addition, muscle fibers contain short and long myofibrils - cylindrical organelles, elements of striated muscles. Short myofibrils are very vulnerable and, under intense stresses, they are injured, torn, which provokes transient pain in the muscles of the press. If the exercise is dosed, with good warm-up exercises, then the pain symptom may not appear or be virtually invisible. With regular training, strengthening the press, the length of the myofibrils becomes equal, the muscle fibers become dense without losing elasticity.

Pain in the muscles of the groin

The definition of "groin area" is usually used when it comes to the hip joint area with the body. Thus, the groin - this is not a separate anatomical part of the body, but rather a vulnerable, sensitive area, which has a bunch and contains a lot of fixation muscles (tightening, bending, leading).

Pain in the muscles of the groin is most often caused by the defeat of the adductor muscles or, more accurately, the adductors localized inside the thigh. Reduction, inflammation, trauma, stretching of these muscles is always accompanied by severe pain in the pelvis, groin.

Causes of pain in the groin associated with muscle tissue:

  • Overload during training without proper preheating.
  • Stretching of the muscles of the groin.
  • Rupture of the iliac muscle.
  • Stretching of the quadriceps muscle (anterior thigh area).
  • Stretching of the hamstring.
  • Static overload of inguinal muscles (bicyclists, sportsmen, engaged in equestrian sport).
  • Dynamic overload of inguinal muscles - football players, hockey players, basketball players.
  • Professional overstrain of inguinal muscles can be associated with work in a squatting position.
  • Lumbar osteochondrosis.
  • Coxarthrosis.

In medicine, pain in the muscles of the groin is called the inguinal genital myofascial syndrome (MHPGS), which, in addition to the pain sign, may be accompanied by angiopathy of the venous center of the spermatic cord in men or angiopathy of the circular ligament in women.

Pain in the trapezius muscle

Pain in the m. Trapezius - trapezius muscle - the most common myalgic symptom. The trapezius muscle is responsible for the movement of the scapula up or down, it is attached to the base of the skull, localized along the back of the neck, from above the shoulder girdle and in the upper, middle zone of the back.

The main cause that causes pain in the trapezius muscle is physical or mental overstrain, less often a symptom provokes a trauma, bruise. It is the shoulder belt that is subjected to a constant load as a result of many kinds of human activity - sedentary work at the office, at the computer, phone conversations, sleep on too high pillows, weight retention is not weight. The list can be continued indefinitely, since the vertical position of the body is inevitably accompanied by a certain load on the trapezius muscle.

Pain caused by hypertension m. Trapezius, is manifested by uncomfortable sensations in the neck, closer to the base of the skull, often such tension causes a person to compensate for the shoulders, which only aggravates muscle spasm. Chronic overstrain leads to severe headaches - HDN (tension headache), localized in the temples, less often in the forehead.

Translation Disclaimer: For the convenience of users of the iLive portal this article has been translated into the current language, but has not yet been verified by a native speaker who has the necessary qualifications for this. In this regard, we warn you that the translation of this article may be incorrect, may contain lexical, syntactic and grammatical errors.

You are reporting a typo in the following text:
Simply click the "Send typo report" button to complete the report. You can also include a comment.